Menopause – How to lose that Extra weight after 40
Menopause – Fitness and Weight Management After 40
Approximately seventy percent of women gain weight during their menopausal years and most find that he weight is difficult to lose. Metabolism naturally slows down with age for both men and women and the weight can creep up before you know it, but there are things we can do to prevent this from happening.
When looking for solutions on how to lose those extra pounds and or get back into shape and stay that way, many find that old methods no longer work.
Learn more about the best book I’ve read on this subject – Fit Over 40
Hormone imbalance plays a major role in weight gain, weight gain is inevitable with any balance and it is not a one size fits all so the best bet is to get some blood work done and see a doctor who specializes in the area.
Various studies have shown that the main culprits are body and lifestyle changes. Two of the main factors with regard to lifestyle include lower levels of activity and an increase in stress. Menopause and andropause in addition to creating imbalances in key hormones can also catalyze various emotional issues which can lead to eating for comfort, which of course leads to overeating and results in weight gain.
To address midlife weight problems it is important to consider lifestyle as well as hormone balance, you probably need to work on both. Activity levels, muscle preservation and most importantly, eating a healthy diet are essential.
Thyroid function can also be a factor, an unhealthy thyroid gland will reek havoc with the body and weight gain is one of the symptoms. You will want to make sure your health care professional is running complete test on the thyroid. An under-active thyroid can result in excessive weight gain, mood swings and appetite changes. Fatigue or depression which also accompany low thyroid can lead to reduction in physical activity.
A few years back when I started noticing that my metabolism had slowed and my jeans were feeling tighter I read a book by a guy named Tom Venuto, it was called Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle . I learned a lot about food but just as important I learned about strength training.
I found out that as we age we lose more and more muscle mass every year If we do nothing to combat the loss. The good news is that it is completely avoidable and reversible if you incorporate strength training exercises into your routine. I also learned that strength training is good for bone health, it combats osteoporosis.
When I first started strength training I was unreasonably worried about looking like an "amazon woman". Later I realized that was just a excuse I was using to stay lazy and stuck. Once I owned it, I got a buddy and started going to the gym a minimum of three days a week for strength training and continued with my aerobics five times a week, I still do this and it has paid off as I have been able to keep my body fat percentage down around 17 to 20%.
Strength training gave me back a body confidence I did not realized I had lost. The weight came down but more importantly the fat came off and the muscle tone showed up and there is no substitute for that.
So when I found out that Tom had co-authored along with Jon Benson a book called Fit Over Forty I read it. There is plenty of inspiration but more importantly this book gave me insight to how fit people over forty think, train and eat. These are the routines of real people and plans one can incorporate into there own life no matter how hectic and it is sure to make a big difference in how you look and feel. I loved it!
Check out Fit Over Forty
For more information about Bioidentical Hormone Replacement please check out our home page at www.bioidenticalhormonereplacement.net
Other Interesting Blog Entries On This Topic
Is Fitness over 50 the Solution For “Male Menopause”?
Is it possible that fitness over 50 is the cure most midlife men are looking for?
Outsmarting the Midlife Fat Cell: Winning Weight Control
Review Menopausal weight gain is the most stubborn weight gain you’ll ever experience, says Debra Waterhouse in Outsmarting the Midlife Fat.
Midlife Matters Lani Muelrath Midlife Dialogues Series 8/13/2009
Midlife Fitness Mastery Lani Muelrath is CEO of Lani Muelrath Fitness International devoted to empowering women around the world with the tools to master their fitness multiply their energy and move their lives forward Read more…
During a midlife crisis, exercise could well be the furthest thing from your mind. Lethargy can kick in and you feel like you’re lacking in energy, and if you’re battling a bout of depression too then. Read more…
Testosterone and Visceral Fat in Midlife Women
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009 Aug 20; Janssen I, Powell LH, Kazlauskaite R, Dugan SA Visceral fat (VF) increases with the menopause and is an independent predictor of the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) Read more…
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