I keep gaining weight, what am I doing wrong?

Today's topic

Today on A. Vogel Talks Menopause, I'm answering a question that I get asked regularly and that is, "I keep gaining weight. What am I doing wrong?"

This is one of the most common questions that I get asked from women going through peri-menopause and menopause.

It's such a frustrating situation because so many of you are working so hard at trying to maintain your weight or lose weight and nothing happens. And sometimes, the harder you try, the more weight you end up putting on.

Why is it so difficult to lose weight during menopause?

So, why does this happen during the menopause? There are several different reasons.

Slower metabolism

The main one is that we know that as your oestrogen starts to fall, this can impact on your metabolism, so it slows everything down. So, although you may be eating the same and doing the same exercise, your body is not using everything up, and it's turning the excess into fat.

We know, too, that our metabolism slows down through general aging. So, when we're going through the menopause, it's almost like we're having a double whammy here.

What can happen, too, is that there can be a problem with metabolising carbohydrates. And if we eat too many carbohydrates, again, these can end up getting turned straight to fat. And one of the areas that they go is straight around the middle.

The other thing that can happen is that a lot of women, as they approach menopause, their changing hormones can affect thyroid function. So, again, your metabolism can slow down, you can put weight on, and no matter what you do, you can struggle to lose this weight.

What can help?

The first thing is exercise, this is very important. And especially at the minute, if we're stuck at home, we don't have the motivation or even the energy sometimes to exercise, but it is vital for keeping your metabolism going.

Don't do too much, because, again, that can cause more problems. So even a 10-minute brisk walk every day at lunchtime, or before your evening meal, or even first thing in the morning can make a huge amount of difference.

Unless you're on thyroid medication, you can look at a supplement called kelp. This is known to help with maintaining and supporting metabolism.

Cutting calories

This can be counter-productive. Many women often come to me that are on starvation rations, wanting to know why they're still putting on weight.

If you cut calories too much, your body thinks there is a famine. It will go into starvation mode, and it will slow your metabolism down even further. So, it's really important not to cut calories too much. Otherwise, again, you're going to be fighting against your body's instinct to stay alive.

What can help?

You can look at things like lean protein. We need to build our body during the menopause, so good protein, plenty of veg, a little bit of fruit, and some healthy whole grains as well to keep everything going, and don't forget healthy fats.
So many women cut fat in the menopause thinking that's going to help with weight control and that will do the opposite. Your body needs fats to make hormones. Good healthy fats, daily, are important, so check that you're getting enough in your diet.

Examples of healthy fats include eggs, fatty fish, tofu, nuts and seeds, and full-fat yoghurt.

Stress

We know that stress can have a huge impact on weight gain, and who's not stressed now? And going through the menopause, just the hormonal and physiological changes that are going on will put your body into stress mode.

When your body is in stress mode, it's going to hold on to every single calorie it can, in case there is an emergency. And this is one of the reasons if you start putting a lot of weight on around the middle, then that's usually a good indication that your nervous system is under a lot of pressure.

What can help?

So, it's important to support your nervous system. Things like your magnesium can help. Remember 30-minutes "me" time, is also important. Studies have shown that if you do 30-minutes "me" time mindfulness or meditation a day, can help lower the stress hormone cortisol.¹

And it will help a lot of your other symptoms, including hot flushes. So that relaxation you have in that little bit of "me" time, absolutely vital.

Poor sleep

Studies show that poor sleep will cause weight gain.² And we know that during the menopause, poor sleep is a very common symptom. So, it's really important to try and get a good night's sleep.

I've written blogs before on how to sleep better during menopause, so you can have a look at these for lots of helpful tips:

How to sleep better during menopause
Struggling to get to sleep? Tips & tricks to help

When to consult your doctor

if you're putting on a lot of weight and you cannot sort it, no matter what you do, then it's important to get this checked by your doctor. You may need to get your thyroid checked, If you're getting quick weight gain and nothing you do will shift it and if it's accompanied by things like fatigue, joint aches, and pains, anxiety, and stress, then that can be an indication of thyroid issues.

References:

^1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130328142313.htm
^2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3632337/