Menopause and Weight Gain

Weight gain is one of the most common symptoms of menopause in women. It is often the symptoms of menopause that lead to weight gain. Most women gain weight as they age but they can shed those extra pounds if they put in a little bit of effort. During menopause the women gain excess weight in the abdomen area. Most of the women find weight reduction to be a difficult task. Excess fat accumulates around the stomach area and also the hips and the thighs area. Taking steps to control weight gain can go a long way in giving women confidence to lead a healthy life. For majority of women the changes in the weight pattern begin during the perimenopause period. Perimenopause refers to early menopause or the period before actual menopause. Some of the causes of weight gain during menopause are: 1) Reduced physical activity - Menopausal women tend to get tired easily when they do physical tasks and also ultimately stop doing the tasks completely. Hence lack of physical exercise leads to excess weight gain. 2) Increased consumption of food - Women with menopause symptoms tend to eat more and as a result tend to put on more weight. By eating more food you accumulate more calories in your body which are then converted in fat ultimately leading to weight gain. 3) Slow metabolism - Metabolism refers to the body's ability to burn calories. In case of slow metabolism the body is not able to burn the calories quickly and hence the muscle mass in the body decreases. The muscles burn more calories than fat and hence the less muscle you have, the fewer calories your body burns. 4) Genetic Factors- Genetic factors may play a big role in weight gain. Hence it is necessary to exercise and indulge in physical activities to shed those extra pounds. Weight gain due to menopause may often lead to other serious complications as well such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. It is proved time and again that a combination of diet and exercise will help you shed weight faster. You should consult a dietician who will give you a dietician chart that you should follow strictly. Also you can do light aerobic exercises like walking and running to burn the extra fat in your body. Even if you cut back on a few hundred calories everyday it can make a lot of difference to your weight.