Weight Gain and Menopause

Facing the Middle Aged Spread?

It’s true that weight gain and menopause (or pre-menopause) often go hand in hand for many women. This is no cause for alarm and it’s certainly manageable.



There’s a difference between vanity and health consciousness. Almost all women (and even very young girls) have a somewhat unhappy, unhealthy relationship with their body image and can be obsessive about their weight.

Unfortunately for women, weight gain increases about 50% when they reach menopause and much of the weight gained in midlife produces the dreaded middle aged spread (belly bulge).

The good news is that there are ways to prevent or reverse menopause weight gain (without starving or drastic measures):

Weight Gain and Menopause – Solutions:

• Eat monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) which can help the spread of fat around your stomach. MUFAs include avocados, nuts, olives, olive oil, and flax seeds).

• Eat whole grains. Studies have shown that those who ate 4-7 servings of whole grains lost twice as much belly fat as those who ate processed foods. Whole grains include 100% whole grain breads, pastas, brown rice, or oatmeal.

• Include lots of protein in your diet. It preserves muscle tissue and requires more calories to digest than carbs or fats. Good proteins include egg whites, fish, nuts, soy, chicken and turkey.

• Reduce your calorie intake. Reports indicate that just by reducing your calorie intake by 200 calories a day can help you maintain your weight, so just give up a sugary soda or an afternoon snack.

• Exercise 20 to 30 minutes daily.