Menopause-related weight increase is normal, but it can be managed in a sustainable fashion. Professional tips from Dr. Shilpa Amin include stress management, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep and exercise.
Millions of women worldwide experience menopause each year; it is a natural part of life rather than a medical issue.
However, there isn’t much discussion about it for such a common milestone. In an effort to address this, we at Healthline recently questioned Shilpa Amin, MD, CAQ, FAAFP, regarding perimenopausal weight management techniques.
A note on wording
The term “perimenopause” describes the two to eight years (and occasionally more or fewer years) that precede menopause. After a year without a period, you’ve entered menopause.
How common is weight gain during perimenopause?
At least 60% of women gain weight throughout the perimenopause and menopause.
During their perimenopausal and menopausal years, women typically report gaining 1.5 pounds annually.
Abdominal fat, or core fat redistribution, is linked to hormonal changes that impact your metabolism and a decrease in estrogen.
What are sustainable strategies for losing weight and keeping it off?
A mix of the following may be used as sustainable weight loss and maintenance strategies:
- portion control, a daily calorie deficit that is suitable for you, or a healthy eating plan like the Mediterranean or DASH diet
- exercise
- techniques for reducing stress
- appropriate sleep hygiene
Eating plan
The goal of your diet should be to limit:
- extremely processed foods
- added sugars
- refined grains and alcohol
- starchy foods like corn and potatoes
Try to prioritize at the same time:
- additional fruits
- vegetables that aren’t starchy
- Heart-healthy fats from meals high in protein, such as fatty fish like salmon, can be found in beans, nuts, and seeds.
Exercise
Every week, you should try to get in 150–300 minutes of aerobic or moderate-intensity exercise (something you can talk about but not sing) that includes:
- resistance training (at least two to three times a week), such as utilizing dumbbells, weight machines, or kettlebells, or body weight exercises; cardiovascular exercise (cardio), such as brisk walking, jogging, circuit training, rowing, or biking
By doing this, you may maintain and enhance your bone density while also increasing your muscle mass and endurance.
It’s acceptable if you’re new to exercising or if you can’t meet this advice. For the time being, you may want to concentrate on increasing your physical activity.
Stress reduction
Everybody has a distinct method for handling stress. To reduce your stress levels, figure out what works best for you.
Some methods for reducing stress could include:
- keeping a journal
- cutting out on caffeine and using your phone less
- pursuing interests like yoga or tai chi while interacting socially with others
Sleep
The majority of senior citizens should strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, free from outside distractions that could interfere with their sleep cycle, such using a smartphone right before bed.
However, each person has different sleep needs based on their lifestyle. Consult your primary care physician if you are worried about the length or quality of your sleep.
Other strategies
Acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may improve your general quality of life, which may help you keep your weight in check.
Can GLP-1 medication be used to reverse menopausal weight gain?
GLP-1 drugs work well to lower body weight and blood sugar levels.
According to a 2021 study, adults who took these drugs for 68 weeks lost an average of 16% of their body weight.
GLP-1 drugs may aid in the reduction of belly fat, especially in women who are menopausal or nearing menopause.
Semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug, combined menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) enhanced weight loss response compared to individuals who did not receive MHT, according to a 2024 study involving 106 postmenopausal women with obesity.
These findings highlight the close relationship between estrogen and metabolism.
However, if you stop using these drugs, you can gain weight back. Consequently, GLP-1 drugs must be used in conjunction with the sustainable lifestyle changes we covered before.
How do I know what a ‘healthy weight’ is for me?
For people going through menopause, a “healthy weight” is determined by:
- body mass index (BMI), genetic makeup, or physical attributes
- levels of physical activity and lifestyle
For females, a BMI (weight to height ratio) of 18.5 to 24.9 is often considered moderate, whereas a BMI (weight to height ratio) of 30 or higher is considered excessive.
BMI, however, might be a more indirect indicator of fat mass and obesity in middle-aged and older persons.
It doesn’t take into consideration the differences in body composition, such as location (subcutaneous versus visceral fat), or distinguish between:
- reductions in muscle mass, lean or fat mass, height, and racial and ethnic differences
Finding out if your weight is “healthy” can be aided by your waist circumference. For females, a circumference of 35 inches or more is most likely to be associated with risk factors for obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease.
The takeaway
About half of women gain weight throughout the perimenopause and menopause. Although this does not guarantee that it will occur to you, you can be ready with these tactics if it does.
Examine your existing diet as a starting point. Limit alcohol, added sweets, and highly processed foods. Make lean protein, healthy fats, and fruit and non-starchy vegetables your top priorities.
Make an effort to increase your level of physical activity by aiming for 150 minutes every week. You might also evaluate your sleep hygiene and think about stress-reduction strategies.