Perimenopause and Weight Gain: The Connection
As a woman ages, her body undergoes a myriad of changes, including the preparation to enter menopause. This is known as perimenopause. During this time, menstrual cycles may shorten, and you can experience symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, mental fuzziness, and more. However, one of the more alarming symptoms may be sudden weight gain. Experts estimate that women gain 12 pounds of fat tissue during perimenopause.
Yet, hormone-regulating supplements such as Macafem can help stabilize hormones within the body to counteract weight gain. Read more to find out causes and solutions to perimenopausal weight gain.
Causes of weight gain
Perimenopause initiates the beginning of irregular fluctuations of estrogen and other hormones. One of estrogen’s functions is to deposit fat around the hips rather than the waist. With inconsistent variations, there is a sudden redistribution of fat to the belly. Moreover, plummeting estrogen can lead to imbalanced thyroid function. Low thyroid activity leads to lower metabolism and easier weight gain.
In addition, unyielding stress leads to high cortisol levels that lead to increased craving of foods high in fat and sugar, contributing to an expanding waistline.
And to top this all off, chronic stress and perimenopausal symptoms can prompt disrupted sleeping patterns. Sleep is important for healthy weight regulation because of its direct influence on leptin, the hormone that regulates how much you’ve eaten, and ghrelin, the hormone that makes us crave sweet and high-fat foods. An imbalance of these appetite-regulating hormones result in difficult weight regulation.
How to counteract weight gain
The road to a healthier, well-rounded body and lifestyle begins with conscientious choices. Start by scheduling more rest into your daily routine to help counteract some of the negative mental and physical effects chronic stress and lack of sleep may have on you.
Moreover, improve your diet by reducing morning sugar intake to prevent the drop of energy levels during the day. Keep a varied, colorful selection of food and consume as many unprocessed fruits and vegetables as possible. Moreover, incorporate physical activity into your everyday routines. Look for ways to be active throughout the day by taking the stairs up to your office or walking to lunch instead of driving.
However, fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other regulatory hormones are the ultimate reason for weight gain. The hormone-regulating supplement Macafem gets down to the root cause to help bring relief. Macafem’s nutrients and healthy alkaloids allow the endocrine system to work at full capacity and balance inconsistent hormonal levels to help reduce weight gain. When complemented with conscientious eating and exercise, it makes for a well-rounded weight loss strategy.
The years leading up to the transition into menopause during perimenopause can bring about a myriad of symptoms, which are due to erratic hormonal fluctuations exacerbated by stressors of daily life. Each woman has different symptoms and symptom intensity. Nonetheless, with proper eating habits and daily activity paired with Macafem, seemingly elusive weight gain can be comfortably managed.
Love, Susan M.D. Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
Women’s Health Network. (n.d.). Perimenopause and menopause weight gain – causes and solutions. Retrieved April 20, 2017 from https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/menopause-and-perimenopause/menopause-weight-gain.aspx