Weight loss after menopause
This is an important subject for me as I have been going through menopause watching my waistline expand. I am not alone in this, although it seems that way sometimes. Most women, and let's face it men too, get a little and in some cases a lot larger around their middle.
I have heard many well meaning people say things like: "Well, we are all getting older" or "It is age dear, there is nothing you can do about it!"
What a lot of hogwash, I do not intend to get any bigger and I definitely will look into every possibility to regain optimum fitness and lose that weight I gained.
It all sneaked up on me, an extra pound here and there, a foot injury, less exercise, a penchant for pasta and sweets and here I am 3 dress sizes more than I would like to be.
I will endeavor to share as much information as I can and I hope it will be of good use in working out ways on how to lose weight after menopause
I have heard many well meaning people say things like: "Well, we are all getting older" or "It is age dear, there is nothing you can do about it!"
What a lot of hogwash, I do not intend to get any bigger and I definitely will look into every possibility to regain optimum fitness and lose that weight I gained.
It all sneaked up on me, an extra pound here and there, a foot injury, less exercise, a penchant for pasta and sweets and here I am 3 dress sizes more than I would like to be.
I will endeavor to share as much information as I can and I hope it will be of good use in working out ways on how to lose weight after menopause
Here is a bit about why we gain weight after menopause
I didn't didn't pay much attention to my diet and exercise regime during the early years of my life, I led a very active life and It just wouldn't cross my mind that I would ever put on weight so easily after menopause. I do however recognize the tremendous importance to do so now.It started slowly, in my mid 40's, I gained a little here and there, lost a little, the pounds piled on and stayed on. How could I have hot flashes and not burn the fat I shall never know. It doesn't seem fair somehow!
It is not laziness in itself but I often find myself watching TV and reaching for the late snacks and the hot chocolate. When children [and husband] have flown the coop we can be a bit on a loose end and food becomes comforting, how often have I felt too tired to move only to sit glued to some mindless sitcom. Why? Simply put, I felt too fat and uncomfortable to go out! Now I don't consider myself obese, I just don't fit into nice clothes anymore, nothing looks quite good and it always is too tight. Maybe some of you reading this can understand where I am coming from.
I decided to change all this when only a few weeks ago a friend took a picture of me when we went out for lunch, oh the embarrassment! Was I really this unshapely blob? Something stopped me from deleting the image and I made the decision then and there to change all that.
I think that I was possessed by some sort of insanity to think that my life was OK, it is not! Being constantly tired, overweight and unfit is not ok
I am only middle aged, this means I still theoretically have the other half of my life to be well, healthy and fit.
I include the picture, see for yourself!
What foods are best avoided
Avoid these foods like the plague!
- sugared and carbonated drinks
- white bread
- white pasta
- take away foods ie: burgers, fries, pizzas
- chocolate bars
- anything that comes in a packet with a lot of numbers in the ingredients list
- cream and fat laden sauces
- potatoes chips out of a packet
- ready made pies
The foods are best left out of your diet altogether, you will see that you can still have all the things you love to eat, just have your treats only once a week and swap all the unhealthy food from the above list with their healthy and nutritious replacements
I'm allergic to food.
Every time I eat it breaks out into fat. -
Jennifer Greene Duncan
Healthy foods you ought to eat
Good and healthy food for a longuer healthier life
- wholegrain bread
- wholemeal pasta
- brown rice or wild rice
- green vegetables
- fruits and berries in particular
- nuts
- green tea
- natural spices: ginger, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, these will not only boost your metabolism but they are also antioxidants
- fresh herbs
- salads
- home made soups
- natural sugar free yogurt [excellent for digestion]
Great recipes books on Amazon
But wait....there is more to losing weight after menopause
- Premature Menopause
- Declining estrogen levels and age related loss of muscle tissue, lifestyle factors such as lack of diet and exercise can cause weight gain in women at menopause. Many menopausal women experience significant weight gain. ... Tips to manage weight gain after menopause. Eat low fate and high fiber diet. Regular aerobic exercise should help. Atleast thirty minutes of moderate physical activity every day is ideal. Weight training and weight bearing exercises such as walking ...
- 10 Questions for a Menopause Diet Expert - thatsfit.ca
- They spend decades suffering through menstrual cramps, PMS and those annoying breakouts and then before they know it, menopause sneaks up on them and deals out hot flashes, mood swings and the dreaded middle-aged spread. ... That's very important from a calorie standpoint and also a low G.I. standpoint for you to get more nutrients. Low-fat dairy products are excellent for losing weight and for your health, particularly the fat-free and sugar-free yogurt. ...
- Eating for your age « Think Slim Blog
- Middle age spread is no longer a phenomenon of the over 50's, men and women in their 30's are increasingly experiencing weight gain due to inactive lifestyles, sedentary jobs, drinking too much alcohol and eating in excess of their calorie needs. ... Eating foods rich in soy helps to ease the hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause. ? Following a Mediterranean diet can help to reduce the risks of developing heart disease so base your diet around fish, ...
Drink tea!
Here is a great way to make tea for those hot flushes and help with weight loss
Tea is great, I drink several cups a day and often instead of making a snack I get brewing.First of all it is important to get a good loose leaf green tea, my favorite is jasmine tea, it has a lovely flavor and goes well with a touch of honey.
Here are two ingredients I add to plain tea,
To make the perfect cup of tea, I first warm the pot with hot water and boil the jug, then I pour out the water add the loose leaf tea and my ginger or sage [both if you like] and wait a few minutes after the water has boiled, I never pour boiling water over my tea, the water should be at about 80 degrees C.
Lastly I put my pot of freshly brewed tea on a tray with my favorite cup and sit somewhere quiet to enjoy.
I like to use my tea time to practice being present , simply sitting down and emptying the mind of all thoughts and just savoring he moment, can make an enormous difference in my day.
Super antioxidents highly recommended
I love a good green tea, I have several cups a day and I cannot recommend Acai enough, it truly is a super-food
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byAbout bread
If you want to eat bread, make sure that you eat the best
I used to buy bread from the health food section at the supermarket but I found it still too uninteresting and very expensive. I then decided to try various bread recipes for the bread oven. I researched what the best flours are to use and what could be added to make the bread as healthy and wholesome as possible. All the diets I saw tell you to eliminate bread altogether, I am not ready to do that. I just love to start my day with a slice of my home made bread and a cup of tea. Later I have fruit and yogurt and some nuts.Being of European origins, bread was always a big part of my diet, my breakfast used to consist of fresh baguette with lashings of butter and jam followed by a bowl or two of "cafe au lait", not the best breakfast in the world!
The best way for me to still eat bread is to make sure it is a real adjunct to a healthy weight management diet.
Bread recipe
Take the time to make this healthy loaf!
Try to use wholemeal wheat flour or my favorites, spelt and kamut. They are usually found in health food stores, but well worth it as they older forms of grain
You can also try your own blend, experiment until you have the mix just right. I often .use a wholegrain premix, it pays to get one with less additives.
For the bread oven, I use
600g of flour
400ml of filtered water
1/2 cup of pepitas
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
2-3 tbsp of freshly ground flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon of dried yeast
I set my bread maker on "medium" and let it bake!
Why use sunflowers seeds?
Sunflower seeds are a wonder food, they are rich in Vit E {another anti-oxidant] as well as B1, magnesium, selenium, folate, phosphorus, tryptophan and copper.
Pepitas
Also rich in magnesium ,a magnesium-rich diet may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome (a collection of risk factors leading to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
They are also rich in B1, B2, niacin, B6 and folic acid
Pepitas as well as sunflower seeds are packed with protein.
Purchase all seeds and nuts as fresh as possible
You can also try your own blend, experiment until you have the mix just right. I often .use a wholegrain premix, it pays to get one with less additives.
For the bread oven, I use
600g of flour
400ml of filtered water
1/2 cup of pepitas
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
2-3 tbsp of freshly ground flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon of dried yeast
I set my bread maker on "medium" and let it bake!
Why use sunflowers seeds?
Sunflower seeds are a wonder food, they are rich in Vit E {another anti-oxidant] as well as B1, magnesium, selenium, folate, phosphorus, tryptophan and copper.
Pepitas
Also rich in magnesium ,a magnesium-rich diet may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome (a collection of risk factors leading to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
They are also rich in B1, B2, niacin, B6 and folic acid
Pepitas as well as sunflower seeds are packed with protein.
Purchase all seeds and nuts as fresh as possible
Oatmeal for breakfast
Oatmeal can help you lose weight
Here is my favorite way to start the day and stay full longer.Only use wholegrain oats, they will cook just ask quickly and you will get the full health benefits
- One cup of oats
- Some filtered water
- Dried fruit or raisins or sultanas or dried cranberries [use them all if you like]
Cook it slowly while stirring, it shouldn't take more than 3/4 minutes, take it off the stove and add one or 2 of the following:
- seeds [sunflower and pepita]
- some almonds, 3 to 5 would be enough
- A chopped up banana
- A drizzle of honey if you need sweetener, but remember to go easy, honey still packs all the calories that sugar has it just is healthier
- Add some plain yogurt or a little milk to moisten
This lovely breakfast keeps me going till way after lunch and I know that it will keep me energized longer.
Enjoy
What! You hate going to the gym!!
Exercise you can do to lose weight after menopause without going to the gym
- Walking is a great way: get a good pair of supportive walking shoes, wear loose clothes and start to walk. It may be a small walk to start off but you can increase the distance as you get fitter. Try to incorporate a good hill and set a good pace, try to walk at least for 30 minutes a day. Get a pedometer and set yourself a target, 10.000 steps a day, you will be surprised how much walking you can do while shopping!
- Dance: join a salsa or samba dance group. Alternatively put on your favorite dance music and shake your booty! A good half hour should work up a good sweat and you will feel quite invigorated.
- Get a hula hoop: I had one as a child and I must tell you that the work out I get from it has helped a lot to tone my belly.
- Swimming: this is a great way to get fit without putting any strain on your joints. Try to walk in the water [in the shallow end of course!], the water resistance really works the muscles. Again start easy, work up to a few laps; you could also join water aerobics at your local pool.
Cycling: I only recommend cycling if you already know how to ride a bicycle, even if you rode one a long time ago, you will not have forgotten. Get some friends together; it is more fun that way!
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- Rajays Rajays Sep 3, 2009 @ 4:24 am
- Very Informative. Blessed by a Squid Angel.
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- clouda9 clouda9 Aug 18, 2009 @ 2:56 am
- Oh wow...hit a nerve, a menopause nerve that is! Not sure if that is a tummy or my boobs migrating south...lol! Good info here.
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- AppalachianCountry AppalachianCountry Jul 7, 2009 @ 7:46 am
- Great informative lens. Thank-you for all the detail and the good tips. 5 stars*****
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- WeightLossMind WeightLossMind Jun 4, 2009 @ 8:12 am
- Thanks for the informative lens! The right diet at this stage is not only important for weight loss but can also help with hot flashes and improve health in general.
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- Slim_N_Trim Slim_N_Trim May 24, 2009 @ 3:59 am
- Lots of good information about how to stay trim. If you need to lose weight off your stomach don't forget to check out my lens reduce stomach fat
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- ZoeMonroe ZoeMonroe May 21, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
- great lens! very informative
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