Menopause triggers a whole host of changes, and one of the most noticeable is weight gain. The drop in estrogen messes with your metabolism, making it sluggish. Essentially, your body becomes more efficient at storing fat. As a result, without tweaking your diet or exercise habits, menopause weight gain can feel almost inevitable. So, the burning question is, at what age does this extra weight finally stop piling on?
Menopause Weight Gain: When Does It End?
Dr. Laurence Haurat, a psychologist-nutritionist, shed some light on this in an interview with Le Journal des Femmes. She pointed out that giving a one-size-fits-all answer is tricky since everyone’s body reacts differently. Not every woman experiences weight gain during menopause. Still, menopause often coincides with significant hormonal upheavals that cause weight fluctuations, usually tipping the scale upwards.
A study in the International Journal of Obesity gives us a rough idea: women can keep gaining weight for up to 22 years post-menopause. For someone who hits menopause at 50, that could mean until around 72 years old. The average weight gain is around 0.43% per year. But, Dr. Haurat cautions against taking these numbers at face value.
“Weight gain doesn’t follow a straight line,” she says. “There’s often a ‘peak’ around menopause, roughly at 50-51 years old. This peak could be influenced by other life changes like stress, illness, or emotional upheaval. However, some women stabilize their weight soon after. It’s hard to pin down an exact age when weight gain stops, but it’s clear our bodies keep changing throughout our lives.”
How to Lose the Weight Gained During Menopause?
Now, the good news. You can lose that stubborn menopause weight! Dr. Haurat advises tuning in to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and keeping emotional eating in check. Cutting back on alcohol and foods that don’t agree with you anymore can also help. Increasing your protein intake and saying no to drastic diets is crucial. Plus, getting more active can make a big difference, especially if you’ve been a couch potato.
Accepting these changes and working with them is key to managing menopause weight gain. So, embrace this new chapter with some lifestyle tweaks and a healthy dose of self-compassion.
**Ménopause : voici l’âge précis où on arrête de prendre du poids selon une experte**
This article first appeared on grazia.fr – Author: Luce Picat
