At menopause, a woman gains on average 3 to 7 kilos.
The phenomenon is natural but not without health risks.
“Weight gain can reduce physical activity, modify the quality of sleep, have an impact on cardiovascular health, or even on bone and joint health (weaken the hips, knees or ankles), lists Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, nutritionist doctor.
Without forgetting visceral fat which, in excessive quantities, increases the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
A few tips can help you limit it.
Details.
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Reduce calories
Weight gain is explained by the decrease in what we call basic metabolism during menopause, more precisely when the function of the ovaries stops.
At rest, the body expends less energy than before and burns fewer calories, which promotes fat storage.
“Our weight is governed by energy balance, that is to say by the balance between our energy intake and expenditure,” explains the doctor.
Logically, therefore, if we burn fewer calories at rest and our food consumption remains the same as before, we gain weight.
Hence the importance of reviewing some of your eating habits.
“Thus, you can reduce your usual portions by 25 to 30%, take the time to chew, eat sitting down, make the meal last 25 to 30 minutes and be attentive to your satiety signals,” indicates the nutritionist.
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As for the contents of the plate: we take care to limit the consumption of foods that are too sweet and too fatty, to eat fruits 2 to 3 times a day, vegetables at each meal, white meat or poultry 3 to 4 times a week, and fish 3 to 4 times a week (including fatty fish, 2 times).
The specialist recommends a portion of 30 to 40 grams of low-fat cheese per day (such as fresh goat's cheese, feta, mozzarella or ricotta), combined with a yogurt or two.
As for slow sugars (rice, pasta, bread, legumes, etc.), we consume them in reasonable portions, to avoid sugary snacking during the day.
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Savory breakfast
Adopting a healthy and varied diet starts with the first meal of the day.
“The best is to have a savory breakfast,” says the specialist.
The sweet version involves an insulin spike followed by hypoglycemia.
The sugar level then increases suddenly in the blood and then drops just as suddenly.
We will have cravings throughout the day which will encourage cravings for sweet products.
Also read: Is drinking orange juice for breakfast good for your health?
In practice, we choose a cereal product: sugar-free muesli, oatmeal, or wholemeal bread.
Vegetarian foods are then added.
Muesli can, for example, be enhanced with pieces of fruit and vegetable milk.
On the bread, you can spread fresh cheese then add avocado, hummus or an egg (without exceeding the total quantity of 4-5 eggs per week).
For the rest of the day, follow the adage “breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a beggar”, while allowing yourself a mid-afternoon snack.
For example, you can eat around 20 grams of oilseeds (unsalted or sweetened nuts or pistachio), accompanied by a piece of fruit.
In the evening, a low-fat protein, a few vegetables, a piece of low-fat cheese and a fruit will form a complete and light meal.
Monitor your alcohol consumption
When we try to reduce our caloric intake, it's impossible not to pay attention - also - to what we put in our drink.
“Alcohol has a significant caloric intake,” emphasizes the nutritionist.
For comparison, one gram of alcohol corresponds to 7 calories;
one gram of fat corresponds to 9 calories.
Some cocktails also contain a high dose of sugar.
Increase your physical activity
The play of hormones changes the appearance of the body.
Estrogens are responsible for the so-called “gynoid” distribution of fats in the body, located in the thighs and buttocks.
However, at menopause, the ovaries stop producing them and progesterone.
“We only have the androgens left,” continues Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, “the distribution of fat then takes place in an “android” way.
As for men, fat storage now occurs in the trunk and arms, and we observe, for example, a thickening of the waist and chest.
Estrogens are in fact responsible for the distribution of fats in the body, a so-called “gynoid” distribution.
To limit this storage, it is necessary to perform more physical activity.
“We thus increase energy expenditure, it rebalances the total energy balance and prevents us from gaining too much weight,” comments the specialist.
It is therefore essential to practice sport regularly and to increase opportunities for movement on a daily basis to reduce sedentary lifestyle as much as possible.
This habit will be beneficial at all levels: sport being the best way to manage mood swings and stress, particularly present during menopause.
“The hormones secreted during physical effort (endorphin, dopamine, adrenaline, etc.), reduce our stress levels and prevent us from eating urges linked to negative emotions,” adds Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache.
Take care of your sleep
Certain symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, can alter the quality of sleep, cause nighttime awakenings or insomnia.
“Except that significant fatigue promotes weight gain,” warns the doctor, “we will tend to do less sport and be attracted to foods that provide energy, most often fatty and sugary products.”
Hence the importance of consulting your doctor in the event of sleep problems.