How to limit weight gain during menopause?

At menopause, a woman gains an average of 3 to 7 kilos. The phenomenon is natural, but not without health risks. “Weight gain can reduce physical activity, change the quality of sleep, have an impact on cardiovascular health, or even on the health of bones and joints (weakened hips, knees or the ankles), lists Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, nutritionist doctor. Without forgetting visceral fat which, in excessive amounts, increases the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes. A few tips can help limit it. Details.

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Reduce calories

The increase in weight is explained by the decrease of what we call the basic metabolism during menopause, more precisely when the function of the ovaries stops. At rest, the body spends less energy than before and burns fewer calories, which promotes fat storage. “Our weight is governed by the energy balance, that is to say by the balance between our energy intake and expenditure,” explains the doctor. Logically, therefore, if we burn less 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 pay attention to your satiety signals,” indicates the nutritionist.

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Regarding the content of the plate: we take care to limit the consumption of foods that are too sweet and too fatty, to eat fruit 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 oily fish, 2 times). The specialist recommends a portion of 30 to 40 grams of low-fat cheese per day (such as fresh goat cheese, feta, mozzarella or ricotta), combined with a yogurt or two. As for slow sugars (rice, pasta, bread, vegetables, etc.), we consume them in reasonable portions, to avoid snacking on sugar during the day.

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Salty breakfast

Adopting a healthy and varied diet starts with the first meal of the day. “The best thing is to have a tasty breakfast,” says the specialist. The mild version involves an insulin spike followed by hypoglycemia. The sugar level suddenly rises in the blood and then drops just as suddenly. We will have cravings throughout the day that encourage cravings for sweet products.

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In practice, we choose a cereal product: muesli without sugar, 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 and add avocado, hummus or an egg (without exceeding the total amount 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 pauper,” while allowing for a mid-afternoon snack. For example, you can eat about 20 grams of oils (nuts or pistachios without salt or sugar), 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 form a complete and light meal.

Monitor your alcohol consumption

When we try to reduce our caloric intake, it is 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 game of hormones changes the appearance of the body. Estrogens are responsible for the so-called “gynoid” distribution of fat in the body, located in the thighs and buttocks. However, at menopause, the ovaries stop producing progesterone. “We only have androgens,” continues Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, “the distribution of fat then takes place in an “android” way. As for men, fat storage is now in the trunk and arms, and we observed, for example, a thickening of the waist and chest.

Estrogens are in fact responsible for the distribution of fat in the body, a distribution called “gynoid”.

To limit this storage, it is necessary to do more physical activity. “We thus increase energy expenditure, rebalance the total energy balance and prevent us from gaining too much weight,” comments the specialist. It is therefore essential to practice sports regularly and to increase the opportunities for movement every day to reduce the sedentary as much as possible. This habit will be beneficial at all levels: sport is the best way to manage mood changes 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

Some symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, can alter the quality of sleep, cause night awakenings or insomnia. “Except that significant fatigue promotes weight gain,” warns the doctor, “we tend to do less sports and be attracted to foods that provide energy, most often fatty and sugary products.” Hence the importance of consulting your doctor in case of sleep problems.