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Women\u2019s bodies change a lot pre, during or post-menopause, with several experiencing weight gain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire Jones, founder of YourOneLife Healthy Weight Solutions discussed the diet changes menopausal women should make to combat weight gain – including \u201ccutting back\u201d on alcohol.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire said \u201cwomen often gain weight\u201d around menopause because \u201ca perfect storm of circumstances come together at the same time\u201d. Some of the circumstances are within control, some are not but \u201cwe do have choices about how we respond to them\u201d, she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The women Claire works with have \u201creported difficulties with losing or managing their weight\u201d, and \u201cmany feel the menopause is strongly related\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s well known that it can be associated with weight gain, but the good news is that it\u2019s not inevitable, and can be managed,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The main issues Claire has found menopausal women suffer from are reduced activity which leads to boredom snacking, super-busy jobs or lifestyles leading to chaotic eating patterns including comfort eating and binges, reduced muscle mass as a result of lack of use as we age, hormonal changes affecting how and where the body stores fat, stress, and mood swings and brain fog.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of these factors can lead to issues with sleep, alcohol and other substance use, and snacking, comfort eating, bingeing, (especially on highly palatable, high-calorie foods with a low nutritional content),\u201d Claire said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As for how someone can lose weight during menopause, Claire recommends eating according to the 80\/20 principle: \u201cIf 80 percent of our calorie intake is coming from nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, we can then have 20 percent of our calorie intake from whatever we fancy,\u201d she explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Women should aim for \u201ca small calorie deficit\u201d because \u201cwhen we reduce our calorie intake we also reduce our nutritional intake, and we need to ensure we are eating enough to provide the brain and body with what they need\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> Drinking enough water is vital too and women should \u201caim for two litres a day, as this supports weight loss in a variety of ways, as well as being important for good health\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Women should \u201ccut back\u201d on alcohol, however. Claire said: \u201cAs many people say, and I agree with – everything in moderation, as this is good advice.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCutting things out that we are designed to eat isn\u2019t usually necessary or helpful and there is no \u2018good\u2019 or \u2018bad\u2019, it\u2019s about how far something is taking us towards or away from our goals. We want to avoid going to extremes.<\/p>\n \u201cAlcohol, however, is definitely worth considering cutting back on because of the impact it has on our weight in various ways,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, so a typical bottle of wine is around 600 calories.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a poison so our bodies process it before food, meaning food calories we may eat are more likely to be stored as fat,\u201d Claire revealed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alcohol also lower inhibitions, so you\u2019re less likely to care about goals, and give into temptation – potentially drinking or eating more than intended. \u00a0<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n
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