Friday, February 6, 2009

Weight Loss Facts, Why Women Gain Weight During Menopause

By Ricardo d Argence

It is well known that every woman will eventually go through menopause. Menopause indicates the end of a phase of life in a woman and introduces them to the next phase.

This concludes menstruation and is a normal phase of aging. With menopause, a woman becomes unable to become pregnant, it is a breath of fresh air for some but a depressing thought for others. Also, the levels of estrogen and progesterone go down.

Menopause can happen anywhere between the ages of forty-two and fifty-six. The typical age for menopause is fifty-two. If a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual cycle, she can assuredly state that she has started her menopause adventure.

While there are advantages of this changing phase in life, there is the issue of gaining weight which many women experience. To keep out the weight gain situation, there are certain things that any woman should know.

The hormonal changes in their bodies, is the most common reason of this weight gain. How much weight may vary from person to person. However, over and beyond the typical hormonal changes, lifestyle also is a factor which comes into play.

Those who had no trouble eating their favorite comfort foods a year ago may notice that their unhealthy lifestyle is truly taking the toll on their bodies now that menopause has taken residence in their life. The best thing to do to prevent weight gain during menopause is to adapt healthy eating habits and stick with them.

You can of course do a lot to get back in shape by dropping the extra pounds if there is still some wieght gain. While it is easy to say that the weight gain should be prevented, it is not always that easy. If you have gained twenty pounds or more it's very important for you to seriously do something about it.

If you gain excessive weight you have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, lower back problems, diabetes, lung and heart problems and knees and joint problems. This are all serious issues, that's why it is extremely important to make sure that you are doing everything possible to get the weight off and keep it off.

You must begin to keep track of your calorie intake. Not all calories are created equal and you need to make sure you know where the calories are coming from. Carrots are going to give you better health then a bunch of red meat. Be certain you are getting sufficient exercise, as well as closely watching what you eat. Performing aerobic exercises and stretches is an excellent way to begin.

After you get into the swing of things, you can add in some weight training to help burn fat and build some muscle mass. Whether it is running, walking, or yoga, as long as you are in motion, you are heading in the right direction. It is also important to make sure that you are continuing with your healthy eating and exercise habits even after you drop the weight so that you can continue a healthy lifestyle that will keep the weight off for good. - 16004

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