Perimenopause - Weight Gain | Join the Community!

symptom

Weight Gain

As people age, weight gain becomes inevitable. Muscle mass starts to decrease while fat composition starts to increase. Therefore, women going through perimenopause and menopause, more often than not, experience increases in their weight.

According to the Mayo Clinic, after reaching 40-59 years, women can gain 1.5 pounds per year, from then on. It’s also noted that ⅔ of women within this age group are categorized as overweight. There are several potential symptoms that can arise from perimenopausal weight gain that women are warned to watch out for:

Increase in blood pressure: blood pressure levels may increase as a result in hormonal changes and sudden shifts in BMI and weight
Insulin resistance: blood sugar levels rise due to declines in estrogen and progesterone levels
More frequent and intense hot flashes
Joint pains: as a result of sudden weight gain
Higher susceptibility to Urinary Tract Infections: vaginal tissue becomes weaker, leading to higher possibility for infection

However, despite these warnings and potential risks, this weight gain can be easier to combat than you may think. It has been asserted that the perimenopause period may be the perfect time to start fighting against menopausal weight gain. It is said that perimenopause may be the best time to implement a diet and exercise routine to reverse the effects. The perimenopause period is women begin to see significant slowing in their metabolisms. Because this period is so critical for bodily changes, it is important to take advantage of this state, before our bodies rapidly continue to age and slow down.

-Written by Kaila An MPH

References
Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (n.d.). Preventing Weight Gain | Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity. CDC. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/prevention/index.html

Manning, v. (2022, October 31). Perimenopause Weight Gain - How to Put a Pause on It. Alloy. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.myalloy.com/blog/perimenopausal-weight-gain-what-you-need-to-know

Upham, B. (2022, February 28). Best Time to Fight Menopausal Weight Gain Is Perimenopause. Everyday Health. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/menopausal-weight-gain-diet-exercise-during-perimenopause-may-be-best-strategy-to-avoid-excess-weight/

LIFESTYLE TIPS

Maintain a healthy weight by cutting between 150-200 calories daily.
Reduce or avoid sweets altogether.

HOLISTIC APPROACH

The best time to fight mid-age weight gain is during Perimenopuase.

If you're unsure that you're going through perimenopause, we recommend reaching out to you health care provider for further testing. Your doctor may suggest blood tests to check if you're in transition to menopause (aka perimenopause).

for additional support join the perimenopause community here.

According to the Mayo Clinic, weight gain as we age is unavoidable but manageable. Begin by reducing or cutting foods and drinks with little to no nutritional value such as alcohol, sweets, and processed foods. Replace these with more fresh fruits and vegetables.