Articles DiggerSubmit Articles Free SEO friendly Article Directory

Menopause and weight gain seem to go hand in hand. This is the usual grievance of many women from ages 40 to 50. These women complain they are having a hard time maintaining their present body weight. What’s worse is that the weight accumulates more on the abdomen and not on the hips and thighs thus creating more problems for women. Weight gain is one of the drastic changes caused by menopause that never fail to shock women. They start to think that maintaining their weight is a hopeless endeavor because despite exercise and a balanced diet, they still gain extra pounds each day. It would be hard to accept but this is actually a natural phenomenon. The changes in hormonal levels in the body are responsible for the weight gain. These hormones that are likely to be affected are progesterone, estrogen, androgen, and testosterone. Women in their menopausal stage gain weight also because of changes in their lifestyle. Often, they reduce the amount of exercise now compared to exercise routines when they were younger. Lack of exercise leads to accumulated fats. They also tend to increase their caloric intake that is beyond their requirement. This again results to weight gain. As if these causes are not enough, genetic factors are also partly to blame for weight gain during menopause. Women should fully understand the relation between menopause and weight gain. They should also be more disciplined and careful with their health. If you are one of these women having the same problem then these guidelines are for you. A balanced diet will greatly help in maintaining your weight. You must avoid sugar and junk foods. Crash diets will do no good. It is a misconception that crash diets will help in losing weight. The fact is that crash diets will be detrimental to your health even more. This is because losing weight drastically can be dangerous. Medical experts say losing weight in a short amount of time can lead to osteoporosis. Weight loss does not happen overnight. It is a gradual process. Fourth, you should avoid taking some foods like alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. These foods exacerbate water retention and thus are not good for your body, even if you are in a healthy condition. Regular exercise is also a better solution to your weight problem. You should try aerobics because it will burn excessive fats and will also increase your metabolism. You can also do weight bearing activities to successfully manage your weight. You can walk, run or swim or ride the bicycle but you should do it on a regular basis.