Perimenopause is the time that precedes menopause and symptoms may start to appear several years prior to actual onset of menopause.
Perimenopause weight gain is one of the most commonly noted symptoms during this stage of life; however understanding the underlying causes of this phenomenon can help keep the weight gain in control and prevent the pounds from creeping up.
The reasons for Perimenopause weight gain
There are twofold reasons for weight gain during Perimenopause – there are physical as well as psychological reasons for putting on weight during this transitional phase of life.
This part of life brings along with it, uncertainty, anxiety, stress and doubt.
A woman may find her self-confidence dipping, feeling as though she has now reached the end of youth and that old age with its attendant problems must now follow inevitably.
As some women also find themselves becoming more absent minded and forgetful, they start to doubt their own abilities, adding to the stress and anxiety.
Comfort eating, withdrawing from others and becoming reclusive can occur as a result, which in turn can cause weight gain.
There are also physical reasons for Perimenopause weight gain – fatigue and lower energy levels is a common problem during the Perimenopause years so women may find that they have neither the inclination nor the energy to work out as usual.
Also the hormonal imbalance that is ongoing in the body at the time can cause the body to add to its store so fat. Metabolic changes in the body can also mean that a woman feels hungrier and puts on weight due to the simple reason of consuming excess calories.
Other underlying conditions such as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia and Cushing’s syndrome could also be responsible for the weight gain. It is however important to watch out for Perimenopause weight gain it can be very gradual and may go unnoticed.
Ways to deal with weight gain during Perimenopause
It is important to indentify the reasons for weight gain to take effective steps to limit or reverse the weight gain. Here are some tips that may help –
- Eat healthy balance meals. Don’t crash diet or indulge in unhealthy shortcuts to lose weight, they may be counterproductive because they slow down the metabolism and in turn cause even more weight gain.
- Make sure you exercise even if you are too tired to do so. Start in a small way but as you exercise more, you will find that your energy levels increase as well, so you will solve the problem of weight gain and fatigue as well.
- Keep stress at bay, this can cause weight to accumulate.
- Remember your metabolism has slowed down, you don’t need as many calories as before and so reduce the total number of calories you consume.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and excess salt. They contribute to water retention, which have make one feel bloated and add to the problem of weight gain during perimenopause.
- Don’t feed the depression – many women turn to food for comfort and it is vitally important to avoid such comfort eating so that you avoid Perimenopause weight gain.