Weight gain during and after menopause is a common challenge for women as they get older. Hormonal changes affecting how your body stores fat can make it more difficult to maintain your ideal figure.
Dr. Richard Blanchar, MD, and our team at Bayview General Medicine & Aesthetics in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offer SculpSure® body contouring to help you look and feel your best. An increasing waistline doesn’t have to be inevitable as you age. Let’s talk about losing fat during menopause.
Menopause begins 12 months after your last menstrual period. Women often start to gain weight in the years before menopause, known as perimenopause. Losing fat can be more difficult during and after this time for a variety of reasons, including:
Menopause causes your body’s production of hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, to decline. When estrogen declines, your body tends to store fat around your midsection rather than your hips or thighs.
Belly fat accounts for about five to eight percent of premenopausal women's body weight, compared to 15% to 20% in postmenopausal women. Hormonal fluctuations can also cause muscle mass loss as women age, slowing their metabolism and making it harder to maintain a suitably active lifestyle.
Women going through menopause may experience insomnia due to hot flashes, night sweats, and/or mood changes that may affect their rest. Studies show that people who average five or six hours of sleep per night put on weight faster than those who sleep for seven hours or more.
Genetics often plays a significant role in how your body stores fat. If your parents or other adult family members tend to carry weight in their midsection, there’s a good chance that you will, too. Many women also develop insulin resistance as they age.
While weight loss during this time of life can be tricky, it’s about more than just your appearance. Excess belly fat, also known as visceral fat, puts you at risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Here are some tips for losing fat during menopause.
Menopause makes it more critical than ever to focus on a healthy, balanced diet to prevent weight gain and increase your energy levels. Older adults generally need fewer calories than young adults. Avoid excess sugar and processed foods, and incorporate more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Regular physical activity is critical to maintaining a healthy weight, improving your mood, and protecting your bones, muscles, and joints. As a foundation for aerobic activity and weight loss, try to include 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or swimming, five days a week.
SculpSure body contouring is an innovative, noninvasive way to achieve a slimmer figure when stubborn fat doesn't go away with diet and exercise. SculpSure uses laser technology to shrink fat cells in targeted areas.
Body contouring can safely and effectively eliminate unwanted fat in your:
The SculpSure laser emits light into your fat cells, heating them slowly. Over the next six to 12 weeks, your body naturally eliminates these damaged fat cells, and results begin to appear. Each SculpSure session lasts about 25 minutes, and you can resume your normal activities the same day with no downtime.
If you’re struggling to lose belly fat put on during menopause, Dr. Blanchar works with you to formulate a custom treatment plan tailored to your needs. Call or click to book your appointment with Bayview General Medicine & Aesthetics today.
