Women fear weight gain by default. They fear it even more when they are in the threshold of menopause. But is it really true that women are destined to gain weight during menopause? What exactly causes menopause weight gain? Here are some factors that can cause weight gain during menopause.

Our Age Dictates When Our Metabolism Slows Down
There is an undeniable connection between the lowering of the BMR (body metabolism rate) and the gradual deficiency of estrogen during menopause. Most of the time women put on weight rather than thin down as they experience more hunger coupled with the low BMR.

Age is a big factor that slows down the metabolism rate in the body. The fact that menopause is one of the first signs of an aging body, conveniently ties it up to weight gain, while ignoring the obvious. It is easier to accept weight gain because of menopause than old age!

Menopause hits career women when they have reached a position when they do not need to run anymore. Most likely they will have assistants to run their errands for them. The lack of exercise is another great factor in weight gain during menopause. If you are a homemaker, the kids might be all grown up and self-sufficient, enabling you to sit down, eat, and indulge in leisure.

Ironically, the treatment of deficiency in the estrogen levels also causes weight gain because HRT has been found to cause sudden bouts of hunger. Keep a close watch on your eating habits, cut down on fat intake, and raise your fiber intake. If you find that even with all the precautions the HRT causes weight gain, consult with your doctor to find other alternatives.

Unfortunately around the time a woman reaches menopause, the thyroid gland also decides to act up. The problem is that menopause overshadows all other problems; hence other causes fade into the shadows. Weight gain can be substantial if the thyroid is unable to regulate the absorption power of the body anymore.

Last on the list are your genetics. If your family has had history of obese or overweight people, chances are you will too join their ranks.

You Can Control Weight Gain During Menopause
While looking carefully at all these factors, you can see each one can be counteracted. The slowing down of metabolism can be helped with vigorous exercises; thyroid problems can be counteracted with adequate treatment; sedentary life style can be helped through exercises as well as genetics. The menopause weight gain is actually a combination of factors. Hence, if you are careful enough to search for answers, menopause weight loss does not look so impossible.

Tags: exercise, Health, nutrition