It’s the inevitable experience all women go through.  Menopause.  Menopause is defined as the cessation of ovulation and menstruation lasting more than 9-12 months.  Women will go through a Perimenopausal period where the menstrual cycle length increases and the time between cycles varies.  True post-menopause is when there is no menstruation (amenorrhea) for more than 12 months.

So, how does this impact us nutritionally?  Age alone changes how our bodies use the energy and nutrition we obtain from foods.  With menopause, obesity is common.  Many women report gaining body weight, particularly around the waistline, faster than they ever have in their lives.  This is because menopause associated with lower estrogen levels in postmenopausal women.  Lower estrogen levels mean higher body fat storage.  These changes can result in decrease in our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), the rate at which our bodies use energy.   In females, the RMR can decline in our mid-to-late 40s, where men don’t experience this until their 60s or later.  This is why your man can drop 10 pounds just like that and you struggle to lose 5!

Estrogen “tells” your body how to properly use fat.  It also provides protection of arterial walls against fat and suppresses cholesterol levels.  When the estrogen levels decline, the protection declines.  Many postmenopausal women may see an increase in their cholesterol levels as a result of this change.  This is why women suffer with cardiovascular disease at alarming rates.

It appears that we are headed down the river without a paddle.  Au contraire!  There are many things you can do to protect yourself.  You can lead a healthy, postmenopausal life.  

Keep in mind that muscle requires greatest amount of energy to maintain.  The more muscle you have, the more calories per pound you will burn.  Start exercising.  You don’t have to be Superwoman, just improve your lean muscle mass.  Consider Lean Body Mass vs. Body fat.  Every pound of Lean Body Mass burns about 14 calories; every pound of fat burns less than 2 calories.  Which would you prefer??

Lose weight. It takes 3,500 Calories to gain 1 Pound.  If you were to decrease 250 calories a day from meal plan and burned 250 calories a day from exercise, you could easily lose about 1 – 2 pounds per week.  This is considered healthy weight loss.  Start by choosing foods lower in calories and fat.  Also consider decreasing the amount of sugar.  These foods provide “empty calories”.  Increase fruits and vegetables. Remember, small changes make a huge difference.