Ageing. On average, women aged between 45 and 55 years gain around half a kilo per year. As you get older, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and causes weight gain.
Loss of lean muscle – Around your 40s, and especially when you hit menopause, you'll likely start to lose muscle mass due to lower estrogen and testosterone levels. This can lead to weight gain due to the fact that muscle mass is one of the largest components of how many calories you burn each day.
Move more. Physical activity, including aerobic exercise and strength training, can help you shed excess pounds and maintain a healthy weight. As you gain muscle, your body burns calories more efficiently — which makes it easier to control your weight.
It's typically the worst during the onset of menopause, known as perimenopause. During perimenopause, you will still have a menstrual cycle. However, it may be changing and accompanied by symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain.
Slower metabolism
Goddard says estrogen levels begin to decline as a woman begins perimenopause. “As a result, we lose muscle mass, and that loss results in a decrease in metabolism — we literally have to consume fewer calories to maintain or lose weight,” she says.
Moderately active women aged between 26 and 50 need to consume about 2,000 calories every day to maintain their weight. To lose one pound of weight per week, you should consume approximately 1,500 calories per day.
Still, losing weight after 40 is possible. Incorporating some of these tips for losing and maintaining body weight can help. For example, reduce your carb intake, eat whole foods, limit alcohol intake, and relieve stress as much as possible.
According to the Healthy Women Study, the average weight gain in perimenopausal women was about five pounds; however, 20 percent of the population they studied gained 10 pounds or more. Not only is the weight increase from a drop in estrogen, but it's also due to a decrease in energy expenditure.
As your age creeps up, estrogen and muscle mass decline. That slows your metabolism and changes the way your body stores and distributes fat, leading to weight gain. Lifestyle factors such as becoming more sedentary and developing sleep problems (both common as people age) can also promote weight gain.
02/7Why losing belly fat is hard after 40
The major reason is the loss of muscle mass. As we age, we lose our muscle mass, which slows down our metabolism and we begin to burn fewer calories. Both these factors make it harder to shed kilos, especially from the midsection. Another reason is the hormonal changes.
Low-impact workouts like biking, brisk walking, or swimming net a high-calorie burn while keeping your joints intact, but Diamond suggests strength training for maximum impact in your 40s. “Jump-start your metabolism by strength training for 30 to 60 minutes a day, four to five times a week,” she says.
What does hormonal weight gain look like? Hormonal weight gain looks like any type of excess weight. Factors such as age, sex, body type, and cause of weight gain may make you gain weight differently. However, it's not possible to know that hormones are causing your weight gain by the way it looks.
Epidemiologists have observed that the average person typically puts on 1 to 2 pounds a year from early adulthood through middle age. The CDC's numbers show that much of the increase is concentrated in the 20s, for men and women.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular physical activity, proper sleep, and stress modification can help with managing and reversing hormonal weight gain and decreasing the associated health risks that may result if it is not addressed.
Many women also notice an increase in belly fat as they get older — even if they aren't gaining weight. This is likely due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which appears to influence where fat is distributed in the body.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
You may notice weight gain during menopause changes your body in different ways—for example, your face looks fuller or your belly is softer than it used to be. The weight you've gained in your abdomen during menopause will usually feel fleshy and thick, and you might notice some "rolls" of fat.
Most people gain 5-8% of their baseline body weight in the first two years of menopause. This is due to slower metabolism and lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise. Prevent fat gain by eating smaller portions, avoiding added sugars and adding fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet.
"If post-menopausal women cut back on calories and up the intensity of their exercise, they lose weight and tone up, just like younger women. It may be a bit slower, but it happens. It requires long-term adherence as well." Pinkerton suggests aiming for a 400- to 600-calorie daily deficit.
You may resolve to try a low-calorie diet and exercise more, but still, you wonder: Is it even possible to lose weight during menopause? Yes! The good news is that, yes, a menopausal woman can not only shed excess pounds and achieve a lower body mass index but also prevent weight gain in the future.
This shift in hormones can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. It can also increase your risk of anxiety and depression. While some women hardly notice any symptoms, others will experience hot flashes, weight gain, lower sex drive and fatigue.
In your 40s it's completely possible to have a better body than the average 20-something, so at least in one aspect, you can look and feel much younger. My speciality is 40-something transformations and I want to help you change not only your body, but the trajectory of your life.