Dear Kayla, Can I lose weight if I’m menopausal?

Dear Kayla,

Have you seen weight loss in older women? Doctors say that during perimenopause and menopause women increase inexorably and that worries me.

Signed,

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

Yes, I have received emails and comments from loads of older women who have successfully lost weight during perimenopause, menopause, and even post-menopause. So, if you’re heading for one of those stages, fear not! Weight loss is always possible.

The average woman gains about a pound per year during the menopausal transition. With uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flashes, moodiness, depression, irregular periods, trouble sleeping, and changes in libido, it’s easy to see why weight gain usually coincides!

Being aware of, and mentally preparing for, these challenges is the first step in preventing weight gain. Every woman’s menopausal experience is different, but as long as you are proactive, you should be able to overcome any obstacles you face. The key is to be vigilant and take care of yourself. For example, if you start having trouble sleeping, that can lead to weight gain simply because you’re tired and it’s harder to make good decisions when you’re tired. In that scenario, you’d need to work on getting in bed earlier, perhaps work on cutting off screens, and even napping during the day if necessary and/or possible.

On the other hand…

The evidence seems to suggest that as we age, we do better with a bit more fat on our bodies, with perhaps a BMI of 31-32 being the ideal BMI for women over 65. To my mind, it’s completely possible that menopausal weight gain (when reasonable) is nature’s way of preparing us for the aging process. I hesitate to advise fighting against it too aggressively.

Of course, I’m not yet menopausal, so I can’t speak from experience just yet. I’ll turn 40 this year, so my time is approaching. My plan, whenever it does get here, will be the same as it is right now: to do my best to listen to my body, and take really good care of myself.

Sincerely,

Kayla Cox

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