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Why women gain weight after 40 years

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Diet-with-menopause-weight loss

Every woman faces an unpleasant moment when her favorite things stop buttoning.Weight gain is often observed right after the age of 40, if you do not take into account heredity for a complete constitution or obesity.All is explained simply: it is at this age that the representatives of the fair sex have problems with metabolism - these processes are simply slowing down. The first fat deposits begin to form at the age of 27-30 years and only in the upper part of the arms and thighs, but after 40 years the problem manifests itself on the abdomen and waist.

The effect of weight gain is particularly noticeable after a woman has had menopause - her weight can increase by 10-15 kg.And, if climax has come physiological( natural) way, then the weight will increase slowly - about half a kilogram per year.But if the menopause was induced artificially( for example, after the operation), then the weight will be typed much faster.

Approximately 90% of women face weight gain after the age of 40 years.The presented material will consider not only the causes of such changes in the body, but also the methods of combating this rather unpleasant phenomenon.

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Contents:

Imbalance of sex hormones

It is the imbalance of sex hormones that is the main cause of weight gain in women over the age of 40.Even if the lady continues to eat in the usual mode and leads an active lifestyle, extra pounds will increase!And all this is associated with sex hormones - they have a fairly strong effect on fat accumulation, appetite and metabolic processes.

Hormones that are "to blame" in weight gain in women over 40 years of age:

  1. Girl on the scales Estrogen.As soon as menopause occurs, the level of this sex hormone in the body of a woman drops sharply, which leads to the cessation of ovulation.This process simply forces the woman's body to "activate" the defense mechanism - the body begins to compensate for the lack of estrogen with adipose tissue deposits, in which there is an aromatase enzyme capable of converting the adrenals produced by the adrenals into estrogen.Fat becomes such a "depot" for restoring the level of estrogen in the body - the greater the imbalance in the body due to age changes, the more fatty deposits the body "organizes."
  2. Progesterone.Menopause is a period when the level of progesterone decreases in the body of a woman.A low level of the hormone in question provokes fluid retention in the body, so the lady notices swelling in the morning.
  3. Testosterone.This hormone is well known to everyone - it helps build muscle tissue in the body, but during menopause, its level is reduced.And this provokes a decrease in not only the mass of muscles, but also their tone, and metabolic processes slow down.As a result, calories burn much more slowly, but fat tissue accumulates in the body much faster.
  4. Androgens.The level of these male hormones during menopause, on the contrary, begins to grow actively.And it is the androgens that stimulate the production of adipose tissue in the abdominal region and, with a significant imbalance, can lead to serious obesity.

Other causes of weight gain after 40 years

The above is the main factor that plays a role in increasing the weight of a woman over the age of 40.But there are other reasons.

Insulin resistance

During the onset of menopause, insulin resistance may develop.The result of such changes in the body tissues erroneously react to the "commands" of insulin, this leads to an increase in the level of androgens - the body transforms each incoming calorie into fat cells.

Most often, such changes occur in the body of women who consume large amounts of carbohydrates, but few - fats.If qualified treatment in this condition is absent, the result may be the development of obesity, the emergence of type 2 diabetes, oncological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease.

Stress and cortisol

Extra Menopause is a period when a woman has a low resistance to stress and a simultaneous increase in the level of cortisol in the blood.This hormone is produced by the adrenal glands and has a significant effect not only on metabolic processes, but also contributes to the deposition of adipose tissue in the upper body.

Cortisol increases the amount of sugar in the blood, makes active the transformation of carbohydrates into fats, increases the sensation of hunger and delays the body of sodium, which causes swelling.Raising the level of cortisol provokes a false starvation - the body for some reason decides that in the near future no food will be received and starts saving every calorie, putting it in fat.

How to deal with weight gain for women over 40 years old

Despite the fact that changes in the figure associated with menopause are natural, it is difficult for women to come to terms with the inevitable.By the way, a small increase in weight can reduce the intensity of climacteric manifestations - osteoporosis, hot flashes, anxiety.But even this positive moment does not stop the fair sex before the process of weight reduction!What do experts recommend?

Survey in the endocrinologist

Zusatzstoffe Often after 40 years, weight gain in a woman can be due to the presence of thyroid disorders.This body produces hormones that control metabolic processes in the body, and if there is a violation of hormone production, uncontrolled weight gain can occur.

Women over 40 years of age who observe a steady increase in body weight should undergo an examination with the endocrinologist .This will help to identify the problem with thyroid health, the doctor, based on the results obtained, will be able to adjust the work of this body, which will lead to normalization and stabilization of metabolic processes.

Stabilization of the intestine

Doctors say that to reduce weight, it is necessary to normalize the work of the intestine.The fact is that along with food products, a lot of harmful substances enter the intestines, which accumulate and have a negative effect on the work of all organs of the gastrointestinal tract.It is this that provokes disturbances in metabolic processes, which leads to a set of extra kilograms.

Correction of the daily diet

To get rid of excess weight, you need to adhere to the following recommendations of specialists:

  • increase the consumption of protein foods - fish, beef low-fat, chicken should be on the menu every day;
  • use a sufficient amount of liquid - at least 2 liters per day;
  • restrict the consumption of animal fats, table salt and fast carbohydrates.

In addition, it is necessary to reduce the calories consumed - every five years by 200 calories per day:

  • after 35 years, the woman will have enough 2,000 calories per day;
  • at the age of 40 years - 1,800 calories;
  • over the age of 45 years - 1,600 calories.

Thick shestina Women who have crossed the 40-year mark should know that the use of breakfast is important.If the body does not receive a portion of food in the morning, it will "adjust" to hunger throughout the day - the deposition of fats is inevitable.Breakfast should be low-calorie, but it will promote the activation of metabolic processes and "adjust" the body to burn calories throughout the day.

You should also give up the habit of eating something sweet-a candy or a biscuit, a bun.You should start small - replace the usual snacks with healthy food - it can be low-fat natural yogurt, any fruit or vegetable salad.

Supper women over 40 should be light, but stop eating after 18-00 should not be - sleep on a "hungry" stomach will be restless, which will adversely affect the appearance of the lady.

Consuming products that are able to burn fat

Nutritionists recommend that women over 40 years of age be introduced to the menu products that contribute to fat burning:

  • dairy products;
  • Citrus;
  • saffron;
  • cabbage;
  • ginger;
  • celery;
  • cinnamon;
  • apples;
  • Bulgarian pepper;
  • almonds / peanuts / walnuts;
  • Eggplant;
  • strawberry.

If a woman is healthy and has no contraindications, then you can use herbal medicines from herbs that burn fats. These include:

  • hawthorn;
  • dandelion;
  • licorice root;
  • milk thistle;
  • plantain.
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Healthy / full sleep

Lack of sleep causes a rise in the level of the hormone ghrelin and a decrease in the level of the hormone leptin.These hormones are responsible for the feeling of satiety and hunger, so the imbalance of these hormones leads to an unmotivated sense of hunger.Doctors say that only a healthy and full-fledged sleep will help to cope with the problem of excess weight.Just do not have to hope that a long sleep will bring the figure in order - all activities should be held in the complex.

Dealing with depression and stress

Both stress and depression have a very negative effect on the digestive system and metabolic processes.And such violations lead to bloating, poor digestion of food and, ultimately, weight gain.

Stress and depression cause the desire to eat something high-calorie, sweet - these are the "jams" of problems with the nervous system and lead to the appearance of excess weight.

Refusal from strict diets

The fact that women in their desire to lose weight, use even extreme methods, it is known to all.But doctors are alarmed about strict diets - reducing nutritional elements in the body leads to rapid weight loss( and then not in all cases), and this is unacceptable at the age of over 40, since it can provoke the development of various pathologies.

To adhere to a diet is a good and useful thing, especially if the diet is made by a specialist taking into account the individual characteristics of the organism of a particular woman.Normal weight loss is a weight loss of 4-5 kilograms per month.

Sport activities

If the physical activity of a woman is sufficient, then there will be an increase in muscle mass and the combustion of fatty deposits.It is this fact that makes it useful to exercise sports in women over 40 years of age.By the way, sports can even stop the natural aging processes, so you can expect to restore the previous weight, and normalize the appearance( for example, it is possible that the skin will regain its former tone).

Correction of medical treatment

It is unlikely that someone from the fair sex knows that some medicines contribute to a set of excess weight. These include:

  • Dieta steroids - lead to an imbalance of the hormonal background;
  • beta-blockers - significantly reduce the metabolic rate;
  • antiallergic drugs - provoke the appearance of fatigue and drowsiness, resulting in calories begin to be consumed in less quantity;
  • antidepressants and antipsychotics - slow down metabolic processes;
  • antiulcer drugs - increase appetite.

In addition, the drugs used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, convulsive syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and migraine can also provoke weight gain. But even if a woman noticed an unmotivated increase in body weight against the background of using any medications, it's by no means impossible to interrupt the medication - it's better to be with an imperfect figure than to "get" pathological complications. It would be prudent to consult a doctor and, possibly, to replace a therapy regimen.

Weight gain in women over 40 years is, in principle, a natural process associated with age-related changes.You can try to deal with extra pounds, but it's not worth it to focus on it.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category


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