A women in perimenopause asks: Why am I gaining weight when I haven’t changed any of my eating or exercise habits and what can I do? Jessica shares an explanation as well as thoughts on how to respond to this common midlife occurrence.
Ask Jessica is an advice column for women in midlife. We cover all things related to midlife from changing bodies to career transitions to parenting teens to sandwich generation challenges to shifts in marital or life partnerships and everything in between. My hope is that in sharing these questions and answers I can women as we face the midlife journey together. Got a question or challenge you would like me to address? Fill out this form to submit your issue! Want to see the answers to other questions, check out our archive here.
Why Am I Gaining Weight and What Can I Do About It?
HEY JESSICA: Why am I gaining weight? I am eating basically the same amount of and kind of food that I’ve been eating for the past 20 years and exercising the same amount (if not more, to some degree), but the weight slowly, but steadily creeping on. Why? And what can I do about it? ~Trying Not to Panic
DEAR TRYING NOT TO PANIC: Ok, let’s get honest about this: the weight gain that happens to many women during perimenopause (the 7-10 years leading up to menopause, which you have officially hit once you go for an entire year without having a period) is some serious B.S.! Whether you’re someone who has always struggled with body image, someone who never really worried about their weight, or someone who has done a lot of work to become body positive/neutral, the shift (which is often dramatic and rapid) can come as a real shock. But I do want to assure you that it is very common and not something to beat yourself up about (I know, I know, easier said than done)!
So why does it happen? First off, weight gain at middle age is common among both men and women. This is because as we age our metabolisms naturally slow down, which leads to a decrease in muscle mass, which, in turn, results in fewer calories being burned and more fat accumulating. For women, there is also a hormonal piece of the puzzle. As we all know, menopause is when our menstrual cycle stops. What many of us aren’t as aware of, though, is that there is also a major shift in our hormones at this stage of life. And, in the case of weight gain, there are three hormones that have an impact. First, as our menstrual cycles wind down, our estrogen levels drop. This decrease can lead to an increase in insulin production, which can then lead to weight gain. Second, many women experience an increase in cortisol levels, thanks to the large amounts of stress many of us are under in this stage of life, which can also lead to weight gain. Third, the hunger hormone, ghrelin, increases during perimenopause, which means we can feel hungry more often and, therefore, eat more.
I know, Trying Not to Panic, that you mentioned that you’ve been eating the same amount as always, but I did want to note that research shows that many women (consciously or unconsciously) actually eat more during this stage of life. One of the reasons researchers believe that this is true is our exhaustion levels. Not only is this stage of life pretty exhausting and intense, but the hormone fluctuations we experience can impact our sleep (hello, hot flashes) and also our insulin resistance (which can make us feel tired). And, as we all know, when humans are tired, they crave more sugar and caffeine (and generally more calories)…
As someone who has struggled to overcome my own personal demons when it comes to body image and is a big proponent of body acceptance and intuitive eating, I find that the question of what to do about the weight gain leads to a delicate balance. While I believe that there is great value in finding ways to love your body no matter its shape or size, there are some health impacts with this specific type of weight gain that, I believe, warrant an increase of attention, not necessarily with the express purpose of losing weight, but with the intention of improving our chances for an active and healthy future. The type of weight gain that happens at this stage in our lives is often focused around the midsection (someone people even call it “menopause belly”). This sort of weight gain is, unfortunately, often tied to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, respiratory challenges, and stroke. I addition, added weight can further exacerbate arthritis. None of these are issues we want to ignore if we want to have an active and healthy next few decades. So, while I don’t advocate for weight loss per se, I do think it is worthwhile to take a look at our diet and exercise routine to see if there are ways to improve our overall health (rather than focusing on weight or appearance).
In terms of diet, there are lots of schools of thought about what the healthiest diet for menopausal women is. Some advocate for a protein-heavy diet, while others argue that the Mediterranean Diet is the best bet. Personally, I would lean towards the Mediterranean Diet more because it includes more fruits and vegetables, is higher in fiber, and is less restrictive (something I personally chafe against), but the important thing is to find an approach that is going to leave you feeling nourished, satisfied, and not deprived. If weight loss is a top priority, I would encourage you to either talk to a doctor or nutritionist who is knowledgeable about perimenopause/menopause, as there are specific needs for women at this age. One final note on diet: even if you have worked with a nutritionist or found an approach to eating that worked well for you for many years, as our bodies go through this massive shift, taking another look can be really powerful as certain things that “always worked” for us may have shifted.
For exercise, we come from a generation that tended to focus heavily on cardio exercise (I know I wasn’t the only one obsessed with aerobics, step classes, Tae Bo, and even running), but new research is pointing to the importance, especially later in life, of strength training. And, if we go back to the loss of muscle mass that I talked about earlier, working to build muscle makes a lot of sense. So, while walks, running, or whatever cardio you have been doing is great, I would encourage you to consider incorporating some sort of strength training into your weekly routine at least twice a week. Strength training can include lifting weights, but can also mean resistance or body-weight training! So, if pumping iron isn’t your thing, perhaps consider pilates, high-intensity interval training, or even just planks and push-ups.
Finally, because of who I am and what I believe, I want to end this on a positive note. I know that our bodies aging and changing isn’t the most fun. There are times when it can even feel pretty demoralizing. But, as I have started on this journey myself, I have tried to keep two things in mind: 1) these changes are part of the natural course of life and are not due to any sort of weakness or failure on my part, 2) this body has done a lot of for me – it has birthed two children, hiked mountains, allowed me to travel, enabled me to dance my butt off on numerous occasions, and so much more. So, I can either be angry at my body or I can accept that there will be change and focus on making sure I am as healthy and vibrant as I can be. I choose the acceptance route.