Put the Brakes on Menopausal Weight Gain

Turn "mean-o-pause" into a time of body beauty with these nine tips.

By Janice Taylor

If you're just entering menopause, you might be thinking, is menopausal weight gain a given? What's happening to my body? Why have the Scales of Injustice turned on me? Aren't these supposed to be the best years of my life, not the fattest? I promise you that I am eating and exercising the same way I always have!

As a Life & Wellness Coach, I hear a lot about "mean-o-pause" pounds. And I'm sorry to say there may be some physical evidence that women do gain weight and get thickened waists as their fat settles in their midriffs during menopause. This happens because as we age, we tend to exercise less, lose muscle mass, and eat more. Muscle drives our metabolic rate; therefore, less muscle means a lower metabolic rate, which means fewer calories are burned during exercise. Bottom line: weight gain.

But rejoice! There are ways to steer clear of that "spare tire" look and do your body some healthful favors at the same time.

Discover the first defense against menopausal weight gain...

Janice Taylor is the author of the "Our Lady of Weight Loss" blog on Beliefnet, and the book, "All is Forgiven, Move On."