Menopause Weight Gain - Insulin Resistance and Stress

Women approaching menopause can expect considerable physiological changes. When it comes to menopause weight gain alone, it has been calculated that the average American woman may gain as much as ten to fifteen pounds within the entire duration of the menopausal stage. Menopause weight gain is just one of the many possible menopause changes which a woman will need to adapt to in advancing years.

Weight gain, as with all of the symptoms associated with menopause is due to fluctuating estrogen levels or hormonal imbalances.

Medical research continues to draw a correlation between the changes in hormones during menopause and increased weight gain. Changes to the hormonal structures within the body can result in insulin resistance and stress. These two factors can weigh heavily in the body's ability to burn calories, overall metabolic capacity, and the accumulation of additional pounds.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for regulating the absorption of glucose and regulating the body's overall metabolism. However, during menopausal years the body may inhibit insulin from doing its job. When this occurs, one may become insulin resistant and all of the calories ingested are transformed into fat. It's as though the body's own metabolism has turned into a food 'express lane' where foods turns instantly to fat, bypassing the normal routine of providing nutrients to cells. The upshot of this is unwanted menopause weight gain while the body's cells still hunger for nutrients.

Insulin resistance is even worse for women who strictly adhere to a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. All the while, advocates of this type of diet plan labor under the belief that the avoidance of fat will spare them from menopause weight gain. However, the body's resistance to insulin turns carbohydrates directly into fat, thus negating the effectiveness of this type of diet plan.

Researchers have also concluded that the long-term dependence on low-fat, high carbohydrate foods coupled with the addition of refined and processed foods (like pasta and breads) contribute to insulin resistance. In short, this kind of diet pattern also leads to the blocking of insulin. When the (previously described) life-long eating patterns converge with menopause a woman may find that she is (often for the first time) gaining pounds which she is unable to shed, easily.

Increased Stress Levels

Stress can be the root cause for many of today's eating disorders and conditions. As for menopause weight gain, an increased level of stress can prompt the body into thinking that one is experiencing what the experts refer to as the 'famine effect'. This phenomenon is your body's misinterpretation of stress and as a result, the body's metabolism is slowed in anticipation of a prolonged shortage of food. When this happens, all of the ingested calories are stored as fat, thus causing additional weight gain.

Unfortunately, the combination of menopause and stress make it doubly hard to maintain recommended weight levels. Most women experience an increased level of stress during menopause. Simply put, menopause puts one at an elevated risk of gaining unwanted pounds during this time.

Solutions

As always, eating a balanced diet during menopausal years is still the best solution to avoid unhealthy weight gain. Avoid fried foods, high carbohydrate foods and refined or packaged foods. Add fresh fruits, vegetables, foods rich in natural grains, beans and legumes, low fat yogurt and other low fat soy and dairy products to your grocery cart.