With the beginingof menopause and the incumbent hormonal changes comes a mixture of known symptoms. Among the 34 most common is menopause belly fat weight gain.
In addition to hormonal changes, there a several additional reasons for
menopause weight gain and menopause belly fat which are also important. Cravings
Cravings are a big part of menopause belly fat weight gain. If certain types of food tasted 'good' prior to menopause (women reaching 51 is the American national average), then these foods are likely to taste 'very good' during peri menopause and menopause. Additionally, foods that might not have been as craved after before perimenopause and menopause may now be more to one's likeing.
The decrease in estrogen levels can be directly attributable to the increase in cravings for some foods. Among these are (anything) chocolate, ice cream, brownies, pizza, wine, beer, donuts, cakes, pies, milk shakes, potato chips, pasta, etc.
The reason that the body may feel 'out of control' due to the cravings for certain foods is that the body is trying to make up for the hormonal imbalance.
Some women have noted visiable changes in body shape due to this phenomenon. Over the years, many women customarily experience weight gains in the hip and thigh areas. This is especially true post pregnancy. However, following pre menopause and menopause many women experience a cosmetic shift from hip and thigh weight gain in contrast to weight gained around the middle. Binge Eating
Unfortunately, binge eating goes along with food cravings. If prior, small amounts of a person's favorite food were enough, a premenopausal or menopausal woman may suddenly find that even two or three helpings (of these foods) are not enough to settle the desire. Prior, a woman may have instintualy sensed which foods (or food types) were 'danger' foods and automaticaly attempted to monitor the over consumption of these 'decadent pleasures'.
It is not odd to find someone troubled from this condition to eat a whole bag of potato chips, or an entire half gallon of their most liked ice cream at a single setting.
Comfort foods
In much the same aspect, a craving for or the over-consumption of comfort foods can lead to menopause belly fat and menopause weight gain. Comfort foods are usualy associated to high fat, excessive calories and carbohydrates. Most people can think to 'Thanksgiving Dinner' as the ultimate comfort food experience. However, nearly the same can be said for roast beef, pizza, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, meat loaf, followed by deep dish peach pie or triple layer cake with double fudge frosting.
These types of foods are typically thought of as 'comfort' foods which most Americans can enjoy. To further add to this condition, there is also clinical evidence that 'stress' is linked to comfort foods. Lack of Exercise
This fact is also true of pre menopausal and menopausal women. Load bearing exercises like walking and modified weight training can help to lower weight gain. Unfortunately, pre menopausal and menopausal women often are less active and exercise less than in their 30's and 40's. The regular lack of regular exercise, especially load bearing exercise, can cause menopause belly fat weight gain. Load bearing exercise can also be a deterrent to osteoporosis and joint related issues. Metabolism
If food consumption goes up without a corresponding raise in metabolism, women of advanced age run a serious risk of incurring menopause belly fat weight gain.
When We Eat
When we eat also has a bearing on menopause belly fat weight gain. Metabolic rates drop mesurably later in the day, and more so after 6:00PM. Heavy meals eaten late in the day followed by late-night binge/craving snacks can really add on the pounds and are a formost cause of menopause belly fat weight gain.
Other Catalysts and Eating Concerns
As previously discussed, stress can be a precursor to binge eating and over eating. Menopausal women also need to be aware that some kinds of foods and beverages can also 'trigger' other common peri menopause or menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
For this purpouse, smoking and the use of all alcoholic beverages (including beer and wine) are expressly not encouraged.
There are multiple dangers associated with menopause belly fat weight gain. Weight gain in this area is combined with a greater risk of heart disease. As a result of this fact, women are at equal risk of developing heart disease (at this age) as their male counterparts. As a result, many health professionals and nutritionists are now recommending as many as 4 or 5 very small meals per day as compared to 3 regular large meals for persons of advanced age.
Diseases of the digestive tract (including colon cancer), as well as liver and kidney disease, can directly lead to increased menopause belly fat weight gain. Altering the Symptom at the Source
1. Concentrated Fem-Flax has been uniquely formulated for women of menopausal age in an effort to combat "hot flashes" and "night sweats", as well as "food cravings" which can lead to increased menopause belly fat weight gain. The active ingredients in Fem-Flax are commonly referred to as "flax hull lignans". The highly concentrated (and encapsulated) full-spectrum of 27 flax hull lignans found in FemFlax act as weak estrogen replacements, and in this way, help to alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, accelerated food cravings, as well as other symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause. FemFlax acts to naturally balance hormones and can help to eliminate the cravings and natural urges that can lead to menopause belly fat weight gain.
2. FemFlax is naturally high in fiber and can swell to ten-times its encapsulated size in the stomach and digestive tract. 3. The high-fiber nature of FemFlax also leads to big improvements in the elimination process.