Menopause

Did you know that women in their 40s and 50s need about 200 calories fewer per day than women in their twenties and thirties?

Women in their menopause years can gain 1 to 1 ½ pounds per year, if they continue with the food and lifestyle choices they made during their younger years. That slow, sneaky weight gain can add 10 to 15, or more pounds to your body before you hit menopause!

Here are a few suggestions that will help you have your youthful figure:
Start going for a 30 minute walk every morning to get fresh oxygen into your brain and body and rev up your metabolism for the day.
Start cooking with coconut oil rather than butter, grapeseed, olive or other oils! Yes, coconut oil has been proven to be a healthy cooking oil that'll help you release body fat!
Are you sick of having a jelly belly? Most women during their menopause years are dismayed to notice that they have extra belly fat that's difficult - "impossible"- to get rid of. Now researchers are identifying natural, nutrient-dense foods that when eaten regularly reduce abdominal fat - especially when combined with regular exercise and eliminating intake of non-foods, sugar and fried foods. These belly fat eliminators include apples - try eating three apples a day, watermelons, tomatoes (large: 33 calories), bananas (75 to 135 calories), tart cherries, raw celery (a negative calorie food - 8 calories per rib), avocados - a nutrition powerhouse, and kelp noodles (6 calories).
Choose to stop eating wheat products, including the ones you've been told are 'healthy' for you. Many women notice their bellies reduce almost overnight when they avoid eating wheat pasta and baked goods.
Here's a little known nutrition secret...start taking a daily multi-mineral supplement so your body gets the micronutrients it's REALLY craving when you think it wants a salty junk food. You cannot absorb vitamins when you are missing minerals, and minerals are missing from our food that's grown in minerally depleted soil. When you satisfy your body with nutrients it needs, you'll no longer have those irresistible cravings for fatty, 0-nutrient foods that are currently contributing to your weight gain. And yes, this small change will set you up to live longer, healthier too!
Don't eat anything with added sugar - those calories are stored rather than burned, and sugar causes many imbalances and deficiencies in your body.
Stop drinking that glass of wine every night with dinner! It's a recipe for weight gain during your menopause years. If you enjoy wine that much, treat yourself to a glass or two - one night a week. A former co-worker of mine looked forward to Friday because that was her 'Wine Night'!
Don't eat anything past 6 pm. Drink water or herbal tea only.
Start doing a nutritional cleanse three to four times a year. It's a healthy weight management tool since it releases the fat that stores body toxins, adds nutrients and reduces calories. Most cleansers notice pounds and inches lost in days.
With a little care, planning and updating your food and lifestyle choices, you can avoid or eliminate weight gain during your menopause years!

Wendy Vineyard is a holistic health practitioner, lifestyle coach and wellness journalist. She specializes in inspiring and empowering women to thrive during menopause naturally - without drugs or added hormones. Are natural remedies the best way to handle your menopause transition? You decide. http://www.naturalmenopausenow.com/ http://www.facebook.com/NaturalMenopauseNow

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Let's face it, when it comes to addressing our menopause weight gain, we mentally have to "go there" and be committed. The mental game is so important, it may be the one thing that will determine whether we will succeed, or fail, in our menopause weight loss.

Putting ourselves into the right state of mind may be the key to our success. For me, this was the missing ingredient that turned my thought process around, and to then achieve success, in my menopause weight loss. With out this puzzle piece, I was self sabotaging my efforts. If I could not believe I was worthy, as well as capable of being healthy, I wasn't.

Our minds, with a "can do" attitude, makes a huge impact on our health and vitality. If we are not ready to lose weight, and we doubt we can, we won't! Being prepared and being mentally ready to achieve our health and fitness goals will keep us focused during the challenges we will come across.

Think about it, how we handle and perceive fat loss bumps in the road as well as weight plateaus, will determine our success moving forward. If our mind is not ready for the challenge of addressing our menopause fat loss, our body will not be ready.

We all get excited about wanting to losing weight, and we may think its just our body, moving, burning calories and losing pounds. So, what happens, a lot of the time, when things get tough, and we bail on our program? If we can first prepare mentally for our menopause fat loss goals, then we can survive those road blocks, because our mind will be ready to deal with them. Remember, this journey is both mental and physical.

I must have been a really slow learner, because it took me almost 3 years of working out and working on my diet before "I got it." Without that final, most important piece, the mental mindset, I was floundering and self sabotaging, like crazy.

I thought some tips to help you to "mentally go there", might be helpful. Plus, I don't want you to have to take years to figure this out. Like I said, I was a slow learner:

1. See yourself everyday at that goal weight, that goal size in clothes, that body. When you see it in your mind, and believe it, do a happy dance, knowing, really knowing, it will happen.

2. Trust yourself!! Seriously, you can and will do this, and do it well. You are in control of you. Believe in, and trust yourself.

3. Start with a clean mental slate, everyday. Too many people focus on the past. That's not you is it? Make mental decisions for today, and for the future. Do not look back. Do not beat yourself up for looking back. Let it go, and move forward.

4. Have no fear. Wow, this is a hard one. But being afraid will only bog down your progress. Why, because your mental state will be a mess. Deep breath here, another one, now, put yourself out there!

5. Be kinder to you. Yes, you, be nice to you. Really. Give yourself a break.

6. Don't get fenced in. Not by your family, not by society, not by your "not ready to make that mental change yet", friends. If they don't want to go there, remember... you do.

7. Some with the toughest battles we face in our lives are with ourselves.

We have pain and suffering from failed diets of the past. We beat ourselves up for looking at what we have done to ourselves, our body.

We hate the way our jaw, our knees, our arms look. We are relentless critics of ourselves. This has to stop right now. No one is this hard, or this cruel,about the way other people look. So stop looking at yourself like that, now.

8. Don't listen to the voices of others who proclaim they know what is best for us. This includes me, or answers from anywhere and anyone else. Listen to yourself, know yourself. The answers are from within.

9. Know your triggers. Face those times of the day that when you are the weakest. Mine was 4:00pm. I had to sign up for an exercise dance class at that time, so I wouldn't undo all the work I had done that whole day. Your time might be 9:00pm ice cream, or grazing out of the fridge. Maybe it's 2:00pm at the vending machine. Note these times and deal with them head on.

10. Recognize your sabotages. These are negative things you feel: boredom, unrealistic expectations, and feelings of deprivations. You may be telling yourself you don't deserve it? This is important, yes you do deserve it. You deserve to be the best you can be. Really.

Remember to trust your vision, trust yourself.

"What You Can Conceive and Believe, Is What You Will Achieve." - Earl Nightingale

Co-Author of Menopause Master Plan

Corby Campbell Shields
http://www.menopausemasterplan.com/

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Did you know that an average woman will gain 1-2 pounds per year during her menopausal years? As a matter of fact, the average amount of weight gained by women during her menopausal years is 10-15 pounds! Has this happened to you? Maybe you have not gained 10-15 pounds, but you have begun to gain weight. While losing weight during and after menopause can be a challenge due to hormonal issues, it can be done. Here are 7 tips that will help you to fight the weight loss battle during and after menopause.

· Balance Your Hormones- Unbalanced hormones is the main culprit when it comes to menopausal weight gain. It is essential that you get your hormones under control if you want to see any kind of weight loss.

· Add Calcium and Vitamin D to Your Diet- While it is well known that they help to strengthen bone density; did you know that vitamin D and calcium actually can help you to lose weight as well?

· Go For A Daily Walk- Walking helps you to increase your metabolism. Increasing your metabolism is essential when it comes to losing weight. It also helps women who are going through menopause to decrease their risk of osteoporosis because it is considered to be a weight bearing exercise.

· Add Phytoestrogen to Your Diet- Menopause is caused by decreased estrogen production in the body. Phytoestrogen will help to restore normal hormone function to the body which will result in a return of normal estrogen production.

· Change Your Eating Habits- This may sound like common sense but many women fail to lose weight simply because they ignore this simple piece of advice. It's true that if you eat certain foods, they will cause you to gain weight. These being the case, if you are indulging in these foods and trying to lose weight at the same time, you will probably see limited results if any at all.

· Avoid the Diet Soda Fallacy- Many women believe that they can replace regular soda with diet soda and still lose weight. New studies have found that drinking diet soda can actually lead to weight gain instead of weight loss! Try drinking green tea instead. Green tea is packed with healthy antioxidants is very beneficial when it comes to losing weight.

· Keep Food Diary-Believe it or not, if you actually keep a log of the foods that you eat on a daily basis, you will actually become more conscious of the types of foods that you eat. Many people simply eat without thinking. This is what leads to bad eating habits and bad food choices.

These are just a few small but highly effective steps that you can take to start taking back control of your weight while going through menopause. Making these types of changes will not only help you to lose weight, but they will also lead to you living a healthier and happier overall life as well.

Using menopause supplements can greatly help you to increase your chances of losing weight. One of the most common supplements available today is Amberen. To discover how you can use Amberen to lose weight and read about many other women who have experienced Amberen weight loss, simply visit: http://amberensideeffects.org/.

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Sad, but so true, one of the #1 most common symptoms of menopause is weight gain, as well as a change in the overall shape of your body.

About 90% of pre menopausal and menopausal women gain weight, an average of 10-15 pounds.

Women who have an early menopause or surgical menopause (due to cancer treatments or hysterectomies) may experience more rapid and extreme weight gain. Lovely!

Here's the kicker, when it comes to menopause and weight gain - you may be eating and exercising exactly the same way you always were, but you still can't seem to maintain your previous weight. You continue to gain, and it seems to be landing right around your middle?

As you enter the early stages of pre menopause, maintaining weight becomes more and more difficult, and losing weight becomes almost impossible. This is because of a fluctuation in your hormones.

Your hormones have direct impact on your appetite, your metabolism and fat storage. This is why it is so difficult to control your weight gain during menopause, no matter what you do. Fluctuating Estrogen, Progesterone, and Androgen will fight you all the way.

Estrogen:
This is the female sex hormone that is responsible for causing monthly ovulation. During female menopause, your estrogen levels decline rapidly, and your body will stop ovulation. Estrogen also seems to play a big role in the weight gain. As your ovaries produce less estrogen, your body works harder to convert calories into fat; the fat is used to increase those depleting estrogen levels. Unfortunately for you, fat cells don't burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes you to pack on unwanted pounds.

Progesterone:
As we enter menopause, progesterone levels will also decrease. Like estrogen, lover levels of this hormone can be responsible for weight gain, or at the least, the appearance of it. Water retention and menopause often go hand in hand, since water weight and bloating are due to the decreasing progesterone levels. Your clothes will probably feel tighter and you may - ok, you will - feel heavier.

Androgen:
This hormone is responsible for sending your new pounds directly to your middle section (oh, joy!). In fact, menopause and weight gain is often known as the "middle age spread" because of the rapid growth of the mid section. Often, one of the first signs of menopause is an increase of androgen in your body, which causes you to gain weight around your abdomen instead of around your hips and hind end.

Drops in the hormone testosterone, insulin resistance and stress are all big contributors to your weight gain during menopause as well. Constant inactivity and thyroid disorders also come into play.

The bottom line is that our hormonal imbalances can decrease lean muscle mass, thus, fewer calories will be burned. The cells need less energy and thus store more fats, which will then accumulate in and on the body. You, as a smart, unique, put-together woman, have many ways to address this change, as well as your menopause and weight gain.

Corby Campbell Shields
Co-Author Menopause Master Plan
http://menopausemasterplan.com/

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Herbs for weight loss are a common subject of discussion among women who are going through menopause. Weight gain is a real issue for many menopausal women. Changes in hormone levels can decrease energy, increase appetite, and contribute to water retention, all of which can lead to excess weight, particularly centered around the mid-section.

There are many different potential methods for addressing this weight gain, among them herbs for menopause. Which herbs are most effective is a matter of some debate, but there are a few that are generally believed to counter the symptoms of menopause and could be a positive factor in losing weight. As with any treatment plan, you should always consult with your doctor before taking herbs or herbal supplements.

Among the herbs for weight loss most often mentioned are dandelion, chasteberry, black currant and black cohosh. All of these herbs have been used for years to ease a variety of symptoms related to menopause and each can also be beneficial when it comes to losing weight. They should be taken in moderation and you should pay heed to the potential side effects they may cause.

Dandelion is a well-known and documented diuretic. Women in Europe have used it for generations to treat urinary tract infections. It is also among the many herbs for menopause weight loss because it helps to control water weight gain without flushing important nutrients from the system at the same time. Some people have experienced allergic reactions to dandelion, so some caution should be applied.

Since hormone imbalance is such a central part of menopause, the chasteberry is one of the most important herbs for weight loss as it directly affects hormone production. Chasteberry stimulates the production of progesterone, which can help to balance out the lack of estrogen during menopause. By balancing hormone levels, you can improve appetite and increase energy, all of which may make it easier to stick to a weight loss regimen.

As one of many herbs for menopause treatment, black currant is effective on two separate counts. Not only can it help regulate water weight gain, it also contains Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids, which are central to hormone production. By ensuring that you are getting the proper amount of these vital nutrients, you can help to ease side effects of hormone imbalance that lead to weight gain.

Black cohosh has been one of the more controversial herbs for weight loss, but it is proven to combat some of the symptoms of menopause that lead to weight gain. Things like depression, mood swings and fatigue may be alleviated by taking black cohosh, and easing these symptoms can lead to increased energy and a lessened tendency to overeat.

Of course, herbs to do not provide a cure-all for any problem, including losing weight. The best method for losing weight at any stage of your life remains eating a balanced diet and exercising. But during menopause, when it can be difficult for women to deal with the effects of hormonal changes, having a little natural boost may be just what the doctor ordered.

Want to learn more about how to overcome weight issues during and after menopause? Janice Bowles, hypnotherapist and health and wellness coach since 1996 takes the guess work out of how to get your body into shape and feel fabulous as women approach their 50's and beyond. Be sure to visit http://www.weightlossat50.com/ for the latest tips and 'tricks' for healthy weight loss, motivation, fitness, health, beauty and wellness and much more. While you are there, collect your FREE guide on the 'Top Ten Weight Loss Myths' and 'Weight Loss Tips At 50' members newsletter - absolutely Free!

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