Menopause is not an exciting period for most women due to hormonal changes that trigger a host of body changes, including weight gain and an expanding waistline. The menopausal transition sees a shift in the production of estrogen and progesterone, which triggers the redistribution of fat to the belly. The loss of muscle mass due to aging and decreased physical activity, inadequate sleep, and increased insulin resistance can also encourage fat storage in the body. Every woman should adopt good dieting habits during menopause as fat storage can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. It is necessary to adopt strategies that promote loss of abdominal fat like the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight and others that encourage healthy living.
In addition to healthy eating habits, we also encourage women to make lifestyle changes to help improve their quality of life and make weight loss easier like workouts. Exercises are beneficial as they help to promote a healthy weight, improve mood and maintain muscles and bones. We look at the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight and lifestyle changes that will make the menopausal period less troubling and prevent weight gain.
- 5 Changes That Will Help You Avoid Weight Gain And Make Your Menopause Period Less Troublesome
- Dietary Tips To Help You Lose Weight During Menopause
- 5 Menopause Foods That You Should Consume To Minimize Symptoms Of The Menopause
- Which Foods Should You Avoid During Menopause?
- Menu Guide On The Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan To Lose Weight
- Conclusion
5 Changes That Will Help You Avoid Weight Gain And Make Your Menopause Period Less Troublesome
1. Adopt menopause diet plans
What you eat fuels your body. A healthy diet promotes good health, which goes a long way in reducing the risks of diseases and weight gain. The menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight features foods that can help you feel rejuvenated and reduce the negative effects of hormonal changes during the menopause period. As much as it is about eating good food, it also helps you avoid certain diets that encourage unpleasant symptoms and side effects of menopause. Taking alcohol, caffeinated drinks in the evenings, sugary drinks, processed foods, and refined sugar can make menopause worse. Instead, you should fill your plate with proteins, dairy, soluble fiber, and vegetables.
2. Exercise regularly
We become less active as we age, which is not a good thing for our well-being. Exercising is important for people of all ages, but it is more beneficial during and after menopause. Taking part in workouts can help to avert the side effects of hormonal changes and power your body throughout the period without taking a hit. Working out is good for women in the menopause stage as it can promote healthy weight, improve mood and protect your bones and muscles.
We recommend that you combine aerobic exercises and resistance training for the best results. Aerobic or cardio exercises can help you deal with abdominal fat, which is a major issue during menopause while preserving your muscle mass. Resistance training on the other hand helps to increase lean muscle mass, which usually declines due to age and hormonal changes.
3. Get adequate rest and sleep
The menopause side effects that occur as a result of estrogen deficiency like night sweats, hot flashes, and stress make it difficult for some women to get adequate sleep at night. Unfortunately, not getting adequate sleep only makes the situation worse as it leads to higher levels of ghrelin (hunger hormone) and lower levels of leptin (fullness hormone), which increases your chances of being overweight. Getting adequate, quality sleep is essential in helping you achieve and maintain a moderate weight.
4. Explore psychotherapy and acupuncture
Taking part in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help deal with insomnia, which is common among women with low estrogen. Sleep restriction therapy can also help improve quality by minimizing the amount of time you spend in the bed lying awake. Acupuncture is also good for women experiencing hot flashes. It can increase estrogen levels, which minimizes the side effects of low estrogen and promote quality sleep.
5. Adopt healthy ways to relieve stress
Stress is not good for your health before, during, and after menopause. Some people have unhealthy ways to cope with stress like overeating, which puts them at risk of weight gain. Furthermore, not relieving the stress can lead to depression and other conditions that put your health at risk. We advise that you look for the best way to deal with stress like taking part in exercises. Yoga is also imperative in helping women reduce stress and overcome symptoms of menopause.
Dietary Tips To Help You Lose Weight During Menopause
Our body reacts to whatever we feed them. Eating healthy, balanced diets reduces the risk of diseases and encourages a quality life. Equally, the food you eat during menopause will determine your experience. Eating the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight will help you avoid the symptoms of menopause and avoid weight gain. You can also minimize the symptoms of menopause by adhering to the following menopause dietary tips:
- Eat a low-carb diet – Eating foods high in carbohydrates is not ideal if you are looking to lose weight or remain slim during menopause. At menopause, most people have a slow metabolism, which can make them gain weight if combined with a diet high in carbohydrates. We recommend that you reduce carbohydrate intake drastically to avoid weight gain.
- Eat Alkaline diet – Adopting an alkaline diet is an effective way to promote weight loss and general health. You should avoid acidic foods like meats and alcohol and increase the intake of alkaline foods like water, vegetables, and good fats to get into an alkaline state. Once you get into an alkaline state, you can remove carbohydrates from your diet to get into a ketosis state and burn belly fat.
- Consume a lot of protein – Protein-rich food keeps you full and satisfied for longer, which means that you will not have to eat regularly. Protein also increases metabolism while reducing muscle loss during weight loss.
- Consume a balanced plant-based diet – We recommend that you take balanced diets rich in plant foods in the right mix of fiber, healthy fats, minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients.
- Eat as per your body needs – Your natural body rhythms can affect your health. Knowing what your body needs and when is effective in controlling your body weight. You do not have to wait you are hungry to eat as that will make you overeat, which is not good if you are trying to lose weight. Meal timing during menopause can help you control weight, regulate blood glucose levels and sleep better.
5 Menopause Foods That You Should Consume To Minimize Symptoms Of The Menopause
You should not compromise on the quality of food you eat on daily basis for a healthy body and general wellness. That said, a healthy diet is a priority for women during menopause as it can help them relieve symptoms of menopause and avoid weight gain. The foods that should be part of your daily diet include:
1. Whole grains
Whole grains should be the base of your daily. They provide your body with a lot of fiber and B vitamins, which are essential needs for women in menopause. Consuming foods rich in whole grains can help lower blood sugar levels, cholesterol and prevent constipation. The best whole-grain foods that you should include in the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight include:
- Oats
- Barley
- Brown rice
- Bulgar
- Wholemeal bread
- Quinoa
2. Dairy
Women in menopause have reduced estrogen levels, which can cause bone loss. The risk is higher for women in the postmenopausal stage in developing bone structures and osteoporosis. Drinking dairy during menopause as part of your diet can reduce the chances of bone fractures in women. Milk is rich in nutrients and minerals that can keep your bones in good health. You can alternate milk with yogurt and cheese for the same benefits. The essential vitamins and minerals present in dairy include:
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Vitamins D and K
- Magnesium
- Phosphorous
3. Healthy Fats
Healthy fats such as the unsaturated fats that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids are useful in helping women manage menopause symptoms. Also, healthy fats offer many health benefits, including reduced LDL cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular disease. It also helps to keep fuller longer and eliminate the need to keep snacking, which helps you avoid weight gain. The foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Seeds – chia and flax seeds
- Fatty fish – mackerel, salmon, and sardines
4. Protein
The menopausal symptoms occur due to lower estrogen levels. Reduced estrogen levels can reduce bone density and muscle mass. You can avert reduced muscle mass and bone density by taking more protein to compensate for reduced estrogen. Foods that should be part of your daily diet that are rich in protein include:
- Eggs
- Beans and lentils – fava beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas
- Seafood – tuna, salmon, and mackerel
- Dairy foods – milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Meat – beef, chicken, and pork
5. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables power your body with a host of nutrients that include vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants, which play an important role in overall health. The antioxidant element helps your body deal with symptoms that can lead to diseases. We advise that you take a fruit whenever you need a snack as the fiber content makes you feel full without making you gain weight. Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and kale are necessary for general wellness and should be part of the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight.
Which Foods Should You Avoid During Menopause?
While you should include plenty of protein, dairy, foods high in soluble fiber, and drink green tea to help minimize the symptoms of menopause, it is necessary you know what you should not include in your diet. Some foods can make the symptoms worse and make you gain weight. Some of the foods you should avoid during menopause include:
- Sugary drinks – Taking lots of sugary drinks is not good for your health and can make menopause symptoms by causing weight gain, tooth decay, and type-2 diabetes in the long term.
- Alcohol – It is good you do not take alcohol during menopause as it can worsen the symptoms. If you find it difficult to avoid alcohol, you should take it in moderation.
- Processed foods – Processed foods are not good as they can make you gain weight, which is not ideal during menopause when you are looking to lose or maintain weight. Some processed foods do not have a nutritional balance, which is not ideal for an individual struggling with hormonal imbalance.
- Caffeinated drinks in the evenings – You do not have to take anything that can make insomnia worse. We recommend that you avoid taking caffeinated drinks in the evenings as it can make it difficult to fall asleep at the night.
Menu Guide On The Menopause Diet 5 Day Plan To Lose Weight
Day One
- Breakfast: Banana yogurt pots
- Lunch: Cannellini salad
- Dinner: Moussaka
The lunch gives your body about 54 grams of carbohydrates, 20 grams of protein, and 302 calories while the breakfast offers 236 calories, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of protein, and 7 grams of protein. The moussaka dinner provides you with 577 calories, 27 grams of protein, 27 grams of fat, and 46 grams of carbohydrates.
Day Two
- Breakfast: Blueberry oats bowl
- Lunch: Orange, carrot, and avocado salad
- Dinner: Salmon with corn salad and potatoes
The day two breakfast menu will provide you with 235 calories, 38 grams carbs, 13 grams protein, and 4 grams fat. The lunch serving provides 177 calories, 5 grams protein, 13 grams fat, and 13 grams of carbohydrates. The day two dinner features 479 calories, 43 grams protein, 27 grams carbs, and 21 grams fat.
Day Three
- Breakfast: Tomato and watermelon salad
- Lunch: Edgy veggie wraps
- Dinner: Spicy tomato baked eggs
Our day three breakfast nutrition includes 177 calories, 13 grams carbs, 13 grams fat, and 5 grams protein. The lunch serves your body with 310 calories, 39 grams carbs, 11 grams protein, and 11 grams fat with the supper offering 417 calories, 45 grams carbs, 19 grams protein, and 17 grams fat.
Day Four
- Breakfast: Banana yogurt pots
- Lunch: Moroccan chickpea soup
- Dinner: Spicy Mediterranean beet salad
The lunch nutrition on day four includes 408 calories, 63 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, and 11 grams fat while the dinner menu offers 548 calories, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 23 grams protein, and 20 grams fat.
Day Five
- Breakfast: Tomato and watermelon salad
- Lunch: Panzanella salad
- Dinner: Med chicken, quinoa, and Greek salad
The nutrition for our fifth-day menopause lunch diet includes 452 calories, 37 grams carbs, 25 grams fat, and 6 grams protein while the dinner offers 473 calories, 57 grams carbs, 36 grams, and 25 grams.
Note: It is important to snack between meals. Some of the snacks you can add to the menopause diet 5-day plan to lose weight include nuts, seeds, fruits, carrots, grapes, and berries.
Conclusion
You cannot avoid menopause as it is a natural process that occurs to all women, but you can take steps to reduce symptoms. Eating a healthy diet and making lifestyle changes that encourage good life are some of the effective strategies you take to reduce menopause symptoms.
