Much sooner than you think…
What woman does not dread the arrival of menopause and its share of unpleasant symptoms? Particularly the weight gain that we know is physiological… The body is constantly changing in women. First the milestone of adolescence and puberty then that of pregnancy for some and finally menopause. A milestone that is more or less easy to pass but which concerns all women and must therefore be approached as calmly as possible.
The body is a reflection of the good we do to it. We must take care of it, every day, without waiting until 50. If this is the age at which most women see their periods stop, a sign that menopause has set in, it is already almost too late to seek solutions to consequences such as weight gain.Where women could have a rather “feminine” silhouette (broader buttocks, hips, thighs, marked waist), the decrease in estrogen leaves more room for other hormones which promote an androgynous silhouette, that is to say of a rather masculine type: fat settles on the stomach, the waistline widens, love handles appear and are very difficult to bear, because they induce a modification of the silhouette for which we are not ready.” explains to us Laurence Haurat, psychologist-nutritionist, author of “The Menopause Revolution” (Ed. Solar and Dr. Good).
But we can prevent this weight gain by acting early enough. As early as the age of forty, in fact, according to our interlocutor: “Weight does not change, as one might imagine, at the age of 50, but it has often started to change during the forties. Studies date the low-key beginnings of this change at the age of 37.” As usual in health, prevention is better than cure. But how?
A little before or at age 40, take stock of your lifestyle. Take a sheet of paper, a pen and write down the amount of sport you do per week (walking counts), the number of meals you eat per day, their composition, any snacks you may have during the day, and the amount of sleep you get. Once you have done this assessment, keep in mind that you must “limit alcohol and foods that you can no longer digest, increase your protein intake (white meat, eggs, fish), avoid drastic diets and incorporate more physical activity.”
If you usually walk 20 minutes a day, increase it to 45 minutes; if you do one sports session a week, try to do a second one (an hour at the pool for example or cycling). On the plate, you have to reduce sugar, limit foods that ferment (to avoid being bloated) such as cabbage, white bread, white pasta… and on the other hand increase the fiber intake (fruit, vegetables, cereals…). Finally, make sure to sleep at least 7 hours a night, 8 hours ideally.