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Let’s Talk About Weight Gain After 40

Looking like Twiggy after you reach 40 is unrealistic. Not that any of us ever wanted to look like a spaghetti noodle! If you remember Twiggy, keep reading. We connect. Of course, looking like Mama Cass isn’t something to aspire to either. But there’s a happy medium, a sort of good news, bad news. As we women age, we start to lose that natural cushion called collagen that gives us the elasticity and plumpness under our skin. This results in those nasty wrinkles. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that as women age, we need to carry a little more weight. We don’t look good skinny, like those scrawny 20 year-olds who are donning a size 0! Size 0? I didn’t wear a size 0 when I was 12! Did they even make them then?

Being blessed with an inherited, relatively fast metabolism, I could eat pretty much what I wanted when I was young and not gain too much weight. But, my feet rarely hit the ground. I was a devout runner in my twenties and even ran during my pregnancies with my two boys. Even in my late thirties and early forties my peers were in awe of my double cheeseburger with frys lunches. “Someday it will catch up with you” was the typical remark or more likely the hope of my green-eyed friends. Then suddenly their evil, secret wishes started to come true as the scales started creeping up. I was heading for menopause. I didn’t know what to expect or when, based on family history, because in those days it was taboo to discuss such sensitive subjects. I’m sure my mother had to take Valium just to tell me about periods, and forget the birds and the bees! I remember finding a hidden little booklet that was yellow and had a drawing of a mother and her young daughter on the cover. It was titled, “How Do I Tell My Daughter?” Scared me to death. I thought I must be dying!

Even though I didn’t feel like I had changed my lifestyle or eating habits, my weight was going up and it seemed like no matter what I did, it wouldn’t budge. No more skipping lunch and losing five pounds! So, when my doctor told me I was finally going into menopause, I said “now about this weight thing, it just lasts a couple of years or so then goes back to normal, right?” She laughed and said “No, it’s here to stay!” Bummer! Actually, being a registered nurse I knew that, but was kinda hoping we had regenerated our hormones over the years and things had changed.

During my earlier years, in spite of cheeseburgers and fries and other wonderfully sinful foods, I was always very weight conscience. Weighing frequently, exercising, knowing caloric content of every food on earth (even those delicious double cheeseburgers and frys), trying every fad diet out there and yes, crash diets I’ve maintain a reasonable weight, along with a healthy metabolism. You might say I’m a bit fanatical, but I love food too much to be anorexic.  However, you can’t fight hormones. But thankfully, you’re still alive to have that problem. Before and after the dreadful “M” word, I’ve discovered some tips for losing weight and keeping it down post menopause.

1.       KNOW YOUR BODY. While this is somewhat controversial I’m a fanatic about weighing every day.  Some believe it’s not mentally healthy because your weight fluctuates. Nobody understands those fluctuations and what causes them better than I do.  It’s the cause and effect. A cousin once told me that she never weighs. Didn’t own scales. She could tell she needed to cut back when her clothes were too tight. I about dropped my fork! I wanted to tell her it must be time because her clothes were too tight! It’s a lot easier to lose two or three pounds over a couple of days than eight or ten pounds over a month. Stay on top of it. I’m on the scales every morning and every night before bed. Crazy? It works for me. Weigh at the same time every day and/or night. I choose to weigh at 9:30 AM and PM.  Later in the morning is better because your body loses a lot of fluid the first hour or so after you get out of bed.
2.       EAT! DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF! From the Queen of Crash Diets, your body will go into “you’re trying to starve me” emergency preservation mode. You’ll be miserably hungry with minimal results. Eat. Just eat the right way. Eat a good healthy lunch that will sustain you. I love the Pick Two lunches if I’m eating out. Whole grains, protein, fruit and veggies are good choices. My personal favorite is half of a sandwich on whole grain bread and a salad with meat and light dressing.
3.       DRINK WATER, 6-8 bottles every day, starting with a whole bottle after you weigh in the morning. Studies show that people who stay hydrated eat an average of 200 calories a day less. Water is also very beneficial to all body organs, including maintaining healthy beautiful skin.  TIP: Stop drinking fluids after 8 PM to avoid several trips to the bathroom during the night.
4.       GET 8 HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT. Studies show that getting more than five hours of sleep at night is effective in helping you lose weight, plus helps reduces the risk of dementia. Typically I weigh three pounds less in the morning than I did the night before, except when I don’t get a good nights sleep, something I’ve learned from weighing every day.
5.       ADD PROTEIN TO YOUR DIET. This not only fends off hunger, which is your worst enemy when working to controlling your weight, it rebuilds bone and muscle tissue diminished by the effects of menopause. It is also effective in speeding up a sluggish metabolism, also a result of changes in your body due to menopause.
6.       OMEGA 3 is your friend. Not only does it curb hunger, it can help you lose weight and keep it off. Add fish to your diet. Salmon and Tuna are especially good sources of Omega 3. (Read more about Omega 3 under Flax below)
7.       UP THE FIBER IN YOUR DIET INCLUDING WHOLE GRAINS. Take refined foods out of your diet. Period. Not only does fiber help with weight loss, it helps keep it off. It’s also known to combat a bloated belly that can be a side effect of slower digestion due to menopause.
8.       FLAX is another fiber worthy of mentioning. It’s another source of Omega 3 and ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid), an essential Omega 3 fatty acid. This is necessary for human growth and development and your body can’t make it on its own. It can also help prevent numerous health problems and is known to help battle inflammation, aid in weight loss, and hydrate and improve skin texture, which can decrease the signs of aging by softening wrinkles.  It can even benefit the cardiovascular system. Mix a teaspoon in with a smoothie, yogurt or sprinkle on cereal. Flax seed oil is a more concentrated form of these benefits .
9.       SALT IS ONE OF YOUR WORST ENEMIES. Take the salt shaker off your table. Stop eating salty snacks like chips, salted nuts or popcorn. Check food labels for sodium content. Experts recommend older women need a minimum of 1200-1300 milligrams a day but not over 2,300. Choose restaurants that offer natural healthy food. Most chain restaurants use an excessive amount of salt and preservatives. Listen to your body. If your fingers are puffy in the morning you’ve eaten too much salt. Salt also increases hunger & can inadvertently decrease thirst resulting in lower water intake while at the same time causing bloating. In short, it’s not good for you!
10.       DRINKS can be deceiving. Calories in beverages count just like food. It’s easy to consume a day’s worth of allotted calories in coffee drinks, cocktails, sodas, etc. Wine is full of sugar and hard liquor has empty calories. It’s not necessary to give up alcohol but stick with red wine or cocktails without sugary mixers. Everything in moderation. One note, alcohol lowers your inhibitions and can stimulate appetite. Not a good combination.
11.       EXERCISE is essential both physically and mentally. Nothing will pick you up faster and make you feel as good about yourself as a good workout. I highly recommend joining an affordable gym if possible. A good gym will offer classes included with membership, proper equipment for cardiovascular workouts as well as weight circuits, trainers and supervision. Exercising correctly, so as not to injure yourself, is extremely important. If joining a gym is not a possibility, exercise at home. There are a variety of ways.
12.       CARDIOVASCULAR: take a 60 minute fast walk, (or a minimum of 30 minutes) every day. Make it a habit. Make it a priority. Try to get on a schedule. Walking (and working out) should be an appointment. We women are terrible at “as soon as” which is like tomorrow that never comes. Going to the gym first thing in the morning works for me. It’s before I get involved with activities of the day, and more importantly, it makes me feel great physically and mentally all day. Better yet, it gives me more energy which curbs my appetite.
13.       WEIGHT TRAINING: This is very important to rebuild lost muscle tissue. Menopause and aging in general, are thieves of your muscle tissue as you age as much. Research shows that women can lose as much as 10 percent. Why is this important? Rebuilding your muscles will support joints, give you a good solid foundation, and help to prevent falls as you age. In case of injury at any age, the healthier and stronger your body is, the faster and easier you will heal. As a nurse, I’ve seen the demise of many seniors from falls. Getting and staying in shape is the best preventive medicine. Exercise also helps your mental acuity. It’s all around good.
14.       KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL. You may be surprised if you knew how many calories you actually consume. Try writing down everything you put in your mouth for a week. Did you finish your grandsons pancakes? Did you grab a couple of candy bars at the bank? Did you reward yourself with a Caramel Macchiato this afternoon….before dinner? A journal can be a great wake-up call. Don’t forget to record everything including all the beverages. Write down everything!  Write down your weight when you weigh in. You’ll start seeing patterns and what works for you. 
15.       Set realistic goals. Use small upcoming events as target dates to get to your ultimate goal. Look at them as baby steps, which seem more manageable and not as overwhelming. They don’t have to be as big as a class reunion or a family wedding. Maybe you want to lose five pounds before you make that visit to see your kids, or go on that a week-end getaway. I try to weigh the same every time I have a physical or a birthday. Look for something in your near future as a short-term goal them reward yourself when you make it. Buy those jeans you’ve been wanting. And won’t you look good? Then set your next short-term goal. Eventually, you will get to your ultimate goal. Sassy!

Don’t try to lose the weight you want to lose overnight! This can be frustrating and defeating. Be realistic. Two pounds a week should easily be attainable. Pat yourself on the back for the small accomplishments as well as the big ones! Brag on yourself…… to everyone! Stop wearing sloppy clothes. Show off your success. Most importantly, get on a schedule, get your routine, see what works best for you and stay with it. The only way you won’t make it to your goal is if you quit!

Whether or not you’ve been weight and health conscious your whole life, it’s more important now than ever. Because of body changes associated with Menopause, your body needs more help now to stay healthy. You can still enjoy all of those fabulous foods you love but the key word is moderation! You’ve worked hard all of your life. Don’t deprive yourself. Follow these simple guidelines and enjoy it. Because YOU deserve it!

Grandma Arvey