Menopause and Weight Gain: 10 Shifts to Make When "Eat Less, Move More" Stops Working

In this article:

• Menopause causes physiological changes to your body. Hormone levels can fluctuate and affect metabolism, bones, muscles, and fat mass. Cardiovascular risk, insulin resistance, and risk for diabetes can also increase. 
• Many women find that what they used to do to manage weight doesn’t have the same impact. It feels like, “eat less, move more” doesn’t anymore. 
• Shifting the way you approach your lifestyle changes can help you get results again as you manage weight and health conditions. Behaviors like having consistent protein throughout the day, opting for higher-quality carbohydrates, and drinking water before you feel thirsty are examples. 
• Muscle-strengthening exercises and aerobic physical activity can support strength, well-being, and blood sugar control. 
• Stress management, your sleep environment can also be higher priorities during this stage of your life.
• It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about any changes you notice with menopause or for help navigating health and weight concerns.
• Lark is available 24/7 to help you manage weight and health through changes that work for your lifestyle. Seniors may qualify for MDPP or another Lark program with or without GLP-1 medications.

Have you noticed that the diet and exercise routine that you used to use just doesn’t work anymore? If you’re a female in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, there’s a good chance that menopause is playing a role. . Hot flashes and night sweats may be the best-known signs of menopause, but the effects reach nearly every aspect of metabolism. Gradually for some women, and seemingly overnight for others, lower levels of estrogen cause changes to  bone density, muscle mass, fat distribution, and more. 

Your body may be changing - but you can adapt! When you understand what’s changing in your body and how that affects weight and metabolism, you can make changes in your approach to healthy living so that your efforts pay off once again. While your previous formula for “eat less, move more” may not be as effective as before, you can boost the impact by tweaking the formula just a bit. 

Here’s a rundown of how menopause affects the body and how you can adjust your approach with simple, realistic changes.  

What's Actually Changing

We think of estrogen as regulating the menstrual cycle, but its job goes much further. For starters, estrogen affects muscle, bones, and fat. It promotes heart health and insulin sensitivity for healthy blood sugar regulation. As estrogen drops during perimenopause and menopause, it’s no surprise that your body can show a lot of effects. The Position Statement of the North American Menopause Society explains many changes in menopause.

Weight and health goals can still be within reach. You may just need to adjust your strategy.  Here are 8 minor shifts that can have a major impact now and in the future. Remember to talk to your healthcare provider about any symptoms you may be having and any concerns. 

1. Consume Protein at Each Meal and Snack

In the old days, you may have been fine as long as you hit your total protein goals for the day. With menopause, it’s more important to keep protein consumption consistent throughout the day. Giving your body a steady supply of protein supports muscle repair and recovery, which helps keep metabolism up, fight insulin resistance, and maintain strength. 

The general guideline is 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. 

The goal: Including 10-20 grams of protein at most meals and snacks can support muscle repair and maintenance. Think ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 2-3 ounces of chicken or fish, or ½ cup of beans with 1 ounce of low-fat cheese.

2. Opt for Nutrient-Rich, High-Fiber Carbohydrates

When you choose carbohydrates, look for less processed versions that are high in fiber and low in added sugars. Insulin resistance naturally increases with age, making it harder to keep blood sugar down in normal ranges. Compared to previous years, your body may have more trouble handling refined starches - like white pasta, potatoes, and sugar-sweetened foods and beverages. 

The goal: Trade refined grains for whole grains like oatmeal, shredded wheat, whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice, and quinoa. For treats, consider fruit - a naturally sweet food without added sugars. 

3. Pair Carbohydrates with Protein, Healthy Fat, and Fiber

Carbohydrates spike blood sugar. A 20-year-old healthy body may be able to handle a meal that has nothing but carbs, but it gets tougher as you get older. By menopause, it’s time to make sure your carbs never travel alone. Pair them with nutrients that slow digestion and reduce blood sugar spikes - aim for protein, healthy fats, and/or fiber when you have a carb. For more blood sugar-stabilizing benefits, try taking a walk after you eat. 

The goal: Each time you have a meal or snack, make sure it includes one or more nutrients that slow digestion. Examples include a serving of lean protein, a high-fiber, non-starchy vegetable, or a healthy fat like avocado, olive oil, or nuts - omega-3 fats from fish and flaxseed can be especially beneficial, too. 

4. Fill Your Plate - and Satisfy Hunger - with Low-Calorie Vegetables

Weight gain is common during menopause, but you can use smart tricks to avoid it. To reduce hunger - which can be higher for reasons like poor sleep and blood sugar swings - aim to fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. They’re low in calories, high in water, and high in fiber - perfect for satisfying hunger without adding calories and pounds. 

The goal: When you plan meals and snacks, include non-starchy vegetables or fruit to fill half your plate or bowl. Examples are salad greens, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, onions, bell peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, and green beans - for starters. Have them prepared and ready for snacking, too. 

5. Work Towards - and Celebrate - Non-Scale Victories

A wonderful thing about becoming more mature is having more experience - and that’s backed by research that consistently finds that adults tend to have improved happiness and life satisfaction after age 50. While your younger self may have depended on external motivation - like lower numbers on the scale - for validation, your current self may be better able to find meaning in non-scale victories like how you feel. Menopause makes it more likely for fat to pile up around your midsection and raise cardiovascular disease risk, according to research in Clinical Research and Public Health, but you can stay motivated and support your goals by celebrating progress like consistent workouts and improved strength. 

The goal: Focus on process, not scale outcomes, to measure progress. For example, since a Mediterranean-style diet can reduce chronic inflammation and heart disease risk, log your meals in Lark and celebrate when you consistently include vegetables, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats. 

6. Focus on Muscle Strength

A cardio routine may have kept you feeling strong in the old days, but now it’s time to ask your healthcare provider about meeting strength training recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Muscle-strengthening exercises can boost metabolism and strength, and help prevent injuries - which becomes more critical with age. Plus, muscles are the organ that takes up the most glucose from your blood, helping to keep blood glucose within normal ranges. Need another reason? Strength training supports bone mass, which drops during menopause.

What hasn’t changed from your younger days is that you can do your strength training in the gym or at home using weight machines, free weights like dumbbells or a kettlebell, resistance bands, or body weight. 

The goal: The guidelines say to work each major muscle group at 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days. You can check for exercise ideas at the American Council on Exercise’s library, and always make sure to ask an expert for help with proper form to prevent injuries. Look for pelvic floor exercises to support continence and comfort, and remember to include balance training to reduce the risk for falls and bone fractures. 

7. Keep Moving

What hasn’t changed is the general recommendation to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity activity, like brisk walking, lap swimming, or cycling. What has changed is how much better it can make you feel. Aerobic activity burns calories, improves cardiovascular health, and lowers blood sugar for about 24-48 hours, so it’s best not to skip more than a day of exercising. In addition, try to break up sedentary time at least once per 60 minutes that you sit to keep blood sugar levels in check.

The goal: The guideline is to hit 150 or more minutes per week of activity that boosts heart rate and makes it hard to talk in complete sentences. Look for an activity you love to keep it sustainable. 

8. Hydrate Proactively

It’s a fact - thirst signals get weaker as we get older, and that’s a problem for energy levels and more. Mild dehydration can lead to headaches and fuzzy thinking - not to mention higher blood pressure and higher blood sugar. Older adults may also be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol, so it’s best to hydrate before you’re very thirsty. 

The goal: Men can aim for 10 or more cups of water per day, and women may aim for about 8 cups. Ask your provider about your goals for hydration, since they can vary widely by individual. Aside from water, low-calorie options like sparkling water, herbal tea, caffeine-free unsweetened tea and iced tea, and decaffeinated black coffee are hydrating choices. 

9. Take Stress Management More Seriously

In previous years, you may have put yourself last - setting aside your own worries and stressors to care for others or perform at work. It’s more important to keep stress levels in check now as levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone decrease during menopause. Results can include a more active HPA axis and higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which increase storage of visceral fat, or belly fat. Prioritizing regular stress management can combat negative effects of cortisol.

The goal: Including stress management as a non-negotiable part of your life can help keep cortisol down. Choices like staying active, socializing, and deep breathing can all help. It’s also good to practice recognizing your stressors and how you react to them. 

10. Prioritize Sleep

At this stage of your life, you’ve earned a good night’s sleep. Prioritize it! Discomfort like night sweats can interfere with sleep, but you can do your part with good sleep hygiene like setting a consistent bedtime and wake time, having a bedtime routine, and paying careful attention to your sleep environment. It should be cool, dark, and quiet. 

The goal: Set aside plenty of time for sleep so you can get enough rest even if you wake up with night sweats. It’s also helpful to be active during the day, especially outdoors for natural sunlight, and to avoid caffeine and alcohol after the afternoon. 

Individual Considerations in Menopause

Every woman has a different experience with menopause. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about any questions or concerns you may have. Along with lifestyle changes, hormone replacement therapy is an option for many women. It has some potential benefits as risks, as explained by The Menopause Society in a position statement. Lark can support healthy lifestyle changes to support long-term weight management and health. 

Lark Can Help

Small changes can help you feel better and improve health at any age, and they can fit into your lifestyle. Lark can help you stay on track as you choose nutritious foods, get more active, and work with your body through life’s changes. Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!