Menopause and weight gain tend to go together, and the survey suggests that 6 in 10 had issues with increasing weight. It seems that most of the weight gain tends to occur in the perimenopause stage and averages out at about 1lb per year. The excess weight tends to go on around the waist – leading to the classic “apple” shape of middle aged ladies. Apparently this is because our bodies want to store fat for later – a bit like the puppy fat we experienced at puberty.
At the menopause, we may develop “insulin resistance” which results in our bodies storing calories rather than burning them. Before the menopause, if we consumed 1000 calories we would store 300 and burn 700, but post menopause it seems that we will burn 300 and store 700!
A sensible diet and good exercise regime will obviously help. I try to walk most weekends and am lucky in having the great expanse of Dartmoor available, as well as the coastal path. It probably doesn’t help my “apple” figure however, with a great variety of wonderful pasty shops within our reach, as well as the famous Devonshire cream teas!