Statistics show that during menopause women gain a little over half a kilo per year, on average. Weight gain in middle aged women is multifactorial and can be due to a combination of hormonal changes, sedentary behaviour, reduced physical activity and changes in body composition including reduced muscle mass.

Peri-menopause typically starts in the 40’s but can begin as early as the mid 30’s. The average age of menopause is 50 to 51 years old. During peri-menopause a women’s ovaries begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. The decrease in these hormones, particularly estrogen, leads to an increase in the storage of abdominal fat because estrogen affects the way women’s bodies metabolise fat. Weight gain, especially in the abdominal area puts peri-menopausal and menopausal women at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis and stroke.

Let me assure you that you don’t have to accept your changing body, nor other symptoms that menopause brings. Herbal medicine, nutritional supplements together with diet and lifestyle interventions may be very effective in mitigating the changes associated with menopause. In my clinical experience, in many cases it’s not until we support the fluctuations in hormones that we start to see successful weight loss in middle aged women. It is possible. Without fad diets and crazy exercise routines that you dread. The beauty with working on the hormones to achieve weight loss is that you are also working on reducing all the other symptoms of menopause and improving your overall health and wellbeing.

Reach out if you would like support navigating through menopause or hormonal health.