A plan to breeze through menopause

Weight gain around menopause is very common. Most women above the age of 50, complain that they find it difficult to lose weight and understandably so, as menopause brings along with it a host of conditions related to hormonal decline that not only makes it hard for women to lose weight, but also causes changes in mood, blood lipids, bone density, skin, hair, muscle mass, sleep, energy, depression, etc. And all these conditions can be quite debilitating for most women.

Some women sail through menopause and others find it challenging both physically and emotionally. However eating a high fibre, lowglycaemic-index diet and exercising regularly for about an hour everyday can prevent weight gain and reduce belly fat as well as risk to heart disease and diabetes. Above all accept this new phase in your life and know that all the symptoms can be managed with a change in eating habits.

Here are a few tips to manage weight during menopause:

Reduce carbohydrates: In order to avoid central obesity (weight gain around the abdomen) restrict carbohydrates to onceintheday preferably at breakfast (e.g. wholewheat toast and boiled eggs followed by mint and coriander juice). Avoid grains for lunch and dinner (rice, chappatis (wheat)) Switch to low-glycaemicindex carbs: Oats, millets, quinoa and barley have a low glycaemic index (GI) as compared to rice, wheat, jowar and bajra. So an oats porridge, quinoa salad or barley rice is a great idea. Eating low GI ensures reduced hunger. Eat more fibre: Adding isabgol to your daily routine helps in increasing the fiber intake. It also reduces cholesterol which tends to rise in most menopausal women. It relieves you on constipation, cleans the colon and also assists in weight loss. So consume 5gms of isabgol twice a day to increase satiety and weight loss. Exercise for weight loss during menopause: Exercising is more important during and after menopause, for protecting muscles and bones. Resistance training is beneficial. Aerobic exercises like running and swimming are also helpful for women during menopause, as studies have suggested that it can help in belly fat reduction apart from preserving muscles during weight loss. Combining the two might be the best strategy. Eat more protein: Add protein rich foods such as eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, paneer, skimmed milk, curd, sprouts, soya bean, whole pulses to every meal in small quantities to help manage your symptoms of hair loss, poor skin and to manage your weight. Have a healthy New Year!

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