Menopause signifies a decrease in the woman’s fertility and a cessation of the menstrual cycles. Since the level of estrogen circulating in the woman’s body declines, women undergoingmenopause tend to gain rapid weight especially on the waist.
While this is a part and parcel ofmenopause, it can be controlled to a large extent with correct eating and the right diet.Eating well duringmenopause will also reduce the intensity and severity of the side effects that women suffer during menopause. Here are some changes you can make to your dietary habits in order to get rid of the excess fat.
Diet Tips For Menopause
Make sure you eat healthy and do portion control. Increase the amount of natural food like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and water. Ban the processed foods. This will help to kick-start your metabolism and help you to shed weight faster.
An average woman should aim for 2000 calories a day of which 40-45% should come from carbohydrates. Include whole-wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, whole-wheat grain and beans in your diet along with nuts. If you are not exercising, limit yourself to 1800 calories a day.
Aim for a balanced package of carbs, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Take low fat dairy, skimmed milk, curd, and eat low fat cheese. Calcium is crucial as the bones start to lose their density and become brittle.
Protein
About 10-35% of calories should come from protein. Consume lean meats like chicken, fish, beans, tofu, soy and eggs. If you can, skip the egg yolks. Ban red meat, which is higher in fat and cholesterol and can cause a host of cardio vascular diseases especially after menopause.
Fibre
Photo Credit: Lebaneseinisrael.com
Up your fibre intake by consuming green and leafy vegetables, whole grains, whole-pulses and fruits. Eat a teaspoon of crushed flaxseeds, which becomes an important component of your diet.
Say No To Junk
Photo Credit: Hoalian.com
Make sure you ban junk food from the diet. Do not eat processed foods, sweets, chocolates, pastries and cakes. Have them occasionally if you must. Be careful of the nutritional labels on your food and make sure you consume food that is low on saturated fat.
Meal Planning
Photo Credit: Skinny-secret.com
Aim for 4-6 meals in a day. The meal sizes should be small and make sure you eat them frequently, every 2-3 hours. Eat a hearty breakfast of whole-wheat chapattis, oats, wheat flakes or other fibrous cereals. You should also take some form of protein and non-fat dairy.
Nuts and fruits will fulfil your daily quota of essential vitamins and minerals. Do not eat sugars foods as these tend to spike your blood sugars and can also exacerbate the symptoms of night sweats and hot flashes.
Exercise
Just eating sensibly is not enough. It is also crucial to maintain bone and muscle mass by exercising religiously. Make sure you weight train and do some form of cardio at least 3-4 times a week to burn the excess calories.
With some of these extensive tips, it is possible for menopausal women tomaintain an ideal body mass and weight. Getting fit for men/women over 40 years requires dedication with some changes in the lifestyle.
How To Eat Right During Menopause
Menopause, a phase indicating the end of the menstrual cycle in women is often accompanied by a number of bothering symptoms. A drop in the estrogen and progesterone levels causes many physical and emotional problems making things difficult for women.
Night sweats, hot flush, mood fluctuations, low sex drive, vaginal dryness, nausea and mild headaches are common during menopause especially in the initial stages. It is tough for many women to cope with the aging signs that set in withmenopause affecting the health of skin and hair.
How To Eat Right During Menopause:
Eating right during menopause will help you to deal with the physical and emotional changes quite effectively. Following a right diet in menopause is very important to maintain your health and appearance. Your diet will require extra nutritional supplements to compensate the drop in hormonal levels. Women have succeeded in beating menopausal symptoms by making smart changes in their diet.
Include Soy Foods In Your Diet:
Increase the amount of soy and tofu in your diet. Soy contains isoflavones that mimic estrogen and helps in restoring the hormonal balance. Replace your meat intake with soy recipes. That does not mean that you should give up taking meat. Just reduce the intake. Drink soy milk. Taste delicious recipes made out of tofu. Soy helps in reducing the bad cholesterol levels and maintains the health of your heart and arteries.
Enjoy Eating Fruits And Vegetables:
Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals and high amounts of fiber. These are also low in calories that help to maintain your body weight. You will be able to retain the glow of your skin and hair through these foods. Phytoestrogen, present in plants functions like estrogen and restores the hormonal balance to some extent.Boron, present in plants helps in maintaining estrogen balance and bone density. Cabbage, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges, pears, grapefruit, grapes, apples and strawberries are some plant products rich in boron.
Take Right Amounts Of Calcium:
Menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis. Your regular calcium intake from diet should be about 1000- 1500mg. Low fat toned milk and dairy products are the best sources of calcium. If you hate milk, opt for chocolate flavored soy milk and low fat yoghurt. You can get 345mg of calcium from a cup of yoghurt and 300mg calcium from a glass of milk. Enjoy a delicious breakfast with oat meal porridge adding moderate amount of soymilk and fresh fruits. Take Vitamin D supplementsto aid in proper calcium absorption in your body.
Choose The Right Fat:
Eat right during menopause with the right type of fatty foods. Not all fats are harmful, and a menopausal woman requires certain amounts of healthy fat in her diet. Fats containing omega-3-fatty acids are beneficial as they protect your body from heart ailments and cancer. Fish oil, canola oil and olive oil are the rich sources of omega-3-fatty acids. Replace your cooking medium with olive oil.
Eat More Beans:
If you have left out beans earlier, then this is the right time to include these in your diet. Beans contain VitaminB6, calcium, folic acid and phytoestrogens, which are necessary for every woman. Beans are rich in fiber that slow down glucose absorption in blood. Include a handful of beans in any one of your dishes and salads. Enjoy soups prepared from mixed beans that will keep you satiated.
Consider Flax Seeds In Your Diet:
Flaxseeds have the highest level of phytoestrogens and are very effective in managing menopausal symptoms. The seeds contain appreciable amounts of Alpha Linolenic Acid that protects your heart. Take 1 teaspoon of ground flaxseeds regularly. Do not use flaxseed oil as it is devoid of phytoestrogens.
Check The Intake Of Wrong Foods.
Avoid drinking of caffeinated beverages and alcohol. This will nullify the beneficial effects of eating right foods during menopause. Drink plenty of water and juices.Reduce the intake of sugar and processed foods. Lastly, take up enough physical activities to maintain your fitness during menopause.
Feel Free To Leave Comments To My Posts,Its Always Nice To Get Feed Back!:)
No comments:
Post a Comment