At Slimming World, we perceive that everybody’s expertise of menopause is completely different. If you happen to’re anxious about menopause weight acquire, we may also help you to realize your dream weight – and handle your signs alongside the best way*.
How you can keep away from menopause weight acquire
Proof exhibits that consuming healthily and exercising recurrently may also help to handle menopause signs, maintain lean muscle, preserve our metabolism, stop menopause weight acquire and assist weight reduction right now in life.
Whenever you be a part of Slimming World, you get all of the instruments and assist it’s essential to comply with a wholesome, balanced weight loss plan by means of our Meals Optimising plan and progressively improve your ranges of exercise. We’ll allow you to to drop some pounds and preserve that weight reduction long-term for ongoing well being advantages.
How you can lose menopause weight
If you happen to’re anxious about menopause weight reduction being harder, relaxation assured that the Slimming World Meals Optimising plan is an efficient, simple-to-follow solution to drop some pounds – and it really works for everybody. In our survey of two,472 members who had been both going by means of the perimenopause or who had already skilled the menopause, 79% stated that they’d efficiently misplaced weight by following our plan.
Learn extra about our menopause analysis right here
Can we suggest a menopause weight loss plan plan?
A wholesome, balanced weight loss plan is vital at each stage of life, and our versatile Meals Optimising plan makes it simple to get the vitamins you want whereas nonetheless having fun with the meals that you just love. There are some meals that may be particularly useful in supporting your well being and managing your signs throughout menopause, and so they’re all very a lot part of our plan. They embody:
- calcium-rich meals, equivalent to milk and yogurt, to future-proof your bones
- oily fish and small quantities of different meals containing wholesome fat (equivalent to nuts, seeds and olive oil) to assist your coronary heart well being
- meals wealthy in phytoestrogens, equivalent to tofu and soya, which may also help to alleviate sure signs for some ladies if eaten recurrently and in adequate portions
Can hormone adjustments trigger menopause weight acquire?
The perimenopause and menopause are linked to a drop in reproductive hormones as ladies grow old, and that may affect the place we retailer physique fats. Slimming World dietitian Jennifer Kent explains:
“Earlier than the menopause, ladies typically retailer fats round their hips, legs and backside, whereas afterwards, they might carry extra weight round their waist attributable to altering hormones. This shift can affect a lady’s notion of her weight, even when the scales stay the identical. Though weight tends to extend in each ladies (and males) with age, the excellent news is proof means that weight acquire is unlikely to happen as a direct results of the menopause.”
So why achieve this many ladies discover they’ve a menopause weight acquire?
Analysis means that our muscle mass reduces in the course of the menopause (most certainly attributable to these hormonal adjustments) and as we age, we are typically much less lively. This implies our metabolism can gradual and we burn fewer energy. And that’s earlier than we get onto the influence the signs can have! No matter challenges you face throughout menopause, we may also help you to take care of the load that you really want.
Your menopause signs and the way Slimming World helps
Though everybody’s signs are completely different, many can have an effect on our weight – or convey new challenges while you’re Meals Optimising and attempting to be lively.
Slimming World member Sue Sykes discovered that reducing weight helped her to handle her menopause signs. She says:
“Aged 49 and weighing greater than 20st, I used to be beginning to undergo the menopause and experiencing as much as 20 sizzling flushes a day. On high of that, I’d began to expertise temper swings and I felt completely sluggish. I made a decision to hitch Slimming World and since then I’ve misplaced a complete of 9st and now weigh a wholesome 11st 1lb. I nonetheless have the occasional sizzling flush, however my menopause signs are so significantly better and I’ve masses extra vitality.”
Disrupted sleep
Lack of (or poor high quality) sleep can have an effect on the hormones that regulate our urge for food. This will lead us to decide on much less wholesome meals and ditch our train plans, each of which have a knock-on impact on our weight… which may then have an effect on our sleep.
Extra for members: Our Snooze extra, lose extra article is stuffed with recommendation for a greater night time’s sleep – together with tired-day ways to forestall urgent pause in your weight reduction.
Temper adjustments
Some ladies expertise emotional adjustments, linked to fluctuating hormone ranges.
Everyone knows that how we really feel can have a giant affect on our urge for food and our food and drinks selections. With a couple of sensible Slimming World swaps, you’ll be able to tuck into these comforting meals like mac ’n’ cheese, sausage and mash, and steak and chips. And if it’s candy treats you fancy, the pliability of Meals Optimising means… sure you’ll be able to!

With Slimming World assist, Nicola Summers misplaced 8st throughout menopause. She says:
“I made a decision to go on HRT patches to assist with my menopause signs – and whereas they did have an effect on my weight reduction to start with, I stored following the plan and, after a couple of weeks, the load began to return off once more.
I’ve tried many different methods to drop some pounds previously, however Slimming World is the one factor that’s caught. It’s as a result of I don’t really feel like I’m on a weight loss plan. I nonetheless get pleasure from a cooked breakfast on the weekends, and hearty meals like spaghetti bolognese – I’ve simply reduce out the quick meals and prepared meals, and swapped the chocolate bars and slices of cake for more healthy snacks that gained’t sabotage my weight reduction.”
Learn Nicola’s story right here
Joint aches, pains and stiffness
Regardless that it appears counter-intuitive after we’re feeling achy, transferring extra helps to maintain our joints lubricated and wholesome, which in flip can scale back ache and stiffness. Any motion is helpful, irrespective of how small – and Slimming World’s distinctive Physique Magic exercise programme will allow you to to get fitter at a tempo that fits you. Decrease-impact actions like yoga, strolling, swimming and biking, that are gentler in your joints, might be nice choices.
Carry on transferring!
The science exhibits that being bodily lively may also help scale back the severity of different menopause signs, too. Sustaining an lively life-style – or turning into extra lively – in the course of the menopause additionally:
- preserves muscle mass (which may also help to take care of metabolic fee)
- helps bone well being
- reduces the chance of hypertension, excessive ldl cholesterol and coronary heart illness
- improves sleep
- eases stress
- improves psychological wellbeing
Something that will get you transferring extra, extra typically is a constructive step in the correct path – and we’ll assist you all the best way to a fitter, more healthy life-style and all of the sensible advantages that can convey.
Extra for members: Click on right here for exercise exercises which are appropriate for all talents, together with seated workout routines.
Extra assist for weight reduction in menopause
Slimming World members will discover a full checklist of meals and additional recommendation on managing the menopause by means of weight loss plan and train on this article.
Our 7-day menopause menu
We’ve put collectively a particular meal plan, filled with meals that may assist your well being and assist handle signs throughout menopause. Slimming World members can get this menu right here.
*In case your signs are affecting your day-to-day life, discuss to your physician concerning the assist and medical remedies obtainable. Speaking issues by means of along with your GP will allow you to discover the correct, personalised method for you.