How to maintain a healthy body weight during menopause?

Menopause is a natural biological process that women go through at a certain age, marked by the cessation of menstruation and hormonal changes. This transition can be accompanied by different symptoms, and one of the common problems that arises is a change in body weight. With an increasing focus on women’s health and well-being during menopause, it is important to explore how diverse factors, including hydration, can affect maintaining a healthy weight and general health during this period of life.

About 70% of the calories you burn every day go only to sustain your life (called the basal metabolic rate or BMR). These are things like breathing, blood circulation, maintaining body temperature (generating heat), creating new cells and recycling old ones, adjusting hormone levels, brain and nerve function, and sedentary jobs like sleeping, sitting or checking your smartphone.

About 20% is spent on major physical activities, such as walking to the train, doing chores or exercising. This is a factor that you can control with increased activity. But unless you spend all day at the gym, it will never match existing calories. And finally, about 10% is spent on digesting your food.

Menopause, hormones and exercise

The average person burns about 2,000 to 2,400 calories without exercise, and could burn an extra few hundred calories with intense exercise. Exercise helps maintain muscle and burn calories faster, and helps prevent metabolism from slowing down with age. So, exercise is definitely a good strategy for maintaining metabolism, maintaining body weight, but the key is to control the diet and practice intermittent fasting, which is by far the best natural way to control hormones and maintain a healthy body weight during menopause.

Hydration

Hydration plays a key role in maintaining health during menopause for several reasons. First, maintaining adequate hydration helps remove excess fluid from the body, which can reduce feelings of bloating and generally improve a sense of well-being. During menopause, hormonal changes can lead to water retention, so it is important to ensure sufficient fluid intake to stimulate the natural process of excretion of excess fluid from the body. This will help control body weight in a simple way.

Second, hydration plays an important role in supporting metabolism. During menopause, hormonal changes, especially a decrease in estrogen levels, can affect a woman’s metabolism, which can lead to changes in body weight. Drinking enough water can support optimal metabolic function, which can facilitate maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight during menopause.

In addition to supporting a healthy metabolism and helping to remove excess fluid from the body, hydration plays a key role in general health and vitality during menopause. Lack of adequate hydration can lead to various health problems that can aggravate menopausal symptoms and generally affect a woman’s well-being.

For example, lack of hydration can lead to dehydration, which can cause fatigue, headaches and decreased concentration. During menopause, when women are already exposed to hormonal changes that can affect mood and energy feelings, it is important to ensure adequate hydration to maintain energy and mental clarity. Hydration plays an important role in supporting the health of the skin, hair and nails during menopause. Hormonal changes can lead to dry skin and hair, so it is important to ensure sufficient fluid intake to maintain hydration and health of the skin, hair and nails.

There are different ways women can improve hydration during menopause to support the health and well-being of the body. First, it is important to ensure regular water intake throughout the day. It is recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but individual hydration needs may vary depending on various factors such as physical activity, climate and general health.

In addition to water, women can increase their fluid intake by consuming other liquid foods like soups, teas or fruit juices. Fruits and vegetables that contain a high percentage of water, such as watermelon, cucumbers or oranges, can also be useful for improving hydration.

Sleeping

Establishing a regular sleep routine is key to improving sleep quality, especially during menopause. The introduction of a regular sleep schedule signals the body when it is time to relax and prepare for rest. This consistency helps regulate the body’s internal clock, known as circadian rhythm, which plays a significant role in controlling sleep-wake cycles.

Incorporating relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine can also promote better sleep. Activities such as light stretching, meditation, deep breathing exercises or a warm bath can help relax the body and mind, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

In addition, consider using natural remedies or dietary supplements that can help improve sleep quality. Certain medicinal herbs such as valerian root or chamomile tea are traditionally used to promote relaxation and improve sleep. However, it is important to consult a doctor before introducing new supplements into your routine, especially if you are taking other medications or dietary supplements.