Perimenopause Weight Gain: A Complete Guide!

Women may experience perimenopause in their mid 30s to 50s.^1,2 If you are in the suggested age ranges and are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles, unexplained mood swings, difficulty in sleeping and energy drains, you may be going through perimenopause. These symptoms are caused by low estrogen levels and other hormonal changes.² However, in this blog, we'll focus on one common symptom which is already a widespread concern amongst women approaching menopause, i.e., perimenopause weight gain.

But before digging in deeper to the topic, let’s explore what perimenopause actually is.

Perimenopause (means “around menopause”) is a phase where your body undergoes changes (which could be hormonal, physiological and psychological) as you approach menopause. During menopause, your body stops producing estrogen and progesterone, which causes the cessation of ovulation.³ As there’s a limited production of estrogen, you experience aforementioned symptoms (similar to those of menopause) during perimenopause.⁴   

Know More About Perimenopause Weight Gain

Much like any other perimenopausal symptoms, weight gain is triggered by low estrogen levels in the body. Other factors that contribute to perimenopause weight gain include hormonal imbalances, age, sedentary lifestyle, and an unhealthy diet.⁵  It's important to note that perimenopausal women who gain weight may be at risk of developing other weight-related issues that can lead to additional medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, cancers, and metabolic diseases.^5,6 

Risk Factors 

Now, let’s look the risk factors that could promote weight gain, during perimenopause and menopause.⁵

1. Hormonal Factors

• Hypoestrogenemia (a condition wherein an individual lacks 1 or more estrogen hormones in the blood⁷)
• Hyperandrogenemia (a condition in which females have excessive amounts of androgen (male sex hormones⁸)

2. Lifestyle-Related Factors

• High calorie intake 
• High consumption of processed food and  foods & beverages that are high on sugar
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Low fiber-rich diet
• Low physical activity or non-active lifestyle 
• Large-portion meals
• Substance abuse, such as high intake of alcohol, tobacco, etc.
• Vitamin-D deficiency

3. Physiological Factors

• Advancing age
• Declining lean body mass (non- fatty tissue mass⁹)
• Musculoskeletal disorders (umbrella term for varied medical conditions affecting joints, bones, connective tissues and muscles¹⁰)
• Other causes, such a disorder which could impact hormones, like PCOS, hypothyroidism, etc.

4. Psychological Factors

• Anxiety 
• Depression 
• Irritability
• Stress-eating disorders

So far, we’ve discussed what perimenopause weight gain is and the factors that contribute to it. Now, let’s explore what measures you can take to help manage your weight gain.

What Causes Menopause Weight Gain

Most women gain weight soon after menopause. There may be many factors that contribute to this, however the primary reasons are¹²:

Hormonal Imbalance:

As mentioned earlier, hormonal imbalances during menopause can contribute to weight gain around a woman’s abdomen, instead of hips & thighs. That’s why it’s common to find menopausal women with extra weight on their stomach compared to the rest of the body.

Loss Of Muscle Mass: 

As we age, typically there’s an increase in the body’s fat reserves while the muscle mass decreases. This loss of muscle mass slows down the rate at which the body utilises the calories. This mechanism is also called metabolism. Slow metabolism can hinder one’s efforts to remain healthy after menopause. This can further aggravate the situation if a woman continues to consume the same amount of food that she did before menopause, but without any extra physical activity.

Genetic Factors: 

Did your parents, aunts or uncles flaunt a pot-belly later in life? If weight gain, specifically around the abdomen, has been in your family genes, then chances are you too will put on weight after menopause. 

Other factors such as diet changes, disrupted sleep patterns, or unhealthy snacking habits can also contribute to weight gain.

Manage Your Symptoms 

You can seek guidance from your doctor on managing perimenopause weight gain during your regular check-up visits. However, taking the initiative to make lifestyle changes on your own can also prove to be highly beneficial if you're approaching or already experiencing perimenopause-related weight gain.

In this section, we will offer suggestions that can help you manage and potentially alleviate perimenopause symptoms.

1. Mindful Eating

When struggling with perimenopause weight gain, you can consider having a calorie deficit diet, customized as per your specific needs and body requirements. Moreover, it’s often recommended to have a diet high in fiber, antioxidants and vegetables. As these are known to decrease oxidative stress, which impacts the quality and number of ovarian follicles.⁵ Apart from this, it’s recommended to consume at least 2 liters of water, put a check on junk foods and cut the portion size by rather having 5-6 small frequent meals a day.⁵ 

Additionally, if you’re perimenopausal (or even menopausal), your day-to-day meals should include foods rich in:⁵

• Calcium: Milk, milk products, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and beans
• Iron: Whole grains, cereals, and pulses, lean meat, spinach, and eggs
• Phytoestrogen: Soybean, plum, apple grape berries, pear, onion, cabbage, bean, sprouts, etc.¹¹ 
  As perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency, it is important that they have regular screenings and take supplements (if need be).⁵ 

2. Tread Slowly, Break A Sweat!

Sweating is fun, if it’s not due to perimenopause “hot flashes!” As someone going through perimenopause or menopause you should work out at least 150 minutes a week. To achieve this, you can do moderate-intensity physical activity for 30 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week.⁵ 

Did you know that performing a combination of aerobics, resistance training, and balance exercises not only effectively helps manage weight and avoid severe hot flashes or night sweats, but also lessens the psychological distress!⁵ 

We advise against following workout routines found on social media, TV, or magazines at face value. Consult an expert or trained professional instead to discuss your condition and build a personalized fitness regimen that works best for you.⁵

3. Say “Yes” To Behavioral Therapy!

Behavioral therapy is a comprehensive set of strategies that help you overcome impediments that can potentially hinder your weight loss journey. It specifically aids you with emotional eating, goal setting, problem-solving, and relapse. 

Most importantly, behavioral therapy can be useful in addressing  psychological issues that may lead to unhealthy behaviors and poor self-regulation during weight loss efforts. Such issues can be addressed more effectively through gradual sessions with an expert,  focusing on behavioral strategies.⁵

Seeking a professional’s help in order to maintain a stronger will, should be the next thing on your checklist! 

4. Test Proactively, Stay Ready!

Taking proactive steps, such as getting your blood hormone levels tested can help you in staying ahead with your perimenopause! Curious to know, how? With the help of LifeCell’s Perimenopause Test kit! It is the first-ever, FDA-cleared AMH blood test, that helps in determining whether you're in perimenopausal phase or are going through an underlying thyroid condition. 

Moreover, choosing this test may help you provide an insight into your perimenopausal health, which which can be beneficial for:

• Preparing you for unexpected and untimely perimenopausal-health related changes
• Learning about FMP (final menopause period)
• Learning about the root cause of hormone-related symptoms (if any)

Furthermore, this comprehensive, at-home self-collection test makes it easy for you to know about your perimenopausal-health condition in just 3 easy steps. All you have to do is order our kit online, collect your sample and schedule a return shipment, rest will be taken care of by our team of experts.

Does Hormone Therapy Help To Lessen Weight Gain?

Hormone therapy is generally recommended for women dealing with menopausal hot flashes and to help improve their quality of life. While there are varying opinions about its effectiveness in weight loss, it may play a contributing role. Hormone therapy can help in redistribution of visceral fat that is often centred around the abdomen.13 Since this therapy minimises hot flashes, it improves sleep quality. This can inadvertently contribute to healthier lifestyle choices, and thus limit the chances of further weight gain.

Parting Thoughts!

When you reach the perimenopausal age, you’re likely to experience a slew of hormonal, physical, and psychological changes. Nonetheless, you must be mindful about the fact that you’re not alone in this journey and shouldn’t refrain from seeking professional help. Moreover, by taking preventive measures and applying proper management methods, you can easily navigate through most of the symptoms such as perimenopause weight gain.