During menopause, weight gain is a common and usually very unwanted symptom. Many women want to lose weight, but aren't sure of the best ways to go about it. While women often turn to diets, most fad diets are actually ineffective for weight loss and should not be trusted. Read on to learn the best ways to lose weight without dieting.
Exercise
Since you need to burn more calories than you consume, exercising more is a simple way to get rid of some of those calories. Many people avoid exercise because they don't have time or think it's too hard, but exercise is one of the best weight-loss strategies around and it is incredibly healthy as well.
Focus on Eating Healthy
Rather than cut down on any food you eat, start thinking of how to eat better. Instead of fried foods and lots of sugary desserts, try eating healthier alternatives and eat fruits as some natural, healthy, and sweet. Saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars are the worst culprits for weight gain, so work on finding foods without those five ingredients.
Eat Low-calorie, Filling Foods
To cut down on calories, you don't have to cut down on the amount of food you eat. Many water- and fiber-rich foods can fill you up while providing fewer calories to your body, helping you lose weight. Fruits and vegetables are especially good in this department, and broth-based soups are another good option.
Plan Your Meals
People tend to eat more food after they skip or delay a meal, so to avoid this problem you should eat all your meals at a reasonable time. You can also start off each meal with a small, low-calorie appetizer - like a salad or some soup - which will make you less likely to eat too many calories during your meal.
Cut Down on Sugary Drinks
Many people don't realize how many calories are in the sugary drinks they like. Sodas, sweetened tea and coffee, and even most alcoholic beverages contain large numbers of calories and can contribute to weight gain. Try drinking water or unsweetened teas and coffees, with the occasional treat, to cut down on these calories.
Recommendation
Most people go on diets because, in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. For many people, the easiest way to do this is to reduce how much food they eat to reduce calories. However, this is not always sustainable, as it can leave you feeling hungry and irritable. While there are healthy ways to diet, there are also some healthy ways to lose weight without dieting, like these mentioned above. Learn more about other ways to lose weight during menopause.
Sources
- Center for Disease Control. (n.d).Eat More, Weigh Less? Retrieved June 16, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/energy_density.pdf
- Center for Disease Control. (2016). Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight. Center for Disease Control. Retrieved June 16, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/
- Center for Disease Control. (2015). Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. Retrieved June 15, 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html