Send to KindleWould you believe me if I said menopause is not responsible for weight gain? If you’re skeptical, keep reading . . . because it’s true.
(And if you want some scientific validation for my claim, check out this link.)
Yes, I know that somewhere around age 45 to 50, most women notice that they’re gaining fat around the middle.
It’s not your imagination.
Hormonal changes do influence where the fat goes when it’s deposited, and there’s a shift from gaining fat below the waist to putting it on around the midsection.
But something else significant is taking place as we get older . . . something that began decades before.
The cost of sedentary living
I’m talking about the metabolic slowdown that occurs as a result of losing lean mass, aka muscle.
The average person reaches her peak muscle mass at about age 30. And if she doesn’t engage in regular exercise to preserve or build muscle, she loses lean mass steadily from that point forward, at a rate of about 1 percent per year.
Doesn’t sound like much, but you can see how it adds up over time.
At about age 50, a much more steep decline begins. And at about that age, menopause is kicking in for most women.
As they start putting on fat, it’s natural to blame their hormones. But the real cause is a metabolism that’s been gradually slowing down for 20 years as a consequence of sedentary living and muscle loss.
If we have also crash-dieted, the damage will be significantly worse. As I’ve written before and as I teach in all my programs, diets that are too low in calories (e.g., hCG, anything that involves fasting, anything that cuts calories below your resting metabolic rate) cause loss of muscle and thus a slower metabolic rate.
But I don’t want to leave you feeling hopeless. One of my favorite sayings is “the body responds.” And that means as soon as you change the equation—the way you eat, the way you exercise—your body cannot help but change in response.
There really is a fountain of youth . . .
Once you start working out in a way that encourages muscle growth, you will gradually begin to regain the lean tissue you’ve lost. That also means you can reverse metabolic slowdown.
The process isn’t quick, but the benefits are incredible.
And no, you’re not too old—no matter what your age. Scads of studies on frail elderly people in nursing homes show that they too can add muscle mass through appropriate exercise.
Of course, I’m talking about strength training: the best antidote for a slow metabolism . . . not to mention a fabulous way to increase bone density, fight metabolic syndrome, feel more energetic, and yes, look better naked.
There absolutely is a fountain of youth, and it consists of moving heavy objects around.
Ready to take it further?
There’s a ton of information on this website that can help you accomplish your goals. But if you’re ready to make a greater commitment to losing weight and getting in shape, check out my Body-Transformation Bootcamp (BTB).
BTB 2.0 begins on March 26, with six live webinars that will cover every aspect of nutrition for fat-loss, effective fat-burning exercise, goal-setting, increasing your motivation, and the skills needed for lifetime weight maintenance.
Every session will be followed by a Q&A so you can get all your questions answered.
And I’ll be joined by my friend and colleague, mindset expert Victoria Morrison of Sydney, Australia.
As soon as you opt in to BTB, you get instant access to the entire course I delivered last summer—and you get free access to the all-new BTB when it launches next month.
We’d love to work with you!
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: WorkoutNirvana
February 26, 2013 at 11:51 am
YES, yes, and yes!! Wow, is this a common misperception. Muscle loss, not menopause, is what women need to act upon. This puts it back in our own hands, too, which is better than blaming an elusive, hopeless villain!
Suzanne recently posted..4 Ways a Calorie Tracker Can Help You (and Not Just for Weight Loss)
Twitter: themusclediva
February 26, 2013 at 8:01 pm
Great point, Suzanne—this is something we *can* control.
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS, M.S. recently posted..The truth about menopause and weight gain
This is why I want clients to start strength training in before menopause. It’s better to be ahead of the curve instead of trying to catch up with all the other changes going on in the body. Great post!
Pamela Hernandez recently posted..Gym Etiquette Rule Number 4 Clean Up After Yourself
Twitter: themusclediva
February 26, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Thanks! I know you’re making it happen for your clients!
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS, M.S. recently posted..The truth about menopause and weight gain
“One of my favorite sayings is “the body responds.” And that means as soon as you change the equation—the way you eat, the way you exercise—your body cannot help but change in response”
Love this. May have to steel it from you and carve on the foreheads of more than a few clients
As always, a great article!
Twitter: themusclediva
February 26, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Go for it, Roy! Just don’t tell them you’re doing said carving because of me.
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS, M.S. recently posted..The truth about menopause and weight gain
Great post and I can see the truth in it for myself. I have been doing weights and eating healthy since January 2nd and the weight is dropping off much faster than my goal was. No muscle loss here, just muscle gain and it shows!
Daphne recently posted..Multiply Your Workshop Audience With Partnerships
Twitter: themusclediva
February 27, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Excellent! Because you’ve been such a high-level athlete, regaining that muscle will be so much easier for you!
Mary C. Weaver, CSCS, M.S. recently posted..The truth about menopause and weight gain
Being in that age range that you write about,I was glad to read that the extra weight gain is not inevitable. Strength training has become the core of my fitness focus and I’m doing so three times a week, checking in with my trainer to change things up every two weeks. Appreciate this helpful insight!
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