Perimenopause cause weight gain?

Are hormones causing your weight gain? According to the Mayo Clinic, it's very common for women to start gaining weight during perimenopause. Moving through your 50s, it’s typical to gain around 1.5 pounds a year. However, while it may seem inevitable, you do have some control over your weight – by making new habits, prioritizing your exercise, and healthy eating in a new way.  

What causes perimenopause weight gain?

According to Dr. Mary Claire Harver, board certified OBGYN, perimenopause is an extended transitional stage that happens before menopause, initiated by fluctuations in hormone levels, mainly estrogen and progesterone. During this time, most women undergo body composition changes. Most women will notice an increase in unwanted belly fat.

How harmful is belly fat?

There are two main types of abdominal fat: subcutaneous fat (the surface fat that can be pinched) and visceral fat (which is found deep in your abdomen where it can wrap around your organs). Visceral fat is more harmful because it releases inflammatory proteins that can lead to low-grade levels of inflammation. These fat cells release damaging proteins into the body, sometimes causing inflamed tissues, narrowed blood vessels, higher levels of LDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

What causes visceral fat gain?

While reduced estrogen levels in perimenopause play a big role in gaining visceral fat, other factors include overeating, not being active enough, and prolonged stress that increases cortisol – a stress hormone that can promote abdominal fat.

Can I reverse perimenopause weight gain?

 It’s not as easy to reverse as when you were in your 20s or 30s, but it is possible if you change your diet and exercise habits, including: move more, eat less, limit added sugars, and limit alcohol.

• For more about how to tackle unwanted belly fat, click here.