As we age, our bodies undergo numerous changes that can make managing our weight more challenging, but for women over 45, this is often a critical period where various factors converge and make losing weight even harder than it already is.
In fact, it’s well known that women have a much more difficult time losing weight than men do for a variety of reasons, so women already face a greater challenge when attempting to reach a healthier weight. Add on the additional factors associated with aging, and losing weight can feel almost impossible.
Thankfully, there are now several treatments that women can take advantage of to level the playing field and achieve real long-term weight loss. For all women who come into our clinic, the first thing we look at is their hormone profile.
1. Hormonal Changes
No matter how old you are, a hormone imbalance can cause significant weight gain, and worse, make it harder to lose weight. For women over 45, that problem is compounded by perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.
Menopause
One of the most significant contributors to weight gain in women over 45 is menopause. During menopause, estrogen levels decrease, which can lead to several changes in your body.
The most common change has to do with your estrogen levels, which drop and cause your body to store more fat, particularly around the abdomen. Those same hormonal shifts can slow down your metabolism, meaning your body burns fewer calories at rest. Thankfully, hormone replacement therapy can significantly reverse or eliminate many of these issues.
Perimenopause is a transitional period leading up to menopause and can begin as early as your 30s. This is when you’ll first start to notice these symptoms, though they’ll likely be gradual. Perimenopause usually lasts about 4 years, but it can be much longer or shorter.
Thyroid Function
Your thyroid gland plays a crucial role in regulating your metabolism. As we age, the risk of thyroid issues, such as hypothyroidism, increases.
Hypothyroidism can lead to a reduced metabolic rate, which means fewer calories burned, leading to potential weight gain. It also causes fatigue, which can reduce your motivation to stay active, further contributing to weight gain.
2. Metabolism and Muscle Loss
It's natural for your metabolism to slow down with age. This means that the number of calories you burn at rest decreases. On top of that, starting in your 30s, muscle mass begins to decline, a condition known as sarcopenia.
Since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, losing muscle mass can further slow down your metabolism.
While incorporating strength training exercises into your routine can help preserve muscle mass and boost your metabolism, women over 45 find it especially difficult to gain even small amounts of muscle. Fortunately, hormone replacement therapy can help with this as well.
3. Diet
Your diet plays a pivotal role in weight management. As you age, it's essential to pay attention to both the quantity and quality of the food you consume.
Consuming more calories than you burn leads to weight gain. It's crucial to monitor portion sizes and avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. These foods provide essential nutrients without excessive calories.
This is where most people tend to struggle. It’s easy to tell someone to eat less—it’s much harder to do so in practice, especially when you’re trying to reverse decades of bad habits. If you’re in this category, you might need to look into advanced weight loss treatments like EMSCULPT NEO.
4. Physical Activity
Staying active is vital for maintaining a healthy weight and overall health. Regular physical activity helps burn calories and build muscle. Aim for a combination of aerobic exercises (like walking, swimming, or cycling) and strength training.
The opposite is also true: a sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain. Make an effort to move more throughout the day, whether it's taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for short walks.
5. Sleep
Quality sleep is often overlooked but is crucial for weight management. Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, leading to increased appetite and potential overeating.
Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night to support overall health and weight management. If you suffer from sleep disturbances, now might be the time to see a sleep specialist—it’s also possible that unbalanced hormones are disrupting your sleep.
6. Stress
Chronic stress can have a significant impact on your weight. Elevated cortisol levels, a hormone released during stress, can increase appetite and promote fat storage, especially visceral fat around the stomach.
Stress can also lead to emotional eating, where you turn to food for comfort, often choosing high-calorie, sugary, or fatty foods.
7. Emotional Well-being
Your emotional health can also influence your eating habits and physical activity levels. Conditions like depression and anxiety can affect your motivation to stay active and make healthy food choices. Having a supportive social network can encourage healthy behaviors and provide accountability.
8. Chronic Medical Conditions
Medical conditions like diabetes and arthritis become more common with age and can affect your weight. If you suffer from diabetes, managing blood sugar levels is crucial for weight loss. If you have arthritis, joint pain can make physical activity challenging, but low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling can help.
9. Medications
Some medications can contribute to weight gain, including drugs for conditions like depression, hypertension, and diabetes. Talk to your healthcare provider if you notice weight changes after starting a new medication to see if there’s an alternative medication you can try.
Advanced Weight Loss Programs Can Help You Lose Weight No Matter Your Age
Though you’re fighting an uphill battle when it comes to weight loss, advances in the field have given hope to many women who had none before.
If you’re struggling to lose weight, we can help at our Minnesota Weightloss Clinic. Learn more about our advanced weight loss program here or schedule an appointment with a specialist today to discuss your options.