4 Ways to Lose Weight After Menopause

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Menopause refers to the change in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles cease, and she is no longer “fertile” (producing eggs). As normal hormone production continues to decline during perimenopause and menopause, a variety of troublesome symptoms may start to occur, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and more.

But no side-effect of menopause is more frustrating than weight gain. Eventually the hot flashes and mood fluctuations will go away – but most women are stuck for the rest of their lives with the unwanted weight gain that accompanies menopause.

And weight gain is much more than just a cosmetic issue! Weight gain not only dramatically decreases a woman’s self-esteem, it also can significantly increase her risk for virtually every major chronic disease, including: heart disease, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer.

In this article Austin, TX menopause and hormone expert Dr. Ruthie Harper explains what causes weight gain during menopause – and how you can effectively prevent new weight gain and lose those unwanted pounds.

Hormonal Causes of Weight Gain After Menopause

Menopause results in rapid changes in a woman’s reproductive / sex hormone levels, including estrogen and testosterone. And these hormones play a key role in how the body both burns “calories” and stores fat.

During menopause estrogen levels decline, which decreases the rate with which the body “burns” and converts stored energy (fat).  Simply put, low estrogen levels slow down the metabolism, which increases fat storage on the body.

Additionally, lower estrogen levels result in less fat breakdown, which results in further fat accumulation and weight gain. And, if the balance between estrogen and testosterone gets out of balance, an excess of androgens (male hormones) can increase the risk of obesity.

Finally, to compound the problem, the levels of the hormone leptin – which signal the brain to feel “full” after eating – also drop. So, women actually do feel hungrier as a result of menopause, which leads to eating more.

Frustratingly, in addition to weight gain, fat distribution also shifts in the perimenopausal woman as well. So, waist circumference (“belly fat”) also increases disproportionately in women after menopause at a greater rate.

How to Lose Weight After Menopause

The good news is that Austin, TX medical weight loss expert Dr. Ruthie Harper offers several safe, effective and 100% natural methods of improving weight loss after menopause. Even better, every weight loss plan is customized to each woman’s individual lifestyle, body metabolism, hormone levels and fat loss needs.

#1. Modify Exercise to Lose Weight After Menopause

One way to avoid weight gain after menopause is to modify the type of physical activity you perform, in order to maintain or build lean body mass and optimize hormones. Dr. Harper has designed specific exercise regimens specifically for post-menopausal woman to help offset the increase of fat and decrease of muscle mass that accompanies aging.

Certain non-impact exercises such as spinning, cycling and rowing can help reduce total fat mass, and decrease waist circumference, belly fat, and BMI. And, adding a form of training called HIIT (high intensity interval training) has been shown to be more beneficial than aerobic exercise in the post-menopausal woman.

Resistance training and twice-weekly yoga have also been shown to help menopausal women increase metabolism, decrease belly fat and gain muscle mass.

 #2. Sleep Support to Lose Weight After Menopause

Menopause is linked to insomnia, which studies have shown leads to increased hunger, a bigger appetite and lower fat burning. Dr. Harper can prescribe natural supplements including melatonin, 5-HTP, and GABA that are customized in our office, to ensure you get the quality and quantity of sleep you need to prevent post-menopausal weight gain.  

#3. Macronutrient Rebalancing to Lose Weight After Menopause

Decreases in female hormones can cause increased insulin levels as well as insulin resistance – which can increase body fat and make losing weight more difficult. Dr. Harper can test your blood to identify your dietary deficiencies – and then rebalance your macronutrients (the amount of carbohydrate, fat and protein) to help you take off weight and keep it off.

An eating program (not a diet) will be recommended and customized for each woman, that is carefully designed after measuring the patient’s unique individual blood chemistry and hormone levels.  

#4. Hormone Treatment to Lose Weight After Menopause

Hormonal imbalance is one of the main reasons for weight gain and fat accumulation after menopause. So, to be truly effective, a fully personalized and integrative postmenopausal weight management program also needs to include diagnosis, replacement and balancing of any hormone deficiencies or imbalances.

Dr. Harper offers 100% natural bio-identical hormone replacement at her Austin, TX practice.  Unlike synthetic lab-created hormones, these are 100% naturally derived and identical in structure to human hormones. As a result, the body will recognize, use and metabolize them properly – without the dangerous side-effects of synthetic hormones.

After thorough and comprehensive blood testing, Dr. Harper will customize a bioidentical hormone regimen designed just for you, based on your unique hormone levels and deficiencies. Unlike one-size-fits-all prescription hormones (with standard dosages that may not fit your needs), BHRT therapy is specifically formulated and compounded in dosages that are tailored to each patient on an individual basis.

Lose Weight After Menopause – Austin, TX

Dr. Harper’s is nationally recognized as one of the most experienced bioidentical hormone replacement doctors in the country. She specializes in treating women during all stages of life, with a special focus on women in perimenopause and menopause – having helped more than 10,000 patients in her 20 plus years of integrative and holistic medical practice.

If you live in the greater Austin, TX area and are frustrated and discouraged by the weight gain of menopause, Dr. Harper can help you get your body and your life back – with a caring, comprehensive, natural, and integrative approach to wellness and weight loss that is personalized just for you.

Menopause Weight Loss – Austin TX: 512 343-9355

The Link Between Menopause & Thyroid Conditions

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The thyroid is a small gland that lies in the front of the throat, which produces hormones that impact virtually every single tissue and organ in the body. And menopause, of course, is the change that occurs in a woman’s life when female hormone production declines, menstruation stops, and she is no longer able to bear children.

But, when the thyroid gland produces too much or too little thyroid hormone, it can cause several symptoms in a woman’s body that are quite similar to the symptoms of menopause. This can make it difficult for a woman to determine the underlying cause of health issues or body changes that she may be having as she gets older.

In this article, Austin, TX thyroid specialist Dr. Ruthie Harper discusses the link between thyroid conditions and perimenopause/ menopause, including how each affects the other, and what a woman can do to restore optimal hormone balance.

Estrogen and Thyroid Conditions

It can often be challenging to tell apart the symptoms of an underactive or overactive thyroid and menopause, because they are very similar.

Symptoms of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can include: fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, mood swings, mental fogginess, thinning hair, and more. That sounds a lot like many of the classic symptoms of menopause, doesn’t it?

And an overactive thyroid – or hyperthyroidism – can also produce similar symptoms to menopause, such as: hot flashes, heat intolerance, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and trouble sleeping.

Almost a decade ago this relationship began to be explored. In 2011 a clinical study published in the Journal of Thyroid Research reported that there exists strong evidence that estrogen may have direct effects on thyroid cells. So, leading up to menopause (“perimenopause”), and after menopause, when estrogen levels fall significantly, it makes sense that thyroid levels would be affected.

Is It Thyroid, Menopause or Both?

The transition to menopause typically begins between the ages of 45 to 55 years old. But thyroid disease can begin at any age.

Generally, hypothyroid problems are significantly more common in women of childbearing age. While hyperthyroidism is more commonly found in perimenopausal and menopausal women. This is believed to be because of the relationship between thyroid function and estrogen, which is the primary female sex hormone.

But a woman experiencing any of the symptoms listed above should never just assume that age-related changes in her body are attributable only to menopause or perimenopause.

The only definitive method to determine if troublesome symptoms are the result of a thyroid imbalance or menopause is through diagnostic blood testing, performed by a hormone expert such as Dr. Ruthie Harper in Austin, TX.

Why Diagnosing Thyroid Issues Matters

While many women try to just “ride out” the symptoms of perimenopause, ignoring underlying thyroid problems can dramatically increase the risk of complications that are associated with menopause. For example, during menopause, women are at a much greater risk of developing osteoporosis that can lead to debilitating bone fractures. But an overactive thyroid can significantly increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Another example is the risk of cardiovascular disease which increases in women during menopause. When a thyroid condition co-exists with menopause it increases the risk of dangerous heart disease.

In other words, thyroid problems may interact with menopause to increase the likelihood of developing a more serious disease or other complications.

Testing for Thyroid vs. Menopause

Austin, TX hormone and thyroid expert Dr. Ruthie Harper can perform tests to definitively diagnose whether your symptoms are the result of menopause, or whether you have an underlying thyroid disorder.

Both menopause and an underactive thyroid can be diagnosed with a thorough panel of blood tests, including:  

  • Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) – raised levels can indicate menopause.
  • Luteinizing hormone (LH) – persistently raised levels also indicate menopause.
  • Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) – a high level can indicate an underactive thyroid.
  • T3 and T4 – Dr. Harper can identify other thyroid conditions.
  • Thyroid antibody testing – may indicate Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
  • Dr. Harper also tests for Total T4, Free T4, Free T3, and Reverse T3, which are often ignored or not understood by doctors who are not thyroid experts

Treating Menopause and Thyroid Conditions

If testing reveals that a woman’s symptoms are due to her “change of life” Dr. Harper can prescribe 100% natural, safe and effective bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to help reduce the symptoms associated with perimenopause.

Similarly, if a patient’s blood work reveals that thyroid problems are at play, Dr. Harper can offer the best thyroid treatments. She has been named one of the top 10 best thyroid doctors in the state of Texas and has a record of successful treatments for thyroid dysfunction using the most advanced, natural and integrative healthcare techniques.

It is important to take a holistic and integrative approach to both thyroid disorders and menopause because of how closely the two conditions often interact, and how easy it is for their symptoms to be confused. Thyroid and menopause hormone therapy should be part of a comprehensive program to get the entire body back in balance, so that you can lose weight, have more energy, improve hair & skin, sleep better, and continue to live your best life!

Treating thyroid disfunction and menopause comprehensively and simultaneously also ensure that you are not putting yourself at risk for life threating medical conditions, such as osteoporosis or heart disease.

Menopause & Thyroid Treatment – Austin, TX

With accurate diagnosis and comprehensive, integrative treatment and regulation of thyroid and menopause hormones, the outlook for patients with underlying thyroid disorders is excellent.

But the relationship between thyroid and menopause is quite complicated and requires an experienced and holistic expert like Dr. Ruthie Harper to be effectively diagnosed and treated.

If you live in the greater Austin, TX area, schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward getting your body and your life back in balance!

Austin, TX Menopause & Thyroid Treatment: (512) 343-9355