How to Lose Weight Even After Menopause

aHow to Lose Weight Even After MenopauseThis is not your typical weight control article. I have read hundreds of these articles about losing weight and they are zall the same: eat right and exercise. I am the health food queen and I get plenty of exercise. So why do I have so much trouble losing weight? I am post-menopausal and I can say that, without a doubt, my body clings to every shred of fat-making material I provide as fiercely as a tiger clings to a piece of raw meat. This is not a general article, it is specific. Here is the specific way that I am finally losing weight. I hope it works for you. 1 After menopause, a woman's metabolism slows down. You can function quite well on less fuel, as simple as that. Sad but true. So the first thing you need to do is eat less. They call this "portion control." How can you eat less and not be hungry? For me, my own version of the Zone Diet, originally developed and promoted by Barry Sears, seems to work. In this diet, you eat a combination of carbohydrate, fat, and protein at every meal, and this leaves you satisfied, reducing food cravings. The carbohydrate comes primarily from fruits and vegetables, the fat must be "good" fat, and the protein must be low-fat. (To find out more about the Zone Diet go to http://www.zonediet.com/?CATAdReferrer=RSM.) The Zone Diet is not low-carb. It redefines carbs. But I eat more grain carbs than is advocated on this diet.2 I think of most grain carbohydrates now as "expensive," meaning I can't spend much of my carb intake on them. So I eat very few grains and no potatoes. By grains I mean rice, pasta, bread, cereal, crackers, etc. I also eat no foods that contain sugar, except as a rare treat. The trick to allowing yourself an occasional sugar treat is to stop after a small portion. I do eat a little bit of bread each day, because I believe the body needs grains, but, and this is very important, I only eat 100% sprouted grain bread. I confess that I'm not sure why exactly, but the body treats sprouted grain differently from refined grain. That whole clinging-to-every-shred-of-available-fat-makers syndrome does not occur with sprouted bread. At the health food store, I am able to find sprouted grain tortillas, English muffins, crackers, and other products that help satisfy that bread craving. (But don't go all out and eat a loaf of sprouted grain bread. Two slices a day is reasonable.)3 The carbohydrates you consume on the Zone Diet are fruit and vegetables, with more vegetables than fruit, and also beans and legumes. Research what is meant by good fats, which include olive oil, avocado, and nuts (also nut butters). Note that these fats have calories so you have to moderate how much you eat (that portion control thing again). But you do need to include some good fat with each meal to be "in the zone." The last part of the Zone Diet is the protein, which can be low-fat dairy products or soy products, fish, or lean meat. (Barry Sears discourages eating eggs, but I am vegetarian and I love those eggs.) So, for instance, here is a typical day for me. Breakfast is one cup of coffee, 3 cashews (fat), 1 cube of low-fat cheese (protein), and half a cantaloupe (carb). Lunch is a huge salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, oregano (carb), oil and vinegar dressing (fat), and feta cheese sprinkled generously on top (protein). Dinner is one slice of sprouted wheat bread (carb) with a veggie burger and mustard (carb and protein), coleslaw (more carb plus fat in the dressing), tomato salad (carb), roasted Portobello mushroom (carb), mayonnaise on the veggie burger (fat), and a slice of cheese on the veggie burger (protein). I often have a little fruit later in the evening to take the edge off sugar cravings. When I snack, I eat a fruit/veggie, 3 or 4 almonds, and a small piece of cheese (to fulfill all the foods to be in the zone). At first, eating according to the Zone Diet was hard, but as I became used to it, I really did stop having cravings for more food. I get full pretty quickly now. Although it is not easy, it is possible for me to say to myself, "you are done, you don't need to eat anymore now."4 I never drink calories. I stick to water, coffee, and tea (usually all decaf). I avoid fruit juice because, even though it has great vitamins and minerals, it has a lot of calories. It's better to get those vitamins and minerals from whole fruits and veggies. The more water you can drink the better. I don't do carbonated drinks, but I suppose that if it helps you out, you can use diet sodas to help you maintain your diet. If I do drink a little fruit juice as a treat, I eat a couple of almonds and a small piece of cheese to be in the zone.5 As for the exercise part, well that's truly important for health, but not necessarily what will help you lose weight. Exercise is vital as we grow older to protect heart health, relieve stress, reduce the danger of diabetes (to either prevent onset or manage an existing diabetic condition), and for many, many other health reasons. A recent study reports, however, that exercise may not necessarily make you lose weight. One reason for this is that it increases appetite! If you do not exercise regularly then yes, starting an exercise program will help you lose weight. If you already exercise regularly then increasing your exercise may not necessarily help with the weight. Ideally, you should be exercising enough to raise a sweat for an hour a day. But seriously, who has time for that? I walk for 30-40 minutes every morning. I really do. Religiously. But I am not good at strength training (lifting weights, etc.), which is also important for health. My suggestion is that you consult your doctor or other health professional and design an appropriate exercise plan that will work for you, then stick to it. There is no point in crafting an exercise plan that is too ambitious, because you won't do it. And you don't have to join a gym if you can't afford it. I'll say it again: make a plan that works for you.6 The dismal truth about managing your weight after menopause is that you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle, particularly your eating habits. There is no going back. You must eat less and find ways to be satisfied with this. Remember that in social situations, it's not all about the food. It's more about the people. Remember that you don't need to make your children eat the same things you do to enjoy a meal together. Remember that it's OK to cheat now and then but do so in moderation. 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