Get rid of obesity during menopause ~ 2 powerful tools: strength training and aerobic exercise

Everyone ages, and once they enter menopause, most people will suffer from abdominal obesity. Doctors say that menopausal obesity is an invisible killer that causes the three high diseases. If you want to live a healthy life and prolong your life, losing weight is a necessary measure. In addition to following the "1 more 2 less" principle in diet, you should also do strength training and aerobic exercise. These two weapons are also very effective methods.

Dr. Zhou Shuoqu from the Department of Family Medicine at the National Shuanghe Hospital said that for people over 50, regardless of gender, "menopausal obesity" has become a focus of concern. Because during menopause, not only does the metabolism slow down and the basal metabolic rate deteriorate, leading to increasing weight, but obesity also often combines and increases the risk of three high diseases.

Menopausal obesity hides three high risks

Obesity, in particular, is a breeding ground for many fatal diseases, and the most obvious symptom of menopausal obesity is "widening of the waist circumference and loose fat." If a man's waist circumference exceeds 90 cm and a woman's waist circumference exceeds 80 cm, they are considered obese. Especially for women who are obese during menopause, affected by hormonal factors, abdominal obesity is much more obvious than that of men.

This is mainly because after women reach the age of 35, their basal metabolism gradually decreases, and calories are particularly prone to accumulation, leading to weight gain. Women gain an average of 2.6 kg in weight within three years after menopause, and a quarter of them gain more than 4 kg. Due to hormonal changes, body fat is particularly prone to accumulate in the abdomen, causing problems with body metabolism.

Two powerful tools for losing weight by burning fat: strength training and aerobic exercise

Dr. Zhou Shuoqu emphasized that abdominal obesity is like a "tuna belly" or a "pear". If you want to "lose belly", you should first burn abdominal fat effectively, because abdominal fat is the most easily accumulated excess fat in the body and is often consumed. Studies have found that strength training and aerobic exercise are two powerful tools for burning fat and losing weight.

1. Strength training: such as push-ups, dumbbell lifting, sit-ups, half squats, alternating squat jumps, etc. Because when muscle mass increases, the basal metabolic rate increases. Usually, 12 weeks of continuous training can increase 1.36 kg of muscle and increase calorie consumption by about 15%, which is equivalent to consuming 300 calories more per day and losing 1 kg more weight every month.

2. Aerobic exercise: including brisk walking, jogging, aerobic dance, cycling, swimming, etc., because aerobic exercise can speed up the heart rate and breathing rate, and inhale a large amount of oxygen to help burn fat in the body. It is recommended that people can brisk walk for 20 minutes on the way to work, climb stairs for 10 minutes at noon, and jog for 20 minutes after work. This is the most effective weight loss exercise.

Menopausal weight loss diet: 1 more and 2 less

Dr. Zhou Shuoqu reminds us that the basic principle of weight loss is "eat less, exercise more". The same applies to the diet for weight loss during menopause, and the "1 more 2 less" principle should be followed: less oil, less sugar and more water. It is recommended to consume more foods containing estrogen ingredients such as cherries, apples, soybeans, alfalfa, eggplant, garlic, etc. on a daily basis to relieve menopausal symptoms.

1. Less oil: Excessive intake of fat can easily increase the risk of obesity. It is recommended to reduce frying, pan-frying, and stir-frying when cooking, and reduce the intake of saturated and trans fatty acids to avoid excessive fat that may endanger your health.

2. Less sugar: Sugar is one of the factors that induce obesity. To reduce calorie intake, it is recommended to reduce sweets, including cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks, etc. Also, eat less fruits that are too sweet. Guava and tomatoes are less sweet than other fruits and are good choices.

3. Drink more water: Drinking water can help you lose weight. It not only helps promote gastrointestinal motility and prevent constipation, but also has certain benefits for maintaining the normal functioning of the human body's metabolic function. Generally speaking, the amount of boiled water a normal adult should drink every day is "body weight (kg) x 30~45" ml; that is, for an adult weighing 60 kg, the recommended daily water intake is 1800~2700 ml. But it is worth noting that if you have a habit of exercising or work in an environment where you sweat easily, it is recommended that you increase your water intake to about 3000 ml.

In addition, for menopausal weight loss diet, it is recommended to choose non-refined grains such as brown rice and whole-grain rice, and try to avoid animal fat and high-cholesterol foods to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease; at the same time, choose more melons, such as winter melon, bitter melon, large cucumber, small cucumber, etc., because these vegetables are low in calories, rich in vitamins and minerals, and help lose weight during menopause.