Perimenopause Weight Loss: How to Lose Weight During Perimenopause

Facing unexpected weight gain during perimenopause can feel like a betrayal by your own body. 

Nothing changed in your eating habits or daily routine - and yet, you find yourself packing on the pounds. 

Unfortunately, this is an all too common realization for women venturing into perimenopause. 

It is considered the most disheartening of all the menopause symptoms. 

It robs you of your confidence and self-love as you don’t recognize the woman you see in the mirror, your favorite clothes don’t fit, and you can’t get that stubborn number on the scale to go down.

As frustrating as all this may be, you have more control over your weight than you may realize. We’ll help you reframe the narrative in this guide on how to lose weight during perimenopause.

You can reclaim your slim, youthful figure and feel more confident, radiant, and comfortable in your own skin once again. Discover the secrets of perimenopause weight loss below.

What is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, marking the beginning of the end of a woman's reproductive years. It’s the first in 3 stages of menopause.

Unlike menopause, which is a definitive point in time (specifically 12 months after your last menstrual cycle), perimenopause is a gradual process. It can start as early as your late 30s or as late as your early 50s and can last anywhere from a few years to over a decade. 

Estrogen and progesterone levels in the body begin to fluctuate during perimenopause, leading to a range of symptoms, some of which can be quite challenging:

• Irregular Periods: One of the first signs many women notice is a change in their menstrual cycle. Periods may become longer, shorter, heavier, or lighter.
• Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: Sudden feelings of warmth that spread over the body, often accompanied by sweating, especially during the night.
• Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful sleep, often exacerbated by night sweats.
• Mood Changes: Fluctuating hormones can lead to mood swings, irritability, and even episodes of depression or anxiety.
• Vaginal and Bladder Issues: Reduced estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness, making intercourse uncomfortable, and can also cause bladder irritability or urinary tract infections.

But, “meno belly” as it has come to be known is the most discouraging of all symptoms. This is why we’ve decided to empower you to reverse the curve with our guide on perimenopause weight loss.

That being said, why is it so hard to lose weight during perimenopause?

Why is Perimenopause Weight Loss So Challenging?

The journey through perimenopause is unique for every woman. But most women notice a similar theme - weight accumulates easier and falls off much slower. 

So, why is that? Let's delve deeper into the factors that make shedding those extra pounds during perimenopause a tough task.

Hormonal Changes and Their Impact on Metabolism

The primary culprit behind weight gain during perimenopause is the fluctuation in hormones, particularly estrogen. The body seeks other places to store estrogen as the ovaries produce less and less of it. One such place is fat cells. 

Consequently, the body may increase fat storage, especially in the abdominal area, to compensate for the declining estrogen levels. 

This not only contributes to weight gain but also slows down the metabolism, making it harder to lose weight as efficiently as before. In essence, your changing hormones present a two-pronged challenge for losing weight in perimenopause.

The Emotional and Psychological Challenges

Perimenopause doesn't just bring about physical changes. It's a time of emotional and psychological transition too. 

Fluctuating hormone levels can lead to mood swings, increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. These emotional challenges can lead to comfort eating or a reduced motivation to exercise. 

The result? A cycle of weight gain that becomes hard to break. The good news is that by the time you finish reading this guide on how to lose weight during perimenopause, you’ll realize that the solution is a lot simpler than you originally thought!

Other Common Health Challenges During Perimenopause

Aside from hormonal changes, women in perimenopause often face other health challenges that can indirectly contribute to weight gain. These include: 

• Insomnia and Sleep Disturbances: A good night's sleep is crucial for weight management. Sleep impacts hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin, that regulate appetite. With disrupted sleep, these hormones can become imbalanced, leading to increased hunger and calorie intake.
• Decreased Muscle Mass: You naturally lose muscle mass with age. Muscle is metabolically active and burns more calories than fat. A decline in muscle mass means a slower resting metabolic rate, making weight loss even more challenging.
• Joint Aches and Reduced Activity: Joint aches are often exacerbated by weight gain and can lead to reduced physical activity. Less activity means fewer calories burned, contributing further to weight gain.

This begs the question…can you lose weight during perimenopause, or is this your new reality that you’re forced to accept?

Can You Lose Weight During Perimenopause

The short answer is yes, you absolutely can. While perimenopause presents its unique set of challenges, it doesn't render weight loss impossible. 

In fact, understanding the specific changes occurring in your body during this period can empower you to tailor your approach, making weight loss not only achievable but sustainable. 

It's all about adopting the right strategies, staying informed, and being persistent. This journey is about to get a whole lot easier with the best probiotics for menopause weight gain, too. 

That being said, let’s get into how to lose weight during perimenopause so you can turn back the hands of time and love your body once again!

How to Lose Weight During Perimenopause: Natural Remedies and Lifestyle Adjustments

While perimenopause comes with its own set of challenges, it also opens up opportunities to embrace new habits that can significantly benefit your health and well-being. 

Here’s a detailed guide on how to adjust your diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors for sustainable perimenopause weight loss.

Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid

This is likely not news to you, but your diet directly influences your body composition. There are two things to consider here:

1. The foods you consume (what you do and don’t eat).
2. How much food you consume (caloric intake).

Each of these is important as it pertains to perimenopause weight loss. And, you can learn more about tailoring a diet for this phase of your life in our blog. 

We have resources on building your menopause diet plan, foods to avoid for menopause belly fat, and foods to never eat for a flat stomach. But, here’s what you need to know about configuring your diet for weight loss during perimenopause:

• Prioritize Protein: Lean proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu can help you maintain muscle mass, keep you full, and boost your metabolism.
• Incorporate Healthy Fats: Avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil can support hormone production and provide sustained energy.
• Opt for Whole Grains: Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and barley are loaded with fiber which aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer.
• Limit Sugar and Processed Foods: Excess sugar can lead to weight gain and hormonal imbalances. Opt for natural sweeteners and whole foods.
• Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins, support metabolism, and reduce bloating.
• Limit Alcohol and Caffeine: Both can disrupt sleep patterns and hormonal balance. If consumed, do so in moderation.
• Consume Phytoestrogens: Foods like flaxseeds, soy, and sesame seeds contain phytoestrogens which can help balance fluctuating hormone levels.

Above all else, though, you should get in a caloric deficit. This is where your body burns more calories than you eat in a given day. As a result, your body is forced to turn to its internal fat stores as fuel. 

Conversely, a caloric surplus (which most Americans exist in) is where you eat more calories than your body burns on a daily basis. Your body then stores the excess calories in fat cells, leading to weight gain.

That being said, take the time to find your caloric needs and adjust your diet accordingly. You don’t need to starve yourself. A slight deficit of 100-200 calories daily is your ticket to sustainable perimenopause weight loss.

Exercise Best Practices and Routines

Eating less is one way to get into a caloric deficit. The other way is to burn more calories throughout the day - which is why we encourage you to make regular exercise a part of your regimen.

Exercise doesn’t just actively burn calories. It is a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle. It has secondary weight loss benefits like increasing muscle mass (and thus your metabolism) and stress relief (fending off cortisol from curbing your weight loss efforts).

There are a few things you should prioritize in configuring your exercise regimen, including:

• Strength Training: Incorporate weight lifting sessions 2-3 times a week. This helps maintain muscle mass, which naturally decreases during perimenopause, and boosts metabolism.
• Cardiovascular Activities: Engaging in moderate-intensity activities like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming for at least 150 minutes a week can help burn calories and improve heart health.
• Flexibility and Balance: Yoga and pilates not only help in weight loss but also improve flexibility, balance, and mental well-being.
• Consistency is Key: While the type of exercise matters, what’s even more crucial is consistency. Find routines you enjoy and stick to them.
• Listen to Your Body: Perimenopause might come with joint aches or fatigue. Adjust your routines accordingly and avoid pushing yourself to the point of injury.

The Role of Stress Management in Weight Loss

We just briefly mentioned the role stress plays in your efforts to lose weight during perimenopause. Why is it so important, tough? 

Chronic stress leads to prolonged elevated levels of the hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels can lead to increased appetite, cravings for unhealthy foods, and fat storage, especially around the abdominal area.

That’s not all, though. Stress can lead to emotional eating where you lean on food for comfort rather than nourishment. You can become more mindful of your eating habits by managing stress - avoiding overeating or making poor food choices.

Chronic stress can also disrupt the digestive process, leading to issues like bloating during menopause, nausea during menopause, gas, and even weight gain. Stress management ensures better digestive health.

But, with so many changes occurring at once, how can you possibly keep stress at bay?

We know, easier said than done. However, there are a few techniques you can employ to keep yourself calm and prevent stress from getting in the way of your weight loss goals:

• Deep Breathing Exercises: Taking deep, controlled breaths can trigger the body's relaxation response. Incorporate deep breathing exercises into your daily routine or whenever you feel overwhelmed.
• Mindfulness and Meditation: Engaging in daily mindfulness practices or meditation can help in grounding you. This reduces the stress hormone cortisol. There are many guided meditation apps and courses tailored for perimenopausal women.
• Yoga: Beyond its physical benefits, yoga is known for its calming effects on the mind. Specific poses like the child's pose or savasana can be particularly beneficial for relaxation.
• Journaling: Expressing your thoughts, fears, and feelings about the changes you're experiencing can be therapeutic. Set aside a few minutes each day to journal your thoughts.

The best part? These tactics may help optimize your sleep schedule simultaneously, calming a racing mind at night and helping you get some much-needed shuteye. Speaking of which…

Ample Sleep and Recovery

Sleep is a foundational component of effective weight loss, especially during perimenopause. Lack of sleep can disrupt the balance of hunger hormones - ghrelin (which signals hunger) and leptin (which signals fullness). An imbalance can lead to increased appetite and weight gain.

Unfortunately, though, the same hormonal changes that make it harder to manage your weight can interrupt your sleep.

This is where hot flashes and night sweats come in to cause problems of their own. We have a revolutionary supplement that can help with this, though - CalmAgain™. CalmAgain is a unique formula, derived from ingredients supported by multiple human clinical trials (instead of animal studies), with the exact same ingredient strain, dosage, and efficacy used in these studies. The most significant ingredient is Menofelis™ Siberian Rhubarb Extract. More than 83% of women saw a reduction in the severity and frequency of hot flashes after consuming Menofelis for 12 weeks.

Aside from adding this supplement to your regimen, what else can you do to support better sleep habits?

• Establish a Routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock.
• Create a Sleep-friendly Environment: Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine.
• Limit Screen Time: The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computers can interfere with melatonin production, a hormone responsible for sleep. Try to limit screen time at least an hour before bed.

Incorporating these strategies can not only assist in managing stress and improving sleep but also create a conducive environment for weight management during perimenopause.

Pave the Way for Effortless Perimenopause Weight Loss With Better Body Supplements!

We’ve covered just about everything you need to know about how to lose weight during perimenopause, except one key topic: supporting your journey with supplements.

Making the lifestyle changes we’ve referenced is a great way to set the foundation for holistic, sustainable weight management. 

However, perimenopause weight loss can be as simple as effortless as adding the best supplements for menopause to your arsenal. These are just a click away at Better Body - allow us to introduce you to the best probiotics for belly fat!

Provitalize

Provitalize probiotics stand out as a beacon of hope for women tackling perimenopausal weight loss challenges. The Provitalize ingredients feature the best probiotic for menopause along with the most safe, effective herbs for menopause weight gain.

These include L. Gasseri, B.Breve, B.Lactis, 95% Curcuminoids, Moringa Leaf Extract, Curry Leaf Extract, Bioperine, and Sunflower Lecithin. These ingredients not only aid in efficient digestion but also support metabolism, potentially leading to natural weight management. 

The supplement can also help regulate appetite, reduce unwanted body fat, and enhance energy levels, providing a holistic solution for those looking to manage weight during perimenopause.

More than 94% of women have seen results in less than 90 days, reportedly feeling lighter and looking more in shape. 

But, menopause weight gain isn’t the only challenge Provitalize can help with. You can fend off menopause fatigue, menopause brain fog, menopause acne, and other symptoms by working to create a healthy gut and nourish your body from the inside out.

Is Provitalize safe, though? It sure is - there are no concerning side effects of Provitalize. 

But, does Provitalize work? And if so, how long does it take for Provitalize to work? More than 2 million women have seen results with the supplement. While some women notice results in just weeks, 90 days is when you’ll see the real difference.

Explore our full range of Provitalize reviews if you want to learn more. Let’s introduce you to the other half of our Slim-Gut Bundle!

Previtalize 

Probiotics play a role in perimenopause weight loss - but so do prebiotics! That’s why we’ve engineered Previtalize as a perfect pairing for Provitalize. It’s a super prebiotic blend crafted to bolster gut health, a critical factor in weight management. 

After all, you know that the gut plays a pivotal role in overall health and metabolism. Thus, nourishing it with the right prebiotics can pave the way for enhanced digestion and efficient nutrient absorption. 

With ingredients like Fructooligosaccharides and Inulin, Previtalize not only provides nourishment to gut flora but also aids in curbing cravings and managing stress, two significant challenges faced during perimenopause.

98% of women would recommend Previtalize to a friend - and once you see what it can do for your perimenopause weight loss goals, you’ll understand why!

Integrating these supplements into your daily routine can be a game-changer. As you embrace the journey of perimenopause, allow Better Body's supplements to be your trusted allies, working from within to offer you a revitalized and confident self.

Closing Thoughts on Perimenopause Weight Loss

Perimenopause presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to weight loss and managing symptoms like hot flashes. But, the journey to a healthier, slimmer you is not insurmountable.

We hope this guide on how to lose weight during perimenopause leaves you feeling inspired and confident in your next steps. 

While dietary changes and exercise are a great foundation, harnessing the power of our supplements is the key to efforltess weight loss during perimenopause.

Wondering how long does menopause weight gain last? Curious as to whether or not probiotics cause weight gain? You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

Explore our blog for more tips on how to lose menopause belly fat, how to stop menopause weight gain, the end of menopause signs, natural alternatives to Ozempic, going through menopause without HRT, rapid aging after menopause, how to lose weight during menopause, and more.

Investing in your health now paves the way for a vibrant and confident tomorrow. Don’t work harder than you need to for perimenopause weight loss - leverage the power of Provitalize and Previtalize!