Have you noticed that you’re gaining extra inches around your middle despite the fact that your diet and exercise routine haven’t changed?
The most likely explanation is a decline in oestrogen and understanding what that actually does to your body can make a significant difference to how you approach it.
It can be frustrating to watch your body shape alter despite maintaining a healthy lifestyle but specific changes to your nutrition could help.
Here are four ways the reduction in oestrogen impacts your weight management:
1. Muscle Mass Decline
Oestrogen helps to maintain muscle mass and as levels decrease our muscle mass often declines too. The reduction in muscle mass is particularly problematic because it can affect metabolism, making it easier for fat—especially around the abdomen—to accumulate.
2. Changes in Fat Distribution: The Shift from a Pear to an Apple Shape
Oestrogen influences where fat is stored in the body. Pre-menopause, higher oestrogen levels encourage fat storage in the subcutaneous tissue of the hips and thighs, contributing to a “pear-shaped” body. This type of fat, although not metabolically inactive, is less associated with serious health risks.
As oestrogen levels drop during menopause, there is a shift in how our fat is distributed. The decline in oestrogen leads to an increase in visceral fat accumulation, which is stored deeper in the abdomen around vital organs. Visceral fat is more metabolically active than subcutaneous fat and is associated with higher risks of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
3. Increased Fat Storage Efficiency: The Body’s Adaptive Response
As oestrogen levels decline, the body undergoes adaptive changes that make fat storage more efficient, particularly in the abdominal region. This occurs through several mechanisms:
Enhanced Lipogenesis: Lipogenesis is the process by which the body converts carbohydrates into fat. Oestrogen can inhibit certain enzymes that promote fat storage, but as the hormone decreases, these enzymes become more active, leading to increased fat accumulation.
Decreased Lipolysis: Oestrogen promotes lipolysis, the breakdown of stored fat. So a reduction in oestrogen can result in less fat breakdown, contributing to the retention and even increase of fat stores, especially in the abdominal area.
Hormonal Feedback Mechanism: The body attempts to compensate for the loss of ovarian oestrogen by increasing fat storage since adipose (fat) tissue can produce oestrogen, albeit in smaller amounts. This is an evolutionary adaptation aimed at preserving some level of hormonal balance, but it leads to an overall increase in fat storage efficiency.
4. Reduced Fat Burning Efficiency: The Decline in Metabolic Flexibility
Oestrogen affects how our body uses fat for energy, particularly during exercise it actually enhances the body’s metabolic flexibility, which is the ability to switch between burning carbohydrates and fats depending on energy needs. Here’s how the decline in oestrogen impacts this process:
Reduced Mitochondrial Function: Oestrogen supports the function of mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells, which are crucial for oxidising fat to produce energy. When oestrogen levels drop, mitochondrial efficiency decreases, leading to less effective fat oxidation during both rest and exercise.
Impaired Fat Mobilisation: Oestrogen facilitates the mobilisation of fatty acids from adipose tissue into the bloodstream where they can be used for energy. A decline in oestrogen means that fewer fatty acids are released during exercise, reducing the amount of fat your body can burn.
Lowered Overall Energy Expenditure: With reduced oestrogen, there’s also a general decrease in energy expenditure during physical activity. This is partly due to the loss of lean muscle mass and the reduced effectiveness of fat oxidation, making it harder to maintain or lose weight.
What Can You Do About It?
I know it all sounds a bit grim but there are steps we can take to support our body through the hormonal fluctuations and minimise the impact of declining oestrogen.
The key takeaway is that as we age, we need to be more mindful of the quality and type of foods we consume. This is a good time to revisit the basics and ensure that your diet and lifestyle are aligned with your current needs. Here are some practical steps you can take:
1. Incorporate Protein-Rich Foods
Protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle mass. As muscle tissue burns more energy than fat tissue, preserving muscle mass through a protein-rich diet can help to support our metabolic rate, even when we are at rest. This is particularly important for reducing abdominal fat because a flexible metabolism means your body is more efficient at burning stored energy. Protein also has a high thermic effect, meaning your body burns more calories digesting protein than it does digesting fats or carbohydrates, which can further aid in reducing fat.
2. Focus on Healthy Fats
Healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, play a significant role in managing inflammation and supporting metabolic health. Chronic inflammation is often associated with the accumulation of visceral fat, which is the type of fat that tends to increase in the abdominal area during menopause. Omega-3s, found in foods like oily fish, flaxseeds and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory properties that can help to mitigate this process. These fats can also improve insulin sensitivity, which is essential for minimising excess fat storage around the abdomen.
3. Optimise Your Exercise Routine
Strength training is especially effective because it helps build and maintain muscle mass which, as mentioned earlier, can improve your resting metabolic rate.
4. Blood Sugar
Optimising your blood glucose level is one of the key foundations I discuss with my menopause clients. Supporting the balance of sugar in the blood can have a big impact on energy, mood, sleep and fat storage.
5. Consider Professional Guidance
Every woman’s experience with menopause is unique and so are her nutritional needs. Hormonal changes can vary greatly, influencing how your body responds to food, exercise, sleep and stress. Personalised nutrition plans take into account your individual health profile, including any metabolic changes, hormonal fluctuations and specific dietary needs. By working with a registered nutritionist (that’s me!), you can develop a tailored approach that addresses your health goals. Personalised guidance can be especially beneficial for targeting abdominal fat, as it allows for a comprehensive strategy that considers all aspects of your health, ensuring that your diet and lifestyle choices are optimised for hormone balance, fat loss and overall well-being.
Understanding why your body is changing is the first step but knowing what to do about it specifically for your body, your lifestyle and your health history is where personalised nutrition support makes a real difference.
If you'd like to find out how I can help you navigate menopause weight gain with a nutrition plan built around you, take a look at my Menopause page or Weight Management page.