It is calculated that, after the age of 50, women gain weight on average one kilo per year. The waistline rises by 2-2,5 centimeters. The kilos resist and accumulate, right at the height of the jeans button.
«The distribution of fat is influenced by the hormonal structure which changes in menopause », explains the doctor Serena Missori, endocrinologist and nutritionist, author of the book The thyroid diet (LSWR Editions).
«Furthermore, since we live this phase negatively, we provoke a increased stress hormone, cortisol, which affects the accumulation of fat, especially in the abdomen, torso, neck and arms. The beautiful hourglass shapes are transformed into rounder, apple-like figures, similar to the male ones. Hormonal fluctuations then tend to stabilize over 3-4 years". How to fix it?
Check out the daily menu
"A breakfast do the full of fiber: Oat flakes are rich in beta glucan, which improves metabolism. Drink green tea, which has slimming virtues. Add 200 milliliters of almond or coconut milk, a tablespoon of flax, chia or pumpkin seeds and a protein source such as a slice of defatted ham or smoked salmon, ”explains the expert.
«Come snack, between meals, 5-6 olives or oily fruit (2 Brazil nuts, 10 unsalted pistachios) or 150 grams of pineapple with the core (that's where bromelain, a substance draining and anti-cellulite) ".
For lunch and dinner reduce simple carbohydrates (sweets, biscuits) and increase those with slow absorption, such as wholemeal pasta, kamut, spelled. «Try the Venere rice with vegetables or quinoa with rocket and pistachio pesto», advises Missori.
Prefer steaming and don't miss blue fish (anchovies, herring), turkey breast which contains tryptophan which affects mood, vegetables, fruit. Add celery, parsley, mint and basil to your recipes, which deflate and purify.
Do you fancy a sweet treat? “It happens, because of the hormones and the lack of serotonin. The polyphenols in cocoa lift the mood: you can treat yourself to 30 grams of 70% dark chocolate ».
Supplements? Yes please
Even some supplements are indicated for drop weight in menopause: alpha-lipoic acid optimizes insulin function, while the plant extract of Coleus forskohlii, a plant with fat-burning properties, acts on the thyroid gland favoring weight loss.
Daily doses are determined by the doctor: 100 to 800 milligrams for lipoic acid, 150-300 milligrams for Coleus.
A check to the thyroid
According to a research by the Cesare Serono Foundation, many women confuse the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, such as weight gain, with those of menopause and they don't control themselves.
«It is advisable to check the levels of Tsh, the hormone that regulates the thyroid, because in menopause, even in healthy women, cortisol reduces the efficiency of the thyroid hormones, so metabolism tends to slow down. If you already have thyroid dysfunction before the menopause, worsening can occur, ”explains the specialist.
