• Since your body no longer requires the energy to support the reproductive system and all that it entails, the total number of calories taken in each day needs to be reduced in order to avoid weight gain.
• Estrogen is depleted at this time in your life, yet it is a primary component for the absorption of calcium. So, an increased quantity of dietary calcium is needed to compensate for the decreased absorption rate and to prevent bone loss.
• It has been shown that there is a direct relationship between the lack of estrogen after menopause and the development of osteoporosis.

Simply put, women in the Menopause Club need to re-think how they eat, what they eat, and give serious consideration to vitamin supplements to help replenish what their bodies have lost.

Is it even possible to lose weight during menopause? Sure, it’s possible. How about that expanding middle? (this one drives me nuts!) Can a postmenopausal women lose belly fat? It can be done.

In this discussion, let’s concentrate on lifestyle eating for our menopause diet.What and how should we plan our meals and supplement our diets?

• Watch our calorie intake, including portions and food selection (more about that below).
• Choose foods with a high fiber content. Fiber helps regulate your insulin, and generally keeps your intestinal system in working order.

  Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes to boost your fiber intake. The goal is to have 2 to 4 servings of fruits and 3 to 5 servings of vegetables in your daily diet.

• Reduce high-fat foods. Fat should provide 30% or less of your total calorie intake for the day.

  Saturated fat should be limited to less than 10% of the total daily calories because it raises blood cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is found in fatty meats, whole milk, ice cream and cheese.

• Drink plenty of water. I almost always have a bottle, glass or container of water in my hand. Eight, 8 oz. classes of water per day are recommended.No, soda pop doesn’t count.
• Moderate use of sugar and salt. READ the labels of the food you are purchasing. Sodium content has been a real eye-opener for me. And, high fructose corn syrup counts as part of your daily sugar intake.
• Be wise with your alcohol consumption, and be mindful of the calories, sugar and other ingredients you are consuming with each drink.
• Calcium is critically important to our bodies and needs to be a daily part of our menopause diet plan. Calcium helps your body maintain weight, and is essential for strong bones. Get about 1200 mg. a day if you are a women over the age of 50. Calcium is found in dairy products, clams, sardines, broccoli and legumes.
• Don’t forget the Vitamin D, recommended at 10mg/day for women aged 51-69 and 15mg/day for women aged 70+. Vitamin D is present in fortified milk and cereals, salmon, cod liver oil, and other foods.
• Magnesium, Vitamin C, Phosphorous and Zinc are all needed in our daily diets as well, so consider a health supplement to make sure you are getting what you need every day.

So there you have it. The basic Menopause Diet and Lifestyle Plan. Of course this is part of the overall lifestyle plan. The other critical component is exercise.

Dedicate yourself to these two things every day and you will be on the road to a healthy lifestyle that will make your body happy and bring a smile to your face.

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The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This site does not provide medical advice in any way, and all information here is intended as general news only and is not a substitute for medical advice. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting any new supplement, diet or fitness regimen.