THIS IS 50
How to Lose Your Menopause Weight
WOMEN GAIN an average of one-and-a-half pounds a year in midlife—and a lot of that weight lands in the belly, says Stephanie Faubion, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health and medical director of the Menopause Society. “We preferentially deposit fat in the middle after we lose estrogen,” Faubion says.
That’s not a problem only for people who don’t want to buy new pants. Abdominal fat can be toxic, says Pamela Peeke, M.D., adjunct assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and author of The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and Food Addiction. Abdominal fat produces hormones and proteins that increase appetite and, potentially, insulin resistance, raising the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Faubion and Peeke shared the most effective ways for women in their 50s to shed extra pounds, including in your belly—and to keep them from coming back.
Crank up your workout. If you’re sedentary, starting an exercise program could help not only with weight maintenance but also relieve hot flashes, according to a study published in Menopause. If you’re active, consider high-intensity interval training (HIIT). “This doesn’t have to be a lot—it can just be tweaking your morning walk to throw in some hills,” Peeke says.
Avoid simple carbohydrates. Limit your consumption of bread, rice, pasta and alcohol. “Try to really focus on fruits, vegetables and lean proteins,” Faubion says. She also recommends healthy fats from olive oil, avocados and nuts.
Don’t eat after dark. “I generally recommend that my patients only eat during a 12-hour window each day—for example, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and then put the kitchen on lockdown after that,” Peeke says.
Prioritize sleep. One study showed that women who slept less than five hours a night had a 30 percent higher risk of weight gain than those who got a full seven hours. If menopause has made it harder to sleep, consider a short course of cognitive behavior therapy to learn skills to help you rest.
Be savvy about medications. Hormone replacement therapy is not recommended for weight loss, Faubion says. If you have a lot of weight to lose, a GLP-1 drug such as Wegovy, Saxenda or Zepbound may be an option. —Hallie Levine and Kimberly Hayes
Why I Do This
Every night, Lash Bragan pays tribute to a fallen vet
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS after we were stationed in Germany, a couple of guys with whom I’d served in the Army put together a reunion. We talked about the four men in our outfit who had since passed away.
Then I saw a documentary that explained that the taps played at most military funerals is just a recording. Even though I had no musical training, I decided to learn how to really sound taps for those four soldiers.
My family got me a bugle in 2020, and I practiced for about six months until I felt I could do it right. I also studied videos of the master sergeant at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery to learn his movements.
Then, I sounded my tribute and posted a video to my Facebook page, “TAPS ‘The Last Salute.’ ” I started getting requests from people who wanted to honor their deceased family members who were vets or people they had served with. So I pledged to sound taps in honor of one deceased veteran every night. This has really turned into a lifelong commitment.
The main thing I learned from the military was discipline. You have to stay with it till you get to the end result. —As told to Elise Ceyral
Lash Bragan, 58, a retired schoolteacher, served in the U.S. Army infantry for four years. He lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
