Women and Weight Gain
There are certain phases in a woman’s life that make her prone to weight gain. For instance, women tend to gain weight during adolescence, pregnancy and post menopausal period. While it may be easier for women to lose weight during early years, it is extremely tough to shed extra pounds off the body during later period of life. And, even if a woman tries to maintain her weight, she’ll find that her fat is distributed in a different pattern as it is now more concentrated on the waistline.
It has been observed that a large number of women gain weight post marriage. This could be because of changed eating habits with a shift towards eating rich food or a more carefree and comfortable life post marriage. Some people also assume that weight gain is a sign of good health and happiness and therefore make no efforts towards reducing weight.
Pregnant women are highly prone to weight gain. This is because most women harbour a misconception that they should eat for 2 when they are pregnant and relax more to preserve their energy for the time of labour. However, experts believe that women should become more sensible towards eating during pregnancy and go for mild exercises, this facilitates a comfortable delivery and prevent excess weight gain. Women who take contraceptives, steroid hormones, diabetes drugs, some antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs can also lead to weight gain. The use of these drugs as well as obesity in women is on a rise.
Most women tend to gain weight during menopause – the natural phase in a woman’s life. Studies show that on average, women may experience a gain of approximately 10-15 pounds in the years surrounding menopause. There are several factors responsible for this occurrence such as hormonal changes, a decrease in thyroid function and subsequently metabolism. Because of a lower metabolism, fewer calories are required to maintain your current weight however, by habit women tend to eat the same amount hence they gain weight. Besides, women tend to be more inactive as they age and weight gain becomes the norm for the most.
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