Our Weight Loss Treatment Options
Menopausal Weight Gain
Being a menopause specialist, I see many women going through the change of life. Women have varied complaints and issues, but the most common complaint of middle-aged women is weight gain. Almost all menopausal women complain of a fat layer or muffin top that forms around the waist, even with no change in eating habits or exercise amount. There is an overall weight gain of at least 10-to-30 pounds, with many women gaining even more.
Although not completely understood, there is redistribution of the body fat due to a decrease in metabolism that occurs with midlife and menopause. There is a relative insensitivity that develops to hormones such as insulin and thyroid, causing women to gain weight and to store it around the waist. If your body is under constant stress from a poor diet and little exercise, the body becomes inflamed. This inflammation, in turn, increases the cortisol, making you hold on to the fat.
When a woman’s reproductive hormones are unbalanced, as in peri-menopause and menopause, the body is stressed with hot flashes, night sweats and sleep difficulties. This internal stress causes the adrenal hormone cortisol to increase, and cortisol signals the body hold on to fat for self-preservation.
At the Menopause Center, we first do sophisticated testing initially to measure your hormone levels, then we balance the hormones. Not only do you feel better, but your body is under less stress, and your cortisol levels decrease, thereby allowing weight loss.
The reason that weight loss and healthy living is so important is that it keeps inflammation low in our body. High inflammation may lead to heart attacks, strokes, and even dementia. Being overweight is not only unhealthy but can decrease a woman’s self-confidence and thus affect her work performance and her personal relationships. Women hate being fat, and we are here to help you.
How Do I Get Started?
Call the main number of The Menopause Center at 703 991-6806 to set up your initial consultation to see if this is the right treatment option for you.