Perimenopause is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t make it any less confusing when your body starts to change in ways you don’t expect. A whirlwind of symptoms — including menopausal weight gain, hot flashes, and changing energy levels — can make you feel like everything that used to work, whether it was exercise or nutrition, isn’t working anymore.
You aren’t alone in this frustration — as Coaches, we hear this a lot. The good news: Perimenopause symptoms are manageable, especially if you have a tailored plan based on real data. That’s where the Evolt 360 body composition scanner comes in, giving you in-depth insights into what’s really going on in your body — beyond the number on the scale — so you can build a fitness plan or make adjustments that help you feel your best and live confidently. (Psst…the Evolt 360 is available at many Anytime Fitness gyms. Ask your Coach how to get a scan!)
In this blog, you’ll learn:
- How does your body change during perimenopause?
- How to create a tailored nutrition plan with the Evolt
- The best types of exercise during perimenopause
- Does HRT help with weight loss?
Why weight management changes during perimenopause
Experiencing some menopausal weight gain is totally normal. In fact, it’s estimated that 20% of women gain 10 pounds or more during this transition period. While menopause isn’t the direct cause of weight gain, its symptoms contribute to the changes. Whether your fitness goal is to gain, lose, or maintain weight during perimenopause or after menopause, you may find that your body doesn’t react as quickly to change as it used to. Why? There are several factors at play.
First: Muscle mass typically decreases with age, while body fat percentage tends to increase. Losing muscle mass slows down metabolism, the rate at which the body can use calories, making it more difficult to stay at a healthy weight.
Second: Hormonal imbalances during perimenopause can also cause a higher accumulation of fat in the abdominal region (commonly referred to as “menopause belly”).
Energy imbalance is another factor in gaining weight. As energy levels naturally decrease during perimenopause, it can become more difficult to find the energy to exercise.
For these reasons and more, it’s important to stay consistent for a few weeks before judging the results when working through changes in workouts, nutrition, or recovery during perimenopause. It’s also important to remember that the number on the scale doesn’t tell the full story. That’s why we love the Evolt 360 body composition scanner, which goes deeper to provide real, actionable health data.
How an Evolt 360 scan helps you create a personalized weight management plan
The Evolt 360 scanner comprehensively examines your whole body, providing more than 40 unique body cmposition measurements like skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and bone mineral density. It also generates personalized nutritional recommendations based on your current body composition, age, gender, and personal fitness goals.
Put simply: A body composition scan helps you understand the true biological makeup of the number on the scale. This information gives you a baseline of knowledge to build a tailored action plan with your Coach.
Unpacking what body scan metrics mean for your health
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The metrics from the Evolt 360 scan can seem like a lot to take in all at once, but our expert Coaches are here to help you make sense of it all.
For example: Based on your percentage of lean mass vs. fat mass, your Coach will determine which types of training and nutritional guidelines fit your goals best (this is just one benefit of getting a personalized training, nutrition, and recovery plan at AF!). They will also look at your skeletal muscle mass, the muscle that protects our bones and naturally decreases with age. Tracking your skeletal muscle mass over time shows that your plan is working to burn fat and build muscle.
The Evolt body scan also looks at visceral fat, which protects our vital organs. However, having too much fat around your organs can increase your risk for health issues like heart disease, stroke, and more. Menopause decreases estrogen production, which tells our bodies we need to hold onto visceral fat when it isn’t always needed. Knowing this, we can consider steps to naturally hold onto muscle and try and curb the drop in estrogen.
Healthy nutrition tips for losing belly fat
In addition to body metrics, the macronutrient suggestions from the Evolt allow Coaches to help you create a personalized nutrition plan that works for your goals and lifestyle.
After an Evolt 360 scan, we recommend using a food tracker to track your current food intake for approximately two weeks. This provides a snapshot of your normal current diet and macro intake. Based on those insights and trends, you and your Coach can work together to make adjustments over time..
A 2019 study on weight management for perimenopausal women suggested these general guidelines for improving your diet quality, which is a good first step to managing your symptoms and feeling energized:
- Foods rich in calcium, like milk, nuts, beans, and green leafy vegetables, promote bone strength.
- Iron-rich foods like eggs, spinach, lean meat, cereal, and nuts can reduce symptoms of hot flashes and insomnia.
- Making sure you are getting enough Vitamin D is important because of a higher risk of deficiency throughout menopause.
- Spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine could increase the risk of a hot flash.
- Eating nutrient-rich foods with high fiber helps digestion.
- Staying hydrated is always important, especially when working out.
The Evolt 360 can also estimate the ideal calorie intake or macro distribution for your goals based on your unique body composition. Macronutrients are the three essential nutrients your body needs to function properly: fats, protein, and carbohydrates. Keeping track of macros can help you identify the amount of each nutrient you need to see the results you’re looking for.
When it comes to fat loss, maintaining a calorie deficit (consuming fewer calories than you burn in a day) may work for some — while others may find tracking macronutrients more useful. The best choice for your weight management plan can vary, depending on what your goals are.
Physical activity can help reverse menopausal weight gain
When it comes to your workout routine, you might find that your old one is not giving you the same results. Evolt 360 data can help eliminate the guesswork and help you make a realistic plan to reach your weight-loss goal. It is satisfying to see a detailed report to apply to your training plan.
If you see you have more lean muscle mass on one side of your body than the other, you know to increase your protein intake and incorporate exercises that help correct muscle imbalances into your routine.
Slowly changing up your workout schedule and establishing new routines can be energizing and reduce the side effects of gaining weight during menopause, like insulin resistance. The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise and two days of muscle strengthening per week. Your Evolt results can show you how to spend those 150 minutes to achieve your goals.
Consider some of these workout routines to help you get started!
Heavy strength training
Along with perimenopause, losing muscle mass over time is common with age — this is known as sarcopeia. Strength training can help reverse the effects, developing your muscle mass while improving joint strength, stability, and weight management. The Evolt 360 can even help you identify which areas you should be targeting, down to which arm or leg!
Due to fluctuating hormones, women are at a higher risk of losing muscle mass and bone density during perimenopause. This is why strength training is especially important to build and maintain muscle mass and reduce feelings of weakness or fatigue in the long run.
Walking
Perimenopause can take a toll on your body, both mentally and physically. Walking is a safe and effective cardio exercise that can improve mental and physical health during perimenopause and beyond.
Yoga and Pilates
Yoga is beneficial for physical health as well and promotes mindfulness. It encourages flexibility and strength in holding different postures. You might be looking for lower intensity on some days, depending on your Evolt 360 results.
Menopause can increase stress and anxiety for your body. Engaging in mindful practices can reduce cortisol, your stress hormone. Yoga can increase relaxation with its breathwork techniques.
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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and weight loss
In addition to nutrition and exercise, medical interventions can be helpful for some women who are going through perimenopause. For example: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment that replaces hormones when your body is no longer making sufficient amounts. It replenishes the ovarian hormones — like estrogen — that naturally decline during perimenopause.
It can come through forms of patches, gels, injections, or oral supplements and pills. HRT has a history of significantly reducing the symptoms caused by menopause, including hot flashes and sleep interruptions.
However, hormone therapy is not a cure-all method. It does not directly contribute to weight loss. There is also an increase in health risks, including breast and ovarian cancers.
Talk to your doctor about whether HRT could be a safe option for you.
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Manage perimenopausal weight gain and unlock your strongest self with a body scan
As a Coach, I often hear that what worked for clients before doesn’t work now. To that I say: What a gift! Doing the exact same style of training and eating the same thing for years is boring. Take perimenopause as an opportunity to try something new.
Going through this phase of life myself, I can say that I have found a love for hot yoga (my older bones need more recovery than I ever realized), and I have rediscovered my love for cooking by trying so many protein-rich recipes. I also used to love running for hours and hours. Now I find that I can manage my weight with shorter, heavier weight-lifting sessions instead, and I actually have more time for myself and my family!
No matter where you’re at in your perimenopause journey, our Coaches are here to help you manage your symptoms and feel your strongest with powerful tools like the Evolt 360. We believe knowledge is power, and the Evolt’s in-depth data can give you a clearer picture of what’s happening in your body so you can navigate your fitness journey with confidence.
Talk to a Coach today at your nearest Antime Fitness to get your Evolt 360 scan!
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