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Yes, You Can Lose Weight After Menopause — Here’s How
At Alevizos Medical in Irvine, California, our board-certified integrative medicine physician, Dr. John Alevizos, understands the frustrating weight loss challenges that can arise during perimenopause and after menopause.
Women in perimenopause often lose lean muscle and may nearly double their abdominal fat mass after menopause. Hormonal shifts, slower metabolism, and changes in body composition all contribute to this frustrating problem. The good news is that you can lose weight by controlling those factors.
The role of hormones in menopausal weight gain
Hormones affect everything from metabolism to energy levels to the way your body stores fat.
In the years leading up to your final period (perimenopause), estrogen, the hormone that supports metabolism, body composition, and mood, plummets by an average of 67%. Many women have an additional estrogen drop a few years later.
That dramatic decline can lead to weight gain. Women aged 50-60 (the typical menopause years) gain an average of 1.5 pounds every year.
Weight gain often centers around the midsection. Fatigue and a steady loss of lean muscle mass are both common, too, making it even harder to avoid weight gain from hormone depletion.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can restore optimal balance and help correct many of these unwanted changes. By replenishing estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes testosterone, BHRT supports a healthier metabolism, improves energy, and makes it easier for your body to respond to other weight loss strategies.
After a comprehensive hormone diagnostic panel (saliva, blood, and urine tests), Dr. Alevizos has a big-picture understanding of exactly what hormones your body needs to restore healthy function and ease your symptoms.
Dr. Alevizos offers customized BHRT plans. He partners with a trusted compounding pharmacy to provide bioidentical hormones that match your body’s needs, from the formulation to the dosage.
BHRT replenishes lost hormones and returns you to pre-menopause levels. Many women experience symptom improvement in as little as a few weeks.
With BHRT and healthy eating, you can often reverse weight challenges linked to hormone loss. For many women, balancing hormones is the first step toward finally seeing results again after years of frustration.
If you have a significant amount of weight to lose or your body stubbornly clings to extra fat, you could be a good candidate for medical weight management as well.
How medical weight management can help
Hormone balancing can make a big difference in menopause weight management, but many women wait until they’ve already gained significant weight to start BHRT. Medical weight management can help you reach your goal faster.
That’s where medical weight management comes in. At Alevizos Medical, we offer scientifically-proven, evidence-backed weight management options like GLP-1 medications.
These self-administered injectables can regulate appetite, quell cravings, and support blood sugar control to make it much easier to shed extra pounds.
Phentermine is another option for weight management. These daily pills are powerful appetite suppressants and can help boost energy, too.
Dr. Alevizos creates a customized plan for menopause weight management that prioritizes your whole-body wellness.
He helps you find the medication, diet plan, and lifestyle modifications that align with your unique health history and personal goals. He may also recommend targeted supplements to support whole-body wellness, improve nutrient balance, and optimize your results.
With this type of comprehensive plan, many women find they can finally overcome the barriers that menopause throws in their path.
The bottom line about menopause weight gain
Weight loss after menopause is about more than just numbers on a scale. It’s about understanding the changes your body’s going through and taking targeted steps to reclaim control.
Under the guidance of an integrative medicine specialist, Dr. John Alevizos, combining hormone replacement therapy with advanced weight management strategies can help you feel like yourself again at last.
Call our office at 949-916-3600 to book your consultation at Alevizos Medical.
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