Red Hot Mamas In Charge of Change.
By: Red Hot Mamas
Published: November 24, 2025
Written by Karen Giblin-
Red Hot Mamas North America, Inc. www.redhotmamas.org
Lots of information was presented at The Menopause Society’s annual meeting held in Orlando, Florida on October 21-25, 2025. As a long-time member, there were many sessions which I was very much interested in. One of which was Weight Gain in Midlife.
Over the years, I’ve heard from many of you who have asked me “why am I suddenly gaining weight and what can I do about it”? Dr. Etta Kapoor, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN provided some answers for us.
According to Dr. Kapoor, midlife women gain an average of 0.4 to 0.7 kg (≈ 1-2 lbs) per year. Chronological aging is primarily responsible for weight gain in midlife women. But it is well documented that weight gain can also be attributed to changes in muscle mass and a reduction in physical activity resulting in a fall in energy expenditure during menopause.
We all are aware of the unique challenges we have at midlife such as dealing with hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes due to the effects of lower estrogen, as well as stress and very busy lifestyles. All of these affect menopause weight gain. Weight gain can have serious implications to our health and overall wellbeing. It may increase our risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and respiratory problems. Extra weight can lead to musculo-skeletal issues which may limit your mobility making it harder for us to exercise.
Dr. Kapoor suggests necessary lifestyle interventions (diet, physical activity, behavioral therapy). It is key to implement dietary changes. She said, any low-calorie diet works but you must adhere to it. And it is important to track your food intake.
To optimize your health, you may want to utilize the Mediterranean diet which has been shown to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, dementia and certain cancers. Certainly, you must also limit your intake of sugar, sodium, trans and saturated fats and processed foods.
In addition to adhering to a healthy and low-calorie diet, it is also necessary to combine this with increased physical activity. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening per week. Try walking 10,000 steps per day as it will raise endorphins which will help you feel better.
And, speak to your doctor if you are experiencing menopausal symptoms. Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) is effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms. If contraindicated or your preference is not taking MHT, some other alternatives include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or hypnosis. Consider non-hormonal prescription therapies which include: venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, oxybutynin, fezolinetant or elinzanetant.
In closing, managing menopause symptoms is important for weight loss. Untreated menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes can exacerbate weight gain and create barriers to necessary lifestyle changes which need to be adopted at menopause. Your doctor can play a crucial role in providing you menopause symptom relief and weight management strategies for optimal health outcomes.
