Why menopause after cancer doesn’t mean weight gain.

Menopause doesn’t necessarily mean weight gain

At 48, I am post cancer, post menopause and taking hormone therapy. For the next 10 years. All of those are associated with weight gain. So how have I avoided it?

Luck? Nope.

Genetics? Nope.

It’s not luck or genetics. My dad was very overweight and unhealthy. My mum has always been incredibly sedentary. I don’t have a great genetic blueprint.

Like everyone, I’m flawed. Both physically and mentally. I don’t always like what I see in the mirror. I don’t always do what I say I’m going to. But it’s not by chance that my body performs and feels the way it does after cancer.

I am so proud of her and how she’s bounced back after everything she’s been through. And of the hard work I have done to get here. It’s a process, but I am learning to love this new body, scars and all. And I’m learning to be kinder to her than I used to be.

The answer to avoiding weight gain. Or losing weight after menopause is not popular or a quick fix. It’s about awareness, choices and hard work. Consistently. Over years.

Since cancer and having gone through the menopause, I definitely gain weight more easily. If I go out for pizza and a glass of wine, which I still do, the scale seems to jump up disproportionately. Way more than it used to when I was younger. My tummy doesn’t go back to flat after Christmas or a week of holiday like it used to. It’s annoying. But I’m aware of it. And adjust my lifestyle accordingly.

This picture was taken just a few days before my double mastectomy.

I don’t weigh myself often - maybe every 2-3 weeks. And it’s obviously not all about the number you see on the scale. But I have chosen a healthy bodyweight that suits me, my lifestyle, my confidence levels. If I go above or below it by more than a kilo, I adjust what I eat, drink and do accordingly. It’s very easy to lose a kilo. It’s much harder to lose more.

Of course, weight in kilos is not the gold standard metric. We should probably also be concerned with muscle mass and body fat percentage. But it is easy to measure. It’s an indication of health. And for me, it’s important to stay accountable - to myself - by standing on the scales every couple of weeks.

Since cancer, I do less exercise. I haven’t been able to run like I did before and I don’t have the energy or recover as quickly as I used to. I’m also juggling injury niggles and joint pain. Thank you anastrozole. So I’ve focused a lot more on strength training. It didn’t come naturally to start with - I just want the burn of going for a run and the meditation of me time out in nature. But I have learnt to love it. My body feels more resilient and robust. I have regained the muscle that I lost during treatment. And since muscle is metabolically active, I can eat more and not gain weight. Win win.

Since cancer, I drink rarely, which also helps prevent weight gain. Less calories, less uncontrolled late night snacking, less slightly hungover munchies. I also sleep better. Which means my body is recovered and working efficiently. It helps keep weight stable.

My body might not be everyone’s ideal. But I love her. She’s been through a lot.

Menopause is widely reported to be the cause of weight gain. And there may be some truth in that. But on the flip side, recent studies have also shown that your metabolism doesn’t actually decline until you’re in your 70s or 80s.

What actually causes weight gain during menopause, especially after cancer, is reduced activity. Loss of muscle. Less calories burned. Relative increase in calorie intake. And less quality rest.

As we get older - from about age 30 - we lose muscle. If you don’t work to build it. Muscle burns calories. More than fat, which is metabolically inactive. So if we have less muscle, we need less calories. If we do less activity, we burn less calories. But most people continue to eat at the same rate into menopause and beyond. And so, without noticing or realising why, many women gain weight. It’s sneaky.

Cancer compounds this! Treatment is exhausting. It’s not possible to do as much exercise, or at least not at the same intensity, as before cancer. It’s also tempting to snack more and eat more treats. You feel like shit. Eating gives you energy and helps stave off the nausea. Eating yummy stuff makes you feel good. You deserve it.

But gaining weight during menopause doesn’t have to be the case. It is not inevitable. We can fight back! With smarter choices about eating, exercise and rest.

Let me help you escape the cancer menopause weight gain cycle. It’s really not impossible! I promise. xx