January 2005

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Weight Gain at Midlife
• Reader Questions and Answers
• Plotting Strategies for Resolutions
• Losing Holiday Weight Gain
• From the Mailbox — Success Stories
• Recipe — Squash Soup

EXERCISE PREVENTS WEIGHT GAIN AROUND THE TIME OF MENOPAUSE

Most women assume that they will gain weight around the time of menopause. This is true for most women, and unfortunately, the consequences of that weight gain are an increased risk for numerous chronic diseases. It is not well understood whether there are effective strategies women can use to help prevent this gain in weight—or is just an inevitable consequence of growing older?

Results from a large study of midlife women called The Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN) sheds new light on this important issue. The SWAN study measured 3,064 ethnically diverse women aged 42–52 years over a three-year period of time. At the beginning of the study, none of the women had gone through menopause. The results demonstrated that, on average, women gained 4.5 pounds (or 3% of their body weight) as well as increased their waist circumference by about one inch. This result was not surprising.

What the investigators also saw was that change in menopausal status (going through menopause or becoming perimenopausal) did not influence weight gain. This finding was interesting since most people believe that it is the change in hormonal status that kicks in the weight gain. Additionally, the study showed that women who maintained a high level of physical activity or became more physically active (regardless of where they started) did not gain weight! In fact, the women who became more physically active over the three years actually lost a little weight and waist size!

As a woman in this age category, I was thrilled to read this research study because it again confirms that age matters less—it's what you do that counts!

(Reference: Barbara Sternfeld and colleagues. Physical activity and changes in weight and waist circumference in midlife women: findings from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. American Journal of Epidemiology 2004; 106(9):912-922.)

Q: Every year, I set new goals for what I want to accomplish. It seems that I either set them too high or I set too many, because I don't seem to be successful. Any ideas on how I could do a better job?

A: Goal setting is really critical to success -- but it takes careful planning and execution. Writing down your goals and knowing how you will evaluate your performance sets a "road map" for success. The common mistakes that individuals make, as you've noted, are setting too many goals or setting ones that cannot reasonably be achieved. Another fatal flaw is to evaluate goal *outcomes* rather than process. In the long run, you will be much more successful in achieving your goals if you measure your success by accomplishing goals related to the process. For instance, let's that your goal is to get back into your size 8 pants. This is a goal related to outcome not process. Instead, consider what steps are necessary to achieve that weight loss, and evaluate your success based upon the completion of those steps. You might set goals for the first four weeks related to small nutrition and exercise behaviors. For example, during week one you set the goals to walk 3 days per week during lunch and to measure food portions at each meal. This puts your emphasis on small achievable steps. Finally, keep a daily journal of your progress -- noting achievements and pitfalls, as record keeping is essential to long-term success.

Q: I always gain weight around the holidays, no matter how hard I try not to. This is frustrating for the start of the New Year. Do you have any strategies that you use yourself to deal with this?

A: A small amount of weight gain during the holidays is typical for most of us! Research shows that over the course of ten years, a midlife woman may gain 25-50 pounds -- much of which is gained during the holiday months. That holiday weight gain is problematic only if you don't lose it. My recommendation is to have a first-of-the-year strategy in place that is reasonable and achievable regarding holiday weight gain. If you consider that the weight gain occurs between Thanksgiving and New Years, that is about five weeks, so allow yourself the same length of time to lose the weight that was gained. Use the strategies for goal setting that are detailed in the previous question, and plan in advance what *process* goals need to be accomplished in order to return to your pre-holiday weight. Those goals should be focused upon small behavioral strategies related to food intake and exercise. Now is the time to take advantage of your newfound enthusiasm for becoming more active and eating better! Don't let holiday weight gain stick around until next year.

"Three years ago, I was 5'0" and 138 pounds. I decided that it was time to do something about my weight. I had followed your suggestions in Strong Women Stay Slim and lost about 20+ lbs in a span of 8 months. Once I started my exercise regimen for walking 2 miles at lunch time (it was easy to do working at a Botanical Garden), it was easy to follow and maintain even after the weight loss. I had a baby in January and believe yoga and walking during my pregnancy helped me get back in shape within no time."

-- Rita