Diet

Newsweek, January, 2007 by Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantrowitz

Probably a little of both. Whether you've been a health nut or a couch potato, you're going to find menopause a challenge. Your metabolism slows down as you get older, so you will gain weight if you don't cut calories and increase your level of exercise. No wonder women add an average of a pound a year during perimenopause.

Many women find the extra weight is landing in places that are new for them, like the tummy. Part of the explanation is that after menopause, women tend to accumulate fat where men do--in the neck, chin and abdominal areas--perhaps because of shifting hormone levels. Your genes also help determine where fat accumulates on your body, as does your activity level. Even if you haven't gained weight, flabbiness could come from lack of exercise. As we get older, we tend to be more sedentary, which means less muscle and more fat. ...