Something frustrating happens to most women when they hit menopause: the mid-section weight gain. Or as we often hear it called, the dreaded menopausal belt.

Until recently, one of the only options for targeting this middle-aged weight would have been liposuction, but modern prescription weight loss has changed the game for women who want to lose the menopause weight.

The secret?

Semaglutide. You might be more familiar with semaglutide’s branded names of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. And when it comes to menopausal weight gain, it’s a true game changer. Read on for detailed information on what exactly causes weight gain after menopause, and why semaglutide offers women in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills a chance to finally lose that donut around your midsection for good.

What you’ll learn:

• Hormonal changes play a big role in menopause weight gain, making it even more challenging to lose it.
• Metabolism, energy and motivation all decrease during menopause, impacting a woman’s ability to lose weight easily like before.
• The balance of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone has a major influence on fat storage and metabolism.
  Semaglutide offers a safe and effective way to lose weight after menopause by controlling appetite and reducing food cravings, as well as slowing food absorption.
• The history of semaglutide, and how regulations impacted the availability of semaglutide as a weight loss medication.
• The best place to get semaglutide, without prior authorization, in Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham.

What causes menopause weight gain and belly fat?

Hormonal changes play a significant role in weight gain, particularly belly fat in the stomach area. Starting well before menopause, an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone levels often leads to redistribution of fat storage. In other words, hormone changes make you gain weight around your tummy – even women who have never had it there before.

There are terms for this shift in fat distribution — menopausal belly, menopot, or even “this donut around my waist.” This dramatic, and often rapid, change in body shape understandably frustrates women. It impacts everything from how their clothing fits to their self-confidence at events.

Moreover, during menopause, there’s is a natural decline in metabolism that further contributes to weight gain. As women age, their muscle mass tends to decrease while their body fat percentage increases, leading to a slower metabolism and increased difficulty in maintaining or losing weight.

Additionally, life begins to simply add up. Stress, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep (did someone say night sweats and an overly active bladder?) all contribute to weight gain during menopause, especially accumulation of abdominal fat.

What causes weight gain specifically in the stomach and midsection area?

Mid-section weight gain, or belly fat, is a unique type of fat. Unlike the genetically inherited lower body fat many women hold in their hips, thighs and legs (resulting in a pear shape), belly fat often has specific causes. Like fuel to fire, menopause further multiples these causes.

Stress, menopause, and belly fat

A major change in hormone levels is both physiologically and psychologically stressful for women who may suddenly feel like a different person has taken over their bodies and brains. Stress triggers the release of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage in the abdominal region specifically. This can lead to an increase in visceral fat, which surrounds vital organs and poses serious health risks.

Like menopause itself, inadequate sleep disrupts hormones

It’s no secret that menopause impacts sleep. From temperature changes that cause hot flashes, to a bladder that just wont’ seem to hold it in like it used to, it’s a real battle for a menopausal woman to get a decent night’s sleep. If the hormonal imbalance of menopause weren’t enough, insufficient sleep also disrupts hormonal balance, affecting appetite regulation and metabolism. Studies have shown that those who don’t get enough rest tend to consume more calories and make poorer food choices, contributing to weight gain in the belly area.

Menopause causes lethargy and makes exercise more challenging

The hormonal changes from menopause affect a woman’s energy levels. What used to be an easy 2-mile walk can feel like a 20-mile mountain trek for a woman who’s testosterone levels have also dropped. Less exercise not only reduces overall calorie expenditure but also decreases muscle mass – both factors that contribute to excess fat accumulation around the midsection during menopause.

Hopefully you can see that menopause mid-section weight gain is caused by a complex storm of factors that all influence each other. And for many women, what worked for weight loss before menopause just doesn’t seem to move the needle any longer. Even women who exercise regularly, eat a well-balanced diet and manage their stress find themselves faced with stubborn belly fat that won’t budge.

So why is it so hard to lose weight after menopause?

We’ve talked about how hormonal changes make weight loss challenging during and after menopause. But exactly what’s going on in a woman’s system that makes weight loss so hard?

Estrogen impacts almost everything, including fat storage

First, there’s estrogen. At menopause, women’s ovaries stop functioning and no longer produce estrogen. Lack of estrogen leads to all kinds of symptoms ranging from vaginal dryness to mood swings. Changes in hormone balance lower metabolic rate, which in turn leads to inc increase in fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. Studies have shown that estrogen seems to have an impact on WHERE fat is stored on the body.

After menopause, the decrease in estrogen levels can significantly impact metabolism and fat storage in women. Estrogen plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic processes by influencing insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure. With lower estrogen levels, the body’s ability to effectively utilize glucose for energy decreases, leading to potential insulin resistance and a slower metabolism.

Additionally, the decline in estrogen after menopause can result in a shift towards storing more fat, particularly visceral fat around the abdomen. This redistribution of fat can increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Research suggests that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help mitigate these effects by maintaining estrogen levels, but lifestyle factors such as regular physical activity and a balanced diet remain key components in supporting metabolism and managing weight post-menopause.

Menopause causes cravings and appetite changes

The battle of the bulge is further complicated by appetite changes and cravings during menopause. Wildly swinging hormone levels and physical symptoms impact a menopausal woman’s appetite. Hormones play a role in sending both hunger signals and feelings of fullness (satiety) to our brains and body.

When these hormone levels change as significantly during menopause, a woman’s entire system is in a state of shock and confusion. The same woman who could easily turn down ice cream or chips before menopause suddenly struggles with the willpower to say no. The decrease in energy experienced by so many menopausal women leads to the body seeking out food for a temporary energy boost. Sticking to a healthy diet is difficult when you’re exhausted from poor sleep, mood swings, and brain fog.

What is semaglutide and how does it help with menopause weight loss?

So when it comes to weight management and reducing stubborn body fat, what’s a woman in menopause to do? Accept defeat? Is it all a natural part of aging, with nothing left to be done?

Maybe in decades past, but today women have more options than ever before to manage menopause symptoms, including midsection weight gain. In addition to bioidentical hormone therapy, prescription weight loss is a game changer for helping menopausal and post-menopausal women lose that tummy bulge for good.

The main medication?

Semaglutide.

This revolutionary weight loss drug has emerged as a powerful tool for women struggling to lose weight after menopause. Semaglutide works by targeting the brain’s appetite control center, leading to significant reductions in food cravings and overall caloric intake. For many women entering menopause, shedding those stubborn extra pounds can be an uphill battle due to all the factors we’ve covered. However, with the introduction of semaglutide, there’s newfound hope for achieving meaningful and sustainable weight loss results. And it’s readily available for women in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills.

What makes semaglutide safer and more effective than other weight loss medications?

Why wasn’t semaglutide used until recently for weight loss?
For years, semaglutide has been a staple for controlling blood sugar in diabetes. Doctors and researchers early on that patients also lost significant weight with GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide. In fact, the weight loss effect outperformed many earlier weight loss drugs. However, it wasn’t until recently that its potential as a weight loss drug was fully realized. This delayed recognition can be attributed to patent protections and FDA approvals, which have strict regulations dictating how medications can be marketed and used.

One advantage of this delay is that researchers have had many years safety data with semaglutide and similar GLP-1 drugs before they were approved for weight loss. Ditto for physicians, who have prescribed these drugs for millions of diabetic patients in the years before semaglutide was approved for weight loss, with no additional major safety issues identified by the FDA. This makes doctors far more confident about semaglutide than other weight loss drugs of the past that were brand new, without such a long safety record. The recent breakthrough in utilizing semaglutide for weight loss signifies both innovation in repurposing existing medications and the evolving landscape of healthcare priorities driven by patient needs and scientific advancements.

For menopausal women struggling with mid-section weight gain, we often combine our semaglutide-based weight loss program with hormone optimization. This combination approach leads to transformational changes in menopausal and post-menopausal women. They go from experiencing lethargy, brain fog, dissatisfaction with their bodies, and unpredictable moods to feeling confident, balanced, energized, and happy with their new waistlines.

Is semaglutide hard to get, and where is the best place for semaglutide in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills?

Despite its promising benefits, accessing semaglutide for weight loss has posed challenges for patients in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills due to its limited availability and strict prescription requirements. Patients have reported long wait times at pharmacies, or prohibitive out-of-pocket costs. At RegenCen in Birmingham (near the Bloomfield Hills Country Club on Woodward Ave.), your semaglutide is included in our weight loss program at no additional cost. No waiting at the pharmacy, and no insurance approval needed.

Our program isn’t just for women in menopause or post-menopause. Even in perimenopause — experienced as early as the late 30s — women experience unwanted shape and size changes. Semaglutide can help regulate appetite and get ahead of the most drastic mid-section weight gain that can happen when full menopause kicks in.

All our Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham providers are trusted, experienced medical professionals trained by our medical director, Dr. Gustav Lo. As a primary care and regenerative physician for over 30 years, Dr. Lo has used GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide since first approved in 2008. He’s witnessed the positive impact semaglutide has on appetite supression, weight management, and patient’s feelings of security and self-worth.

We can help you, too. If you’re in menopause and struggling with weight gain, you don’t have to keep going it alone. We’re here to support you and customize a weight loss program that doesn’t just shed the excess pounds — it helps you feel like yourself again, before menopause changed everything.

Click here for a complimentary semaglutide consultation in the Bloomfield/Birmingham area. We can’t wait to help you get back to the body you used to have.