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Written by Megan Ayala. Last Updated: February 9, 2022
It is commonly known that weight gain can be caused by several underlying factors including menopause. This is why it becomes important to organize your meals and ensure everything is partitioned for success.
A person that eats the right way and changes their lifestyle can lose weight in almost any situation. This is the same mindset you are going to need heading into your weight loss journey. Meal planning makes it much easier to lose weight and see tangible results within a short period [1].
If you are thinking about going on the menopause diet, it’s time to understand what the plan should encompass.
Here is a look at a complete 5-day plan to lose weight.
5-Day Weight Loss Plan for Menopause
Day 1
Breakfast
- Vegetable Omelette
- 1 Apple
Snack
- 20 Almonds
Lunch
- Salmon Sandwich
- 1 Banana
Dinner
- Chicken Parmesan
- Small Bowl of Veggies (Your Choice)
2. Day 2
Breakfast
- 1 Cup of Greek Yogurt
- 1 Banana
Snack
- 20 Raisins
Lunch
- Peanut Butter Sandwich
- 1 Apple
Dinner
- Smoked Tuna With Rice
- Small Bowl of Veggies (Your Choice)
Day 3
Breakfast
- Waffle and Eggs
- 1 Passionfruit
Snack
- Bowl of Berries (Your Choice)
Lunch
- Tuna Sandwich
- 1 Banana
Dinner
- Smoked Chicken and Rice
- Small Bowl of Veggies (Your Choice)
Day 4
Breakfast
- Oatmeal
- Bowl of Pineapples
Snack
- 1 Cup of Greek Yogurt
Lunch
- Stir Fry
- 1 Banana
Dinner
- Halibut and Sweet Potato Fries
- Small Bowl of Veggies (Your Choice)
Day 5
Breakfast
- Pancakes and Eggs
- 1 Apple
Snack
- 20 Almonds
Lunch
- Peanut Butter Sandwich
- 1 Passionfruit
Dinner
- Pork Chops and Rice
- Small Bowl of Veggies (Your Choice)
Things to Consider When Trying a Menopause Diet
1. Your Health
The first detail to think about will be your overall health.
When you are dealing with menopause, several variables come into action that might not have been there at a younger age. It’s important to go through these variables including your hormones, how you feel, and what doesn’t work well with your digestive system.
In the past, you might have ignored these details but they are incredibly important right now. You have to take a step back and make sure the meal plan works well for your health. If not, you are going to hate the results.
This is why managing the process is all about customization. You want to take the foundation of a meal plan and make sure it is tailored to your health needs.
Be sure to consult with your doctor before trying any diet plan to make sure it aligns with your personal health issues and goals.
2. Number of Calories
How many calories are you going to be eating during the day?
A lot of people don’t think about this and then wonder why they are not losing weight. You will have to fine-tune the meal plan to make sure it works in unison with your caloric needs.
RELATED READING: Weight Watchers vs Calorie Counting
For example, a person that is 6’2″ is not going to eat the same as a person that is 4’11”. There are specific dietary alterations that need to be made including how many calories you are eating during 24 hours. Keep this in mind when you start on this 5-day plan to lose weight.
Go through each step and adapt.
When you start to do this and keep track of the calories, it will become easier to lose weight during menopause. You will start to regain control of what is happening.
The benefits include:
- Easier to Lose Weight
- More Controlled and Adjustable
When you don’t take the time to look into this, you start struggling to lose weight. It becomes disorganized and that is a real issue over the long haul.
Don’t let this happen to you and ensure you are customizing the meal plan based on caloric intake.
3. Nutrient Intake
It is one thing to look at the calories and another to make sure you are also eating the right nutrients. Unfortunately, most people forget that eating right is not just about losing weight. You also have to make sure you are getting the right nutrients during the day.
If you don’t eat the right nutrients, this will impact your overall health.
When your health declines, it becomes much harder to shed fat. Your body will go into safety-first mode and that is when all of the fat gets stored.
You have to be careful to get all of the key nutrients that a human requires during the day. This includes calcium, magnesium, iron, and a long list of nutrients that matter over the long term.
Don’t ignore these details when you are attempting to eat well and follow a meal plan. The more organized you are, the better your results are going to be over time.
4. Sleep Schedule
How well are you sleeping during the night?
Some people don’t get enough rest and then wonder why they can’t seem to shed weight. The real issue is your body has to recover and most of the “weight loss” happens when you are not moving around.
This allows the body to recuperate and make adjustments.
The reasons include:
- Organizes Your Day
- Helps The Body Relax
If you are someone that is not even taking the time to follow a sleep schedule, the results are going to be awful.
You are not going to see the value in what you are investing in time-wise. This is why you have to look at sleeping at least 8-10 hours per night.
This is how you are going to give the body enough time to reenergize.
5. Stress
Do you deal with a lot of stress?
It’s common for people these days to have stress at work or even during their personal lives. If that is something you can associate with then it’s time to see what can be done to improve the situation.
Sometimes, it is not easy to do so and that is okay. You will want to start incorporating ways to calm yourself down early on in the day.
This can include something as simple as sitting on a bench and soaking in the quiet for 20-30 minutes. This can be a form of meditation.
Other people prefer getting a weekly massage to relax the tension in their minds and bodies. This is up to you.
6. Exercise Schedule
It is important to work out when it comes to losing weight and staying healthy during menopause. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t work out enough and that can elongate the process.
Your goal should be to follow a complete exercise schedule.
The benefits include:
- Faster Weight Loss
- Helps Strengthen The Body and Heart
If you are doing this, you are going to start seeing results faster. Even someone that follows the meal plan listed above needs to have a lifestyle change that will make it better.
What can you do to lose weight through exercise?
RELATED READING: Can Walking 2 Hours a Day Help with Weight Loss?
You can incorporate something as straightforward as walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes or playing a game of tennis with your friends.
It comes down to what you like doing.
The goal is to get the heart rate up for at least 20-30 minutes each day. Of course, if you can go past this number that is great too!
7. Learn to Meditate
Meditation is the name of the game when it comes to relaxing the mind.
Sometimes, it is not just about stress in your life but just rebalancing yourself mentally. People feel like they are losing control all the time but that is where meditation does help.
Some people look at yoga as an option and this is up to you.
Go with what works for you and your body.
8. Track Your Intake
It is one thing to eat the right way and another to know what you are doing. Some people struggle with this because they know it is important to eat healthily but don’t realize why tracking the consumption is essential too.
You have to know what is going into the body and how it impacts your overall goal. This includes the number of calories you are eating, the nutrients your body is getting, and how it impacts your lifestyle.
If you want to track this information, download a simple app that will allow you to scan foods and track lifestyle decisions including your workout sessions.
The benefits include:
- Easier To See Mistakes
- Faster Weight Loss
To the surprise of many people, it is something like this that will organize their life. You will begin to see clearly what works and what does not during the day.
It will become much harder to make mistakes because each detail is tracked through the app.
9. Don’t Starve
Studies show a person that attempts to starve themselves will ruin their muscle mass and also reduce their weight loss success rate [2].
This might surprise you.
A lot of people assume cutting down the calories dramatically is ideal. Yes, it will help you lose weight but it will also damage your health to the point your weight loss is useless. If you don’t feel good, the weight loss is going to do nothing for you.
It’s important to have a complete meal plan that is nutritious and tastes the way you want it to. If you don’t take the time to think about this, you are going to remain a step behind and even harm yourself.
Follow the plan to a tee and know you are on the right path when it comes to shedding weight.
Final Thoughts
If you want to lose weight the right way, it becomes doubly important to follow the 5-day meal plan listed here. It’s going to make it a lot easier for you to shed excess fat and remain on top of things throughout the process.
Remember, just having a good meal plan is not enough. It is the foundational element of weight loss but it is not the only step you have to consider during the process.
It’s also important to think about what you are going to do during the rest of the day. This includes how well you rest, exercise, and even reduce stress. It is these details that are going to come together to help get rid of the excess fat as soon as you want.
It is important to go through these details and organize each aspect of your life for long-term success.
Follow the meal plan listed here and know you are on the right track.
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