How to avoid putting on weight during andropause

The sad fact is that losing weight does become harder for men as we age. Muscle mass and metabolism decline, hormones that regulate your appetite and how full you feel fluctuate and often we just aren’t as physically active as we once were and may be eating and drinking more.

Significantly too, levels of testosterone wane after 40 by around 1% a year¹(and this decline can be exacerbated by lifestyle factors such as stress, excessive drinking and not getting enough sleep) and low testosterone levels can lead to symptoms of andropause which not only include weight gain [link to Why we gain weight during andropause] but also low energy, low libido, sleep problems, mood swings and depression – factors that can make shedding weight even harder. That said, it might be tough but it is certainly not impossible and there is a lot you can do to prevent, or reverse, weight gain by making strategic lifestyle adjustments including:

Take regular exercise

Evidence shows regular resistance or strength training (particularly lifting weights) and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) naturally boosts testosterone levels.² Regular moderate exercise will also help you manage stress (and therefore cortisol, a stress hormone which if not managed can lead to you putting on weight around your gut) and be better able to lose body fat. It is also linked to more balanced leptin levels, the hormone which signals when you have eaten enough.

Eat a healthy balanced diet

Limiting ultra-processed and/or sugary foods and focusing on a diet rich in protein, plenty of vegetables and fruit, wholegrains and healthy fats (like the Mediterranean diet) can help you to maintain a healthy weight, build muscle mass, boost metabolism and support muscle growth. It should also help balance your blood sugar levels and lower your risk of insulin resistance. There are also certain foods which can boost testosterone such as oysters, seafood and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

Try time-restricted eating

Research suggests that intermittent fasting – quite simply not eating for certain allocated times during the day - can help you to lose weight and keep it off. It can also lead to better bone health and increased muscle mass and has a positive effect on metabolic health (leading to more balanced levels of blood sugar and less abdominal fat). For advice on the different types of intermittent fasting and how it can affect your health read Andropause and intermittent fasting here.

Cultivate good gut health

Eating a balanced, nutrient-dense diet can not only help your overall health it should also contribute to a healthier gut microbiome and research shows eating a diverse diet is what allows different gut microbes to thrive. High fibre food like fruits, vegetables, pulses, seeds and nuts are important for literally feeding the bugs and helping them to increase in number.
Similarly prebiotic ones like Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic and leeks (prebiotics act like a kind of fertiliser helping to feed the ‘friendly’ bacteria) and probiotic ones containing beneficial live microbiota like natural unsweetened live yogurt, sourdough bread and fermented foods and drinks offer related benefits. You can also get probiotics in supplement form if you are not getting enough from your food.

Eat more mindfully

Becoming more focused on how you are eating has been shown to be a helpful tool when managing your weight and studies show it is associated with lower body weight.³ So rather than just grabbing something and wolfing it down on the go try slowing down, ideally sit down and be more attuned to how hungry you are, how full you are feeling and really savor the textures and tastes of your food. Another good way to be more mindful is to serve yourself smaller portions and allow yourself more only when you are still hungry.

Get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can raise both cortisol levels ⁴ and lower testosterone. To give you an idea of the impact it can have, in clinical trials testosterone levels dropped by 10-15% in healthy young men who slept for less than five hours a night for just one week.⁵
Poor sleep is also linked to increases in ghrelin (known as the ‘hunger hormone’ as it signals to your brain when it is time to eat), overeating and putting on weight. For more helpful advice on how to sleep better read Andropause and sleep here. If you are having trouble sleeping you could benefit from a supplement designed to support sleep cycles – look for those containing soporific botanical ingredients such as chamomile and/or Montmorency cherry and stress-regulating herbs like Ashwaghanda.

Manage stress

It’s unrealistic to think you can avoid stress completely but having the tools to manage it will help. Take time to actively ground yourself - have regular breaks, get out into nature, exercise when you can, try yoga, Tai Chi, deep breathing exercises or mindfulness (research shows that regularly practicing mindfulness lowers cortisol)⁶
Help de-stress your mind more by having regular breaks from social media and ‘doom scrolling’. Avoid sugary and/or processed or refined carbohydrate foods and caffeine which can lead to a stress response in the body.

Cut down on alcohol

Unfortunately regularly knocking back the booze can not only adversely change the balance of bacteria in your gut (by reducing the variety and number of different species that go to make up a diverse and healthy gut colony) but being hungover is also more likely to make you choose unhealthy foods to help mitigate your hangover symptoms. Alcohol is also generally high in calories and is known to contribute to weight gain around the abdomen. Plus when you drink, your leptin levels can become disrupted and ghrelin levels elevated, increasing your appetite and making you more likely to overeat.⁷ Aim for at least two to three alcohol-free days a week.

References

James Davis

Coaching Psychologist

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