I love my life after menopause, so why am I gaining weight?

The kids are out of the house, you have achieved job security paving the road to retirement, you love your mate, and maybe have grandchildren to boot. What can be better? You’re not queuing up at the all-you-can-eat buffet every night. You are not an emotional eater. So what gives about midlife weight gain? The transition into menopause brings physical changes, too, that can creep up slowly. Fat redistributes to the middle, blood glucose rises, and insulin is put to the test. Not to mention, you lose 5% of your muscle mass every 10 years that you do not build muscle, and you tend to become more sedentary as you age and your metabolism slows. So even if you have no emotional issues that trigger poor eating, you can still gain weight during menopause. To counteract it, get those 10,000 steps a day (no excuses!), keep eating right, and keep that stress in check.