The importance of caloric deficit during menopause

According to some research, resting energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned while resting, declines during and after menopause.

While it may be tempting to try a very low-calorie diet to lose weight quickly, consuming so few calories can sometimes make it difficult to lose weight.

Research shows that restricting calories to low levels causes loss of muscle mass and a further drop in metabolic rate.

So, while a very low-calorie diet may lead to short-term weight loss, their effect on muscle mass and metabolic rate will make weight maintenance difficult.

Also read: Why menopause makes it harder to lose weight

Moreover, insufficient calorie intake and reduced muscle mass can lead to bone loss. This can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle that can be maintained over the long term can help preserve your metabolism and reduce the amount of muscle mass you lose as you age.

Weight loss requires a caloric deficit. However, excessive calorie reduction increases the loss of muscle mass, which accelerates the decline in metabolism that occurs with age.