When most people try to lose weight, they watch one number: the scale. But not all weight loss is...
Gaining a Pound a Year Doubles Breast Cancer Risk
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: June 17, 2010
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A new study from the National Cancer Institute has found that women with a normal body mass index (BMI) at age 20 who gained a pound a year are at twice the risk for post-menopausal breast cancer when compared to women who did not gain weight as they aged. There are many risk factors for breast cancer, including family history, your age when you first menstruated, or the age that you gave birth, but weight gain is a major risk factor. Weight gain accumulates excess body fat, which in turn increases the level of estrogen, a major element in fueling the growth of post-menopausal breast cancer.
It can be frustrating to keep your weight down, especially since your metabolism slows down as you age, but with some effort and planning using the following tips, you can reduce your risk of post-menopausal breast cancer:
- Reduce your calories and increase your activity. The simplest way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and burn more through increased physical activity. One pound of body fat is equivalent to about 3,500 calories, so if you can reduce your calories by 300 a day and burn 200 a day with additional activity, you can lose a pound a week.
- Build muscle. Your metabolism will remain high as you age if you build muscle, which burns more calories than fat. Additionally, you begin to shed muscle after the age of 40, so it’s important to maintain your muscle levels as well.
- Watch out for hormonal birth control. Many birth control methods are known to cause weight gain in some women. If you’re experiencing weight gain when using birth control pills, intrauterine devices, or a shot like Depo-Provera, talk to your doctor about an alternative method.
- Get quality sleep. Your risk of heart disease and metabolic syndrome can increase with too little sleep. In addition, your body won’t produce enough leptin, a hormone that regulates your hunger drive, and so sleep deprivation can lead to overeating.
- Eat several small meals a day. By eating one small meal every three hours, you can control your eating and resist binge eating. This type of approach can also help boost your metabolism and regulate your blood-sugar levels. Limit your meals to 250 to 300 calories each and make sure they have a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Tracking your progress can help you see how these small changes make a difference. You don’t have to be a slave to your scale, but weighing yourself regularly will help you to keep on track and maintain the healthy weight that you want.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
