Menopause Belly Fat:
Whether the risks outweigh the benefits, though, is something each woman should discuss with her healthcare provider, especially as new, lower-dose formulations have become available. ‘Water weight’ (fluid retention) related to shifting hormones can also lead to a bloated menopause belly (the same thing may have happened to you when you were on your period). However, bloating from gas or fluid is not true weight gain, even if the scale is reading higher.
‘What we did when we were 30 and what we do when we’re 60 is very different,’ says Kathryn A. Boling, MD, a family medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center in Lutherville, Maryland. ‘We have to adjust our exercise some as we get older.’ If you’ve lost some gusto, create incentives for yourself to stay moving. ‘I have an Apple Watch, and I like to see that [completed exercise] circle closed,’ she says. A gym membership isn’t a requirement, but you do need to do enough strength training to keep your muscles strong and your metabolism revved.
While menopause weight gain is normal, there are things you can do to deal with it. Reducing stress and anxiety can curb some unhealthy eating habits. What’s more, stress can actually be part of the reason why you’re experiencing belly bloat. Your body shape may internet change during and after menopause, and that’s natural. Fat that is present on your butt and thighs may move to your belly. You may find that even though the number on the scale is not moving that much, your clothes are not fitting the way that they used to.
I have done in the past and found it helpful but it is challenging to do sometimes. more info can be a challenging symptom to manage, but it’s certainly not impossible. Some women also have thyroid issues that can make weight loss harder than it needs to be. Check out my guide to help you understand the best supplements to combat menopausal weight gain. If you want to lose weight, focus on making small, sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle.
In her early 50s, not long after realizing she didn’t have a thyroid issue, Niebergall became interested in powerlifting and discovered a coach named Jordan Syatt. While Syatt was indeed a great powerlifting coach, Niebergall later discovered he knew a lot about nutrition and fat loss too. Muscle mass does, however, decrease with age, and the less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism ‘ however, the effect of this isn’t huge.
But if you’ve lived a stressful life and are still living one in menopause then this could affect your adrenals ability to make these hormones. If you’re stressed out then your body will focus on making more cortisol instead of estrogen. To put it simply, excess added sugar is not your friend ‘ especially if you want to get rid of have a peek here. Your progesterone decreases during menopause too, and this contributes to elevated cortisol levels in the body.
You can also try adding mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation to your routine. The best exercise for menopause weight gain is really whatever you like doing. You’re more likely to approach a workout with a positive attitude and stick with it if it’s something you enjoy. Doing ‘targeted” abdominal exercises to get rid of belly fat sounds like it would help, but you can’t tell your body exactly where to shed pounds.
Stand with your back against a wall and arms at your side with palms facing up. Slowly raise your arms overhead while maintaining contact with the wall and hold for five seconds. Part of the decline in metabolism with age can be attributed to the loss of this tissue.
The researchers suggest that those who use these products may be nearly three times more likely to need hospitalization or emergency care than those taking vitamin supplements. One day you check the scale and you’ll see you gained 25 pounds practically overnight. The troubling thing about this is you could have been underweight all your life until now. This makes it confusing how to even approach how to get rid of this newfound menopause fat gain. Bodywork therapies like chiropractic or massage can significantly boost your menopause journey. These treatments, often used for relaxation, can also help manage symptoms such as hot flashes and insomnia.
Hormone therapy (HT) will not help you lose weight, nor is it indicated for weight loss. It also won’t prevent hair loss, stop wrinkles or halt the aging process. HT may actually contribute to a little bloating in the midsection for some patients. Although HT will not cause weight loss, there is some evidence that it can help redistribute fat from the midsection to the peripheral sites, thighs and gluteal region. The best advice is to adhere to healthy eating practices and engage in regular exercise. Dr. Pattimakiel suggests cutting back on processed foods in favor of whole, natural foods and eating less added sugar (including sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners).
Activities, such as yoga and tai chi, along with cardio and strength training exercises, enable your body to maintain the strength and flexibility needed to keep your spine straight and your body standing tall. Reducing the menopause belly starts with a review of your diet as well. If you’re taking in more calories than you burn, the excess is stored. The decline in hormones during and after menopause is just one part of the menopause belly. This phenomenon, also known as menopause belly, is a result of shifting hormones, an activation of a ‘menopausal gene’, as well as changes in exercise and diet.
Once you stop getting your period, you may find that you do not experience bloating anymore. If your knees and other joints tend to hurt during exercise, try swimming and water aerobics. The buoyancy of water takes pressure off your joints, giving you the ability to exercise without pain.
And getting rid of your visceral fat in the weight around your belly is important to reduce your risk of heart disease. Intermittent Fasting in your 40s, 50s, and beyond is a great way for weight loss and to lose abdominal fat. You’ll not only be cutting down on calories by skipping meals but you’ll also release fat-burning hormones into your body. Studies have found menopausal women lost weight and reduced their waist circumference with intermittent fasting (32).
So yes, decreasing estrogen levels can affect your fat mass in the midsection area. Many women gain a ‘menopause belly’ in their 40s and 50s, and many of us know from experience it can be frustrating to try and work it off. As you move through the stages of menopause, your hormones shift causing a shift in where your body deposits fat.
However, it has taken time and hard work and an attention to multiple components of lifestyle beyond diet (like sleep, for example). I was presenting at a conference and right before I hit the stage, it went ‘ shooting at a high rate of speed and landing in front of my shoe. My favorite black pants that fit like a glove in my 30s and early 40s would no longer conform to a changing midsection.