Stay In The Moment And Stop Rushing Off To Do Things
Focusing on just one thing seems so 1980! Who does that? We have texts to read and send, emails to check, selfies to take, and a whole host of other things that take us away from the moment at hand. This one. Now this one
Stay in the moment, and youre likely to have less belly fat, according to a study from the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Focus on the moment at hand, breathe, and take in your surroundings instead of constantly rushing off to do things. Unconsciously, you may find yourself slipping into a smaller pair of pants.
Update Your Healthy Sleep Strategies To Rest Better And Fight Weight Gain
Insomnia is an extremely common symptom of perimenopause, which is the period of time when womens bodies transition toward their final menstrual cycle. And according to the North American Menopause Society, that transition phase can last for four to eight years. All that time spent waking up unrefreshed means youre probably feeling too exhausted to head out for a workout, too. Its imperative to get sleep as you get older, says Peeke. One of the things that truly helps combat the menopot is high-quality sleep.
Inadequate sleep impacts our hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin and leptin become dysfunctional when you dont get enough sleep, so good luck trying to lose weight if you dont fix that problem, says Peeke.
Palumbo says that you should close your kitchen and brush your teeth by 7 p.m. This will keep you from eating late, which can keep you from getting restful slumber and cause you to pack on the pounds. You shouldnt be eating before you sleep, because it will interrupt your sleep, she says.
Aim for a minimum of seven hours of shut-eye, although this varies from person to person and over time. Keep your bedroom cool to offset hot flashes and night sweats, and turn off all glowing screens for at least an hour before you want to fall asleep. If you really cant fathom doing that, wear amber-lensed glasses to counteract the sleep-disrupting effects of blue light, or see if your device has an amber light setting, says Peeke.
The Drop In Estrogen Changes A Womans Shape
The natural drop in estrogen levels after menopause, cause natural pears to store more fat in the belly area and less in the lower body.
Both pears and apples easily gain stomach fat during and after menopause when high stress, inactivity, and poor eating habits are present.
While you cant turn back the hands of time on estrogen production, you can control some of the other hormonal imbalances that cause post-menopausal belly fat by reducing stress, getting adequate sleep, exercising, and most importantly changing the foods you eat.
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Belly Fats Hormonal Connection
Perimenopause and menopause are stages of major flux in a woman’s hormone levels. Estrogen may be dropping but also spiking. In this state of imbalance, hormonal or metabolic imbalances that were once simmering invisibly on the back burner can start making themselves known.
One of estrogen’s actions is to deposit fat onto your hips. As estrogen levels decline, that signal can weaken and fat deposition shifts to your abdomen, resulting in an expanding waistline. Sometimes this happens without weight gain its more about body fat redistribution. If you were pear shaped as a younger woman, you might become more apple shaped as you age.
The Female Belly Fat Formula
The female formula for belly fat looks something like this: Estrogen= belly fat
This means insulin & cortisol combined along with excess testosterone & low estrogen = belly fat
And we could even take it a step further to X ST = Belly Fat.
Where F= fat, SS= sugar/starch, ST= stress.
The most significant impact on the hormone insulin is excess calories in the context of starch/sugar. Foods that combine fat and sugar have the greatest number of calories and the most negative impact on fat-storing hormones.
Add stress, and you have cortisol added to the mix. Cortisol added to insulin is a bad combination and is the most problematic hormonal combination for belly fat. But when stress becomes chronic or extreme in a female, the hypothalamus & pituitary becomes irritated , and you get downstream effects on the thyroid, adrenal, and ovarian hormone production. Chronic stress in women leads to increased testosterone and lower estrogen and progesterone.
The other aspects of stress are more hidden. Not only does stress raise testosterone, lower estrogen, and negatively impact insulin in women, it also causes increased hunger, constant cravings, and a physiology that is more likely to lose muscle.
This drives home the point that belly fat is not a simple matter of gaining or losing fat. Calories matter, but hormones matter more when it comes to where we store fat and how to attack stubborn areas of body fat unique to us.
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And Maybe Cut Your Carbs Too
You dont have to go low carb to lose body fat and lower belly fat. But breaking up with bread might help you reach your goal a little faster.
In a 2014 study, participants who ate a low carb diet lost more weight than those who ate a low fat diet. Bazzano LA. . Effects of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets. Going low carb also seems to help people lose more fat while preserving calorie-torching lean muscle tissue.
Getting Rid Of Abdominal Fat After 40
What is abdominal fat? There are different types of abdominal fat. The type you find just below the skin, which is called subcutaneous fat the one within the skeletal muscles and the visceral fat, which is packed between your abdominal organs. We refer to visceral fat as belly fat, beer belly or more scientifically, intra-abdominal fat.
What are the health risks? Belly fat is among the most dangerous types of fat. It increases the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and premature death. The drop in estrogen levels at menopause can increase your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that results in buildup of belly fat. Moreover, stress caused by dieting can also increase cortisol levels, resulting in no change in belly fat even with calorie restriction!
How to Measure Your Belly Fat, According to Health Harvard
1- Body mass index : BMI measurements help identify people whose weight increases their risk for heart disease or diabetes. For example, people with BMIs between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight. Those with BMIs over 30 fall into the obese category. To calculate your BMI, go to BMI Calculator or use this formula: Weight in pounds ? 703 2
2- Waist-to-hip ratio: To find your waist-to-hip ratio, divide your waist measurement at its narrowest point by your hip measurement at its widest point. For women, the risk for heart disease and stroke begins to rise at a ratio of about 0.8.
2. Pay attention to portion sizes and give up second helpings.
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Chronic Stress Feeds Belly Fat
Some underlying triggers for this weight shift may be out of our control, but other aspects are very much within our control. One factor that we can influence is stress. Belly fat contains receptors for cortisol, our bodys main stress hormone. When we’re stressed our adrenals release cortisol and this stimulates these belly fat receptors resulting in the formation of even more belly fat.
Constantly feeling stressed out may seem like the norm in today’s fast-paced society but that does not mean that it’s healthy. To tame your cortisol levels, do whatever works for you to slow down and de-stress: unplug, delegate, meditate, stretch and relax. Taking a high quality adrenal supplement also helps to support balanced cortisol levels.
Keep in mind that stress can also be physical, mostly due to inflammation. Chronic inflammation alone can make it hard to lose added weight because it inhibits some enzymes that normally break down fats in the body. So, get some help to optimize your health and tackle inflammation. Take care of gut imbalances and other inflammatory conditions, like thyroid disease or hashimotos. Slowing of your metabolism, weight gain and trouble losing it commonly go along with low thyroid function.
These issues may not produce symptoms until you hit menopause, so it’s a good idea for any woman hitting menopause to get her thyroid function checked, including thyroid antibodies, especially if there’s a family history of thyroid problems.
Be Mindful Of Portion Sizes
When it comes to losing weight, what actually moves the needle is always dietary change, says Dr. Cederquist.It doesn’t matter if all you eat is grilled chicken, brown rice, and broccoli. If you don’t cut back on your portions, you won’t lose weight. Everyone’s calorie needs are different, but in general, a woman is has typically been eating 2,000 calories per day should aim to cut back to 1,5001,600 a day to lose weight, recommends Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D.N., nutrition expert and author of Eating in Color.
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How Can A 55 Year Old Lose Weight
Rapid weight gain or swelling in particular areas of the body can be due to fluid retention and may be a sign of heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, a weight gain of more than 23 pounds over 24 hours or 5 lb in a week could be a sign of heart failure.
Proven Ways To Get Rid Of Belly Fat After Menopause
It strikes without warning. One day youre strolling along, thinking youre finally getting the hang of this thing called life, when BAM! it hits you as you try to zip up your pants. Its a reminder that you are not yet done with every challenge.
Can you guess what it is? Yup: belly fat.
Those two little words strike more fear in women than standing in front of a four-way mirror trying on swimsuits.
If I had a dime for every email I got that asked me how to get rid of belly fat, Id be on my own private island, under a palm tree, being fed peeled grapes by a half-naked man named Sven. Such is not the case.
Why is belly fat such a big issue after 60, you ask? Great question. I wish we could blame global warming, the flat earthers, or the pandemic, but sadly, theres more to it.
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Menopause Hormones And Fat
In menopause, the function of the ovaries deteriorates and eventually stops. This leads to a reduction in production estrogen which also affects the levels of progesterone and testosterone. This change in hormones has significant effects on your health and ability to burn body fat.
Technically you enter menopause when you have your last natural spontaneous periods. On average the menopause happens between the ages of 45 and 55 but there is natural variation from 40 to 60.
The most typical symptoms from the hormonal changes of menopause include sweating and hot flashes. Sleep disturbances are also very common.
Depression, mood swings and lack of motivation are also possible mental effects of menopause. Reduced estrogen and testosterone levels naturally affect libido and lowered libido is very typical.
Menopausal belly fat is linked with testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. All of these hormones have important function in your metabolism. They keep your muscle mass at youthful levels and help you keep active. They also directly affect how your body uses nutrients.
Essentially after menopause, your body is primed to lose muscle mass and to store fat.
Loss of muscle mass is natural as we age and menopause exacerbates the problem with these hormonal changes.
Add Purslane To Your Salad
Most people have no idea what purslane is. I didnt either until I discovered my problem with eating excess fructose and how it contributes to fatty liver, among other problems.
So I decided to up my omega-3s, particularly since an omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, seems to reverse the harmful changes to belly fat produced by fructose. In fact, DHA doesnt just change one or two genes, it pushes an entire block of genes back to normal.
Purslane offers the richest of omega-3s and melatonin that you can obtain from a green vegetablemostly alpha linolenic acid , which can be converted into DHA. One chef calls it a miniature jade plant. I call it a super food, a weed worth eating, because its nutrient density strengthens synapses, or connections in your brain, and enhances memory and learning.
I grow it in my garden, then chop it in salads or add it to soups at the very end. You can grow it too, or buy it at your local farmers market, next to the sorrel and nettles.
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Getting Rid Of Lower Stomach Fat
First, throw out the idea that you can spot treat areas of fat on your body. You can do thousands of reps of toning exercises to tighten your waistline and not see fat loss.
Exercises like cardio, yoga, and crunches may tone your muscles and strengthen your lower abs, but they wont erase fat deposits.
The only way to lose fat on your lower stomach is to lose fat overall. A calorie deficit helps with this.
Belly Fat Reduction & Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Estrogen replacement therapy can redistribute fat and help you feel well enough to exercise regularly.
Estrogen replacement therapy helps reduce many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. However, it may offer another benefit. During menopause, you may notice that you seem to accumulate more fat in your abdominal area. Studies show that estrogen replacement therapy may help you avoid this issue. Learn more about how hormone therapy can help you reduce your belly fat during menopause.
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Losing Post Menopausal Belly Fat
All you older ladies reading this know that losing post-menopausal belly fat can feel hard or almost impossible. Today we will talk about why that is and look for a few tips on how to get rid of postmenopausal belly fat.
As you go through menopause, some significant hormonal changes happen in your body that greatly affect your ability to use body fat for energy and increase its storage. I will talk more about that in a moment.
The same hormonal changes will also affect your muscles and bone health, so its important to do your best to counteract them.
Menopause can also lead to decreased activity which can further worsen then situation.
So lets look at what it is exactly that menopause does to a womans body and what causes belly fat in females over 50.
How To Get Rid Of Hormonal Belly Fat Safely
Modest weight loss goals can be accomplished with moderate home workouts. But for weight loss goals of 15 pounds or more, a comprehensive approach including dietary changes will be needed.
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What I Tell My Patients Who Want To Lose Belly Fat: A Hormone Expert Explains
When you gain excess weight, particularly at the waist, your bodys biochemistry spirals downward. You create more inflammation and oxidative stress, and promote even more fat storage. The result is a vicious cycle of hormonal misfires, symptoms, and disease that will drag you down unless you flip the switch.
If you want to burn belly fat, there are 10 key strategies to implement, and most involve food. These are the same strategies that I applied to my own body to cut visceral fat.
Keep in mind that not all calories are the same. Calories from some foods make you store belly fatlike excess carbohydrateswhile other foods make you store muscle and burn fat. And while calories matter, hormones matter more. In particular, reducing your belly fat involves the reset of the belly fat hormones: insulin, leptin, cortisol, growth hormone and adiponectin.
How To Get Cortisol Under Control
Tips for maintaining healthy, balanced cortisol levels include the following:
- Consider what relaxes you. Is it meditation? A walk in the park? A bubble bath? Engaging in a creative project? Find what relieves stress for you, and integrate it into your daily routine.
- Exercise regularly, and give yoga a try if its not already part of your workout regimen. The synchronized breathwork that accompanies a nice, flowing vinyasa routine calms the nervous system and reduces cortisol all while giving your body and mind a thorough workout.
- Listen to your favorite music. A 2011 study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology found that patients who listened to instrumental music during surgery had lower cortisol levels than a control group.
- Get enough sleep at night. Have you ever noticed how easily stressed and anxious you become on days when youre sleep deprived? This happens because during a night of deep, restorative sleep, your body is working to balance all hormones, including cortisol. A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine explored how sleep deprivation impacted helicopter pilots on a 7-day emergency medical duty. Findings suggested it was sleep deprivation not the act of emergency medical care that elevated adrenaline and cortisol levels.
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