Are you struggling to lose fat from your middle?
It’s the most common area for people to want to lose weight from, yet it is also the most stubborn area to see progress.
So, here are some ideas for where to focus your attention:
Nutrition
If your diet isn’t right, you’re going to struggle to get your belly fat to shift.
So, make sure you’re mostly eating whole, real foods with plenty of protein and veggies, and are keeping super processed food to a minimum. Make sure you’re doing this at least 80% of the time. If you’re eating 3 meals a day, this means you can afford to have 4 meals a week which are not goal focussed.
It’s worth keeping an eye on your portion sizes too, especially of things which are easy to overeat like starchy carbs, nuts, cheese etc. You should also check you’re getting about a litre and a half of water a day as well.
Exercise
Sadly, you can’t choose where the fat will come off your body.
Doing exercises targeted to your middle does not mean you’ll lose fat in that area. Your muscles in that area will get bigger and stronger, which will contribute to a more toned look when the fat does come away.
The biggest driver of your belly fat is your diet.
Hormones
When we’re stressed, it’s common for our body to store fat around our middle. Cortisol is a hormone which is released when we’re stressed, and it can trigger sugar cravings as well as promoting fat storage.
Likewise, hormone changes during the menopause have been shown to drive hunger and increase caloric intake, as well as influencing where our body stores fat. Menopause is also linked to a slower metabolism which serves to amplify these effects.
So, make sure you’re managing your stress by getting enough good quality sleep, take time to de-stress by reading, breathing or stretching, and spend more time outside….. And aim to manage the changes in your hormones as you move through menopause by keeping a close eye on your diet and optimising your exercise routine too.