Have you noticed how our stomach fat not only seems to increase as we get older but refuses to budge? It is certainly something I have noticed!
The reason we may be experiencing this increase is, that when we begin to reach menopause, our oestrogen levels start to reduce. This has an effect on how fat is dispersed within our body, leading to an increase in the stomach area.
We may not be able to over-indulge in chocolate and deserts without noticing a substantial difference. It can then be far more difficult to burn those calories, as the speed we burn them at is down to muscle mass, which also starts to decrease as we age.
Building muscle toning exercises into our weekly routine have never been more important.
The benefits include not only speeding up our metabolism to aid fat burning, but are a great way to help keep those dreaded bat wings at bay!
Protein
It is essential to include more protein in our diet to increase muscle mass and aid efficient calorie burning.
Plus an added bonus with protein is that it helps you to feel more full, and hopefully as a result, less likely to reach for as many snacks.
Foods with a high content of protein include:
lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, whey protein, yogurt, lentils, nuts and seeds. Lean chicken and turkey having the highest content.
If you are not a meat-eater, seeds can easily be sprinkled on foods and salads; with hemp seeds having the highest protein content of all seeds, followed by pumpkin seeds.
As for unavoidable snacking because we are all human, nuts are ideals for this, and the ones with the most protein are peanuts followed by almonds and pistachios.
Stress
Another factor causing a unwanted bulge could be too much stress.
Stress leads to the release of cortisol in our body which transfers more fat to our stomach. Trying to keep stress levels down is important so there has been no better time to take up yoga or practice meditation.
Alternatively take time out to distract yourself for a while with something therapeutic, creative or even watch a comedy, these are all good for lowering stress levels.
Lack of Sleep.
As lack of sleep causes our bodies to function less efficiently, it results in our metabolism slowing down. Add to the mix that you’re are less likely to want to exercise due to tiredness and you are also more likely to experience sugar cravings.
There have been studies that suggest, sleep deprivation produces a hormone called Ghrelin; which both induces appetite and fat production. The problem is that during menopause we can not only experience insomnia more but can be woken in the night with hot flushes. This is something I can suffer with and feel it is an ongoing battle to get a decent nights sleep.
Top tips to keep excess stomach fat at bay:
Consume plenty of protein to increase muscle mass needed to burn calories efficiently
Keep stress levels down to prevent the release of excess cortisol
Check labels when reaching for low-fat products as they can still have a high sugar content
Be more conscious of portion size and as tempting as it can often be, try to avoid eating late at night when our metabolism rate slows down
As difficult as it can be during menopause, try to get as much sleep as possible.