Top 3 Tips for "Meno-belly"

The term "Meno-belly" has been floating around and is being used to describe the increase in belly fat that is commonly seen in women as they go through menopause. Depending on what you read you will find conflicting information on whether or not this weight gain is linked to hormonal changes.

According to Menopause.org, there is no scientific evidence that menopause or hormone therapy is responsible for midlife weight gain. Stating that age and lifestyle are the main culprits. But, if you read ncbi.nlm.nih.gov it states that weight gain in midlife women may be primarily due to the hormonal changes associated with the menopausal transition.

In my opinion, both make total sense, and both can contribute to "Meno-belly."

As we grow older our metabolism slows down, our lean body mass decreases and fat starts accumulating in the places we don't want it to, like our belly, plus our hormones are shifting and changing, just like they did when we were going through adolescence. 

That means what worked for you when you were in your 20s probably won't work now that you are in your 40s. 


SO, what does that mean, what can we do? 


1. Stop running and doing high-impact workouts. Are you exhausted all the time? Do your joints ache? Do you crave sugar all the time? You could be overtraining, which affects your hormones. At this stage in life, we should be focusing on strength training and mindfulness practices like yoga. 

2. Sleep! When was the last time you slept through the night? Your body needs recovery otherwise our stress hormone, cortisol rises and that stubborn belly fat increases. Stop doing high-intensity workouts and see if you sleep better. 

3. Protein is an important amino acid that we need to help our body repair cells and make new ones. This is important since we can experience a decrease in muscle mass and bone strength. Eating adequate amounts of protein can help keep our metabolism running smoothly.