Your midsection is getting softer and chubbier, but it doesn’t make sense…you are eating right and  just as active as you have been for years.  It feels as if your body is out of balance… like there’s something else going on that is making your trim waistline a thing of the past. 

You are right! That is actually exactly what’s happening…as we age there are many external and internal forces causing an imbalance which makes losing belly fat much more difficult than it was in our 20s and 30s. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do about it. The first is to understand why it happens.  Once you do, you will be better equipped to lose the extra belly fat.

External forces such as kids, college tuition, mortgage, job and balancing life for yourself between marriage and/or an active social  calendar can create  stress.  Stress can then lead to an increase in cortisol, triggering your body to store fat around the middle.

Additionally, internal forces brought on by menopause and perimenopause cause alterations in your hormones.  According to Dr. Mehmet Oz ” the number one reason it is so hard to lose belly fat is hormonal imbalance.”  Changes in hormones, which happen with normal aging, alter where your body stores fat, making women more prone to gain weight around the middle.  Sleep disturbances alone, which are common in menopause and perimenopause are associated with decreased levels of leptin (an appetite suppressant) and increased levels of ghrelin (an appetite stimulant).

Belly Busters:

Balance your hormones.  Estrogens, cortisol, leptin, progesterone, testosterone and all the other hormones which go out of balance as we age make losing weight hard without the help of an expert.  What you have done in the past is most likely not going to work as well as it once did.

Exercise.  NAMS, The North American Menopause Society, as well as almost all other reputable societies, suggest 150 minutes of HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training, each week to maintain a strong heart, strong bones, fit trim bodies, and an optimal body composition (fat/muscle ratio).

Eat more foods that burn belly fat.  Some of these include organically grown nuts, coconut oil, seeds, avocados, wild Alaskan salmon, grass-fed meats, grass-fed butter, etc.  

Eat less foods that pack on weight.  Foods to avoid include: cakes, breads, processed foods and high-fructose fruits.

Eat less sugar and simple carbohydrates.  One of the most efficient ways to trim your body is to remove most of the sugars and starches from your diet and replace them with healthier choices.  This is true for everyone, whether you’re an elite athlete or a sedentary diabetic.

Experts in Hormone Balancing and Weight Loss

With over 30 years of experience and numerous board certifications and credentials, Dr. Watts, MD, ND, MSNM and Helena Williams, ARNP, MS are experts in the science and art of Integrative Medicine, Bio-identical Hormone Balancing, and Weight Loss.  Hormones are an essential component of almost every cell and every major function of our body. Balance is critical and, when achieved, can make weight loss much easier and bring about remarkable improvements in many other aspects of life. Due to the sensitive nature of hormone balancing, it is imperative that you work in partnership with an experienced provider and program.

To learn more, come to an upcoming seminar (RSVP), visit the website at TheRenewalPoint.com, and/or call 941-926-4905. 

Reference:

Dr. Mehmet Oz, “Dr. Oz, The Good Life” Essential Guide to Your Best Body; July 2019