Every now and again I break down and buy a magazine that catches my eye and the November issue of Prevention Magazine did just that with “Get a Flatter Belly at ANY age”…… 40’s, 50’s and 60’s –By Karen Asp, so I thought I’d share….
In a survey 72% of women wished they had a flatter tummy – for me it’s thighs and calves, but here’s the belly scoop.
… If your waist is less than 35 inches – you are good to go – anything over that starts to affect your health. Visceral fat produces chemicals that create harmful inflammation in the body – it also builds up around your organs and can push them against your abdomen wall.
So how can you slim your body and brighten your mood – by exercising! Exercise stimulating your feel-good hormones. Exercise can also help keep you healthy which allows you to be more productive – and who’s not happy when they check things off their to-do list.
If your late 30’s – 40’s there is a good chance you are starting to see a little extra belly flab. That’s because you have probably begun perimenopause. As your estrogen levels start to drop your metabolism dips a little too. Stress and tension also trigger the release of cortisol which causes your body to store fat.
Risks – Low bone density. Extra visceral fat is associated with decreased levels of the growth hormone and insulin which are both important to bone health.
Best Strategies –
- Make protein a priority – protein prevents muscle loss and keeps your metabolism humming along. Consume about 63g a day.
- Kick up your cardio – high intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best way to reduce fat. Research has shown that women who do 20 min of HIIT 3 times a week burn more fat than woman who exercise moderately for 40 mins. For the best result progress to 25 mins 3-6 times a week. Alternate between 2 or 3 mins at a challenging pace and 1 min at a moderate pace.
- Shrink your waist with weights – To slow muscle loss workout your major muscle groups 2-3 times a week. The more muscle you have the more fat your body will burn and the larger muscle groups, like glutes are key.
- Limit libation – Alcohol stimulates cortisol production. Beer has the highest belly fat building carbohydrates. I’m sure you have heard me say that the body see’s alcohol as a toxin – this causes the body stress, which is why the stress hormone cortisol is released.
In your 50’s – The big drop in estrogen during menopause makes your belly rounder. In fact, a few years after menopause most women gain 10 lbs. Accompanied by this is lack of sleep which causes hormone imbalance that increases your appetite. Now this I believe is true, but as I’ve proven with my own body – you can prevent this. The list of strategies below I agree with and have used.
Risks – Insulin Resistance. This is a condition that causes the body to produce more insulin that it should. This excess causes you to store more fat and increases your appetite. When the body becomes resistant to the insulin, the carbs are not metabolized the way they should be, and we have higher glucose or sugar levels than what we should. Uncontrolled sugar levels can eventually take a toll on the body and the organs.
Best Strategies:
- Wipe out wheat. One slice of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar more than 1 Tbsp. of sugar does. This blast of sugar prompts your body to release insulin causing increased fat storage.
- Pump up protein – again to off-set muscle loss increase your protein – consume about 70g a day.
- Be smart about sleep – with your hormones working against you know it is more important than ever to get 8 plus hours of sleep. Keep your bedroom cool and dark.
- Fine-tune your fitness – Swap 2 of the HIIT walks you did in your 40’s with moderate paced walks, logging at least 5 sweat sessions weekly. To guard against metabolism-slowing muscle loss, continue to do at least 2 strength workouts each week.
In your 60’s – although your estrogen levels may be the same as they were in your 50’s, you’re still losing muscle due to aging. This further slows your metabolism which increases belly fat. Osteoporosis could also be making your belly rounder. As you lose bone you become shorter and there is no place else for your organs to go, so your abdomen protrudes.
Risks – Increased inflammation and knee pain.
Best Strategies:
- Keep your sneakers handy – just as you did in your 50’s continue to walk at least 5 days a week, aiming for 2-3 HIIT power walks and 2 longer, moderate walks. If you are having trouble, hit hills and increase your pace.
- Stay Strong – In your 60’s strength training becomes even more important for keeping your metabolism moving and increasing your bone density. This will hopefully prevent us from breaking a hip when we get older.
- Be a hottie – Regular yoga practice will strengthen your core. If you can tolerate hot yoga it will help your body release toxins, which helps stimulate collagen maintain skin elasticity.
- Add a protein power snack – Increase your protein …. A 140 lb. woman should consume about 77g a day.
Click here to check out the 60-year-old Bonnie Ave’s story – this is super inspiring!
This is a 73-year-old Fitness Instructor / Body Builder -Ernestine Shepherd Click here to read her story.
Wow – right!
Oh and here is a little fun fact to look forward too – after evaluating data from 9,000 adults ages 70 -75 researchers found that overweight individuals (BMI 25 – 30) had a lower death rate than those who were deemed “normal”. Being a little overweight when you are older may provide a nutritional reserve or buffer when you are sick. Cool right? But don’t use this as an excuse to have at it – ok 🙂
I hope you enjoy this share – and thanks for reading xo
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