Reduced levels of oestrogen after menopause can cause fat to be stored around your waist rather than on your hips and thighs. In postmenopausal women, belly fat accounts for 15 to 20% of their total body weight, compared with 5 to 8% in premenopausal women.
Exercise is key in getting to and staying at a weight that supports your health at any age. During menopause, it can help you lose belly fat. Doing “targeted" abdominal exercises to get rid of belly fat sounds like it would help, but you can't tell your body exactly where to shed pounds.
Get active.
Strength training exercises are recommended at least twice a week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you might need to exercise more. There is some evidence that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help reduce belly fat, as can strength training.
The hormonal changes of menopause tend to make it more likely that women will gain weight around the abdomen, rather than the hips and thighs. But hormonal changes alone don't necessarily cause the weight gain. Instead, it's usually related to aging, as well as lifestyle and genetic factors.
Before, during, and after menopause, your estrogen levels begin to wane and your metabolism slows, making it more difficult for you to lose weight, particularly around your middle. And belly fat isn't just annoying — it's also unhealthy.
Causes of Bloating During and After Menopause
“Menopause belly” can be attributed partially to hormonal changes, such as drops in levels of estrogen, via shifts in the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is the community of beneficial bacteria that aids digestion in the intestines.
Menopausal bloating, unlike weight gain, is also often accompanied by a distended, swollen belly and discomfort. Bloating is characterized by: rapid onset of weight or size during or after meals. changes in size and shape to the stomach throughout the day.
Estrogen and progesterone levels decrease significantly during menopause. Emotional and mental changes occur as well. The reduction of female hormones leads to redistribution of body fat, particularly to the abdominal area.
A hormonal belly looks like an accumulation of fat around the belly. It looks like excess fat on the stomach that cannot be removed. Hormonal imbalances can lead to excess fat accumulation in the belly area.
Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.
The hormonal change of menopause increases the likelihood of weight gain in the abdominal area but is not the sole determinant. Weight gain can also be related to aging, lifestyle, and genetic factors. As women age, muscle mass diminishes and body fat increases.
To lose stomach overhang you have to burn fat cells in both the fat you can see directly under the skin and also the more dangerous fat that you can't see that surrounds your organs. Cardio such as swimming, aerobics, running or dancing will burn this excess fat store.
Most women gain about a pound a year on average during the menopause transition. While that doesn't sound like a lot, the big issue is where those pounds are suddenly going—right to your belly! Belly fat is such a common occurrence that there's even a name for it, the menopot.
On average, women gain 5-8% of their baseline body weight during this time,” she says. For the sake of simple math, this means if you weigh 100 pounds, on average you will gain five pounds in the two years after your final period.
Struggling with belly fat and sudden weight gain as early as perimenopausal thru to post-menopause is really common. Data shows that post-menopausal women really struggle with obesity. You're not alone. According to science, you can actually lose hormonal belly fat!
Eating a healthy diet rich in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and whole grains, exercising regularly, and managing stress levels are essential for reducing hormonal belly fat.
Exercises to fight hormonal belly fat
Shepherd suggests trying high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and “short bursts of exercise” to rev up your metabolism and lose weight. Just be mindful of how much you're exercising.
Lemon water can promote fullness, support hydration, boost metabolism, and increase weight loss. However, lemon water is no better than regular water when it comes to losing fat. That being said, it is tasty, easy to make, and can be used as a low-calorie replacement for high-calorie beverages.
In consequence, visceral fat mass increases during menopause by 44% and the mass of gynoid fat rises by approximately 32% [5].
Commons Indicators for the End of Menopause
Women may find that they are sleeping better and feeling healthier overall as their hormone levels even out. This can also lead to improvements in mood, energy levels, and cognitive function.
High-waisted bottoms will help camouflage a tummy and keep you feeling secure. A-line dresses and skirts, caftans, skimming silhouettes, empire waist tops, and dresses are styles to embrace. V-neck lines are most flattering if you are trying to draw attention away from your midsection. They also offer some ventilation!
According to data from the CDC, women's average weight goes up 7 pounds between our 20s and our 30s. It then drops a little in our 40s, before rising about 2 pounds in our 50s and staying stable until dropping again after age 70.