A significant change in hormone levels, especially the decreased production of the hormone estrogen, can result in excess abdominal fat. And because menopause occurs at a later stage in life, age and altered amounts of exercise and diet changes can also influence how much weight a woman could gain during this time.
Low levels of estrogen can cause low sexual desire and excess fat around the belly.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. 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.
There are many reasons why people gain belly fat, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Improving nutrition, increasing activity, and making other lifestyle changes can help people lose belly fat. Belly fat refers to fat around the abdomen.
Getting older
A person's body composition changes as they age, which can lead to a belly bulge. For females, the decrease in the hormone estrogen during menopause triggers an accumulation of body fat.
“Women also become more estrogen-dominant as we move into perimenopause and beyond. Estrogen dominance promotes insulin resistance, which causes the belly fat build-up,” she says.
A recent study of postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 80, found that those who took hormones had significantly lower levels of belly fat than women who did not take hormones.
Nuts and Seeds, including almonds, flaxseeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. Soy and soy products, such as soybeans, tofu, miso soup, miso paste. Vegetables, particularly broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, onions, spinach, sprouts.
1. Exercise: Vigorous exercise trims all your fat, including visceral fat. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week. Walking counts, as long as it's brisk enough that you work up a sweat and breathe harder, with your heart rate faster than usual.
As previously stated, the shape of a PCOS belly differs from other types of weight gain. It often appears large and bloated but can also be small and round, depending on genetics and other factors. The PCOS belly involves the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen and typically feels firm to the touch.
Adding in cardio, such as a brisk walk will help lower your cortisol levels and control your stress. Once you have your stress under control, you can add interval training and sprints two or three times a week to reduce your belly fat.
A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen. Estrogen without progesterone increases the risk of uterine cancer.
Progesterone provides a stabilizing effect and prevents estrogen from “running amok.” It helps to burn fat, improves blood sugar balance and contributes to bone growth.
To attack belly fat and any other menopausal weight gain, you'll need to burn between 400 and 500 calories most days of the week from cardiovascular exercise, such as walking briskly, jogging, bicycling, dancing, or swimming, Peeke says.
You may notice weight gain during menopause changes your body in different ways—for example, your face looks fuller or your belly is softer than it used to be. The weight you've gained in your abdomen during menopause will usually feel fleshy and thick, and you might notice some "rolls" of fat.
The most common cause of stomach pain and bloating is excess intestinal gas. If you get a bloated stomach after eating, it may be a digestive issue. It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up.
The liver typically contains some fat, but excessive buildup can cause fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease can decrease liver function and lead to weight loss, fatigue, and swelling in the abdomen or belly. Fatty liver disease can occur when there is more than 5% fat in the liver.
Endo belly is the colloquial term for abdominal distension caused by endometriosis. Unlike the short-term bloating that sometimes accompanies your period, endo belly is much more severe, triggering physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.