Midlife Menopause Mid-belly
Midlife Menopause Mid-belly
A Simple Solution to a Midlife Tongue Twister
While most postmenopausal women gain weight, especially around their middle, it is not solely attributable to menopausal or postmenopausal hormone changes. In fact, research shows that most midlife weight gain is a result of age-related lifestyle changes. Decreased physical activity leads to diminished muscle mass and reduced metabolic activity. Add unbalanced caloric intake to this mix and VOILA! Midlife Menopause Mid-belly!
While diminished hormones contribute to most of our age-related health issues, both women and men naturally become more sedentary, leading to decreased muscle mass. Lower lean body mass leads to lower energy demands. If this lower energy output is not followed by lower energy (calorie) intake, our fat mass overtakes our muscle mass and our belly overtakes our belt. Lean body mass drives metabolic function. Lean body mass drives metabolic function. Lean body mass drives metabolic function. (Get it?)
Exercise is the way to fight back. The kind of exercise is not so important, as long as it’s safe and enjoyable for you. If you dislike an exercise or get hurt doing it, your commitment will soon fade. A total of 50 minutes per day is recommended for bone health, strong cardiovascular function and weight management.
Adding some sort of strength challenge while exercising is a ‘next level’ way to increase your body mass and metabolic demand. Walking with small weights (cell phones don’t count) or even whacking a pickle ball are effective muscle builders. Yoga, stationary bike or resistance bands are great home-based exercises. Get creative and find what works for you. Just remember to start slow and stick with it. You’re worth it!
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Exercise
