I’ll admit, as a personal trainer I never completely understood the frustration of my clients in their 40’s and beyond until it happened to me.
Yep – the midlife middle is real.
Most of us aren’t really aware that our hormones have started to decline until we have symptoms like hot flashes or night sweats, which often doesn’t occur until mid-late 40’s. However, progesterone can start to take a dramatic decline in our late 30’s and estrogen can start fluctuating erratically in our early 40’s. These hormone shifts have a direct impact on our ability to manage weight, maintain muscle and keep our waistline intact. So while you may still be having regular menstrual cycles and periods, you may also notice that you’ve gained 5-10 pounds “out of nowhere” and “without changing anything” and you are gaining weight in your midsection.
What’s a girl supposed to do?
While there are a number of things we can do – on of the best ways to burn the menopause middle is with regular and consistent strength training!
Cardio is NOT the best choice at this stage of life.
Resistance (strength) training builds muscle, which is more metabolically active than fat; meaning that by strengthening muscle tissue, you burn more calories. Strength training increases fat burning and increases resting metabolic rate because of the hormones – growth hormone, epinephrine and norepinephrine – released while lifting weights that support fat metabolism.
Not only does strength training reduce belly fat, but it also reduces visceral fat that surrounds your organs which can be harmful to your health. Increased visceral fat increases risk of insulin resistance, type II diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and breast cancer.
And the benefits of strength training are available to every woman at any age. Strength training reduces the frustrating menopause belly, but even better, it improves blood sugar management and improves insulin sensitivity. It strengthens muscles and bones, improves mood and confidence.
Because of the hormonal changes that occur during menopause, it becomes harder to maintain muscle and strength (not to mention the increase in belly fat). Strength training is vital to maintain body composition and overall health for women in midlife and beyond!
