As women enter middle age, they may notice a steady increase in weight gain, especially across their midsection. Often referred to as the midlife spread, belly fat not only makes squeezing into your favorite jeans a workout all by itself, but if left untreated, it can put you at greater risk for chronic disease. While it’s no easy task, there are some things you can do to help reduce and even prevent belly fat. Staci Gulbin, a top nutritionist and women’s health advocate, is here to explain why belly fat develops in middle-aged women, how it impacts your health, and what lifestyle changes you can make to help you get a handle on those, ahem, love handles.
Why am I suddenly gaining so much belly fat?
No one factor causes belly fat in women. The development of belly fat involves a combination of various factors, some of which are controllable and some that are not. Factors you can control include excessive calorie intake and inactivity. The factors you can’t control include genetics, where your body stores fat, and the inevitable loss of muscle mass that comes with age.
In addition, women going through the hormonal shifts of perimenopause are at a higher risk for belly fat due to increased testosterone levels. Research shows that higher levels of bioavailable testosterone are related to increased visceral fat, the kind of fat that lies below your skin and surrounds your organs. Unfortunately, this type of fat, rather than the subcutaneous fat, can lead to increased health risks.
How do I even know if I have visceral fat?
Experts suggest that if you have a waistline of 35 inches or greater, you are more likely to have unhealthy visceral fat stores. When measuring your waist, you should place the measuring tape at the level of the navel and be sure not to suck in your abdomen to ensure you obtain an accurate measure.
What are some of the health risks from having visceral fat?
If your waistline size puts you at risk for higher visceral fat stores, you are more likely to have an increased risk of chronic disease. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Harvard who run The Nurses’ Health Study report that excess abdominal fat increases one’s risk for heart disease and diabetes. Other health experts report that increased visceral fat can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, dementia, and colon or breast cancer.
I know I need to exercise to reduce my belly fat, but is there a special workout I should follow?
Absolutely. While staying active is key to combating weight gain, research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT), in particular, can significantly reduce unhealthy visceral fat.
Lifting weights can also benefit your efforts to lose belly fat. This is because strength and resistance training helps build and preserve lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass stores can help to increase the rate at which your body breaks down energy, or calories, which can aid in weight and fat loss.
What kind of diet should I follow to reduce my belly fat?
When it comes to eating, research shows that a lower carbohydrate diet can help reduce visceral fat storage more than a low-fat diet. In fact, a 2019 study shows that a low-carb and low-fat diet with or without exercise can help reduce visceral fat. Eliminating trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils) and fructose-sweetened foods and beverages that encourage belly fat is also essential to beating the bulge. The research suggests that you’re more likely to lose visceral fat through diet and exercise than losing the fat on your hips and thighs. So, don’t lose heart!
I’m always stressed out, but I heard that stress contributes to belly fat. Is that true?
Yes, it sure is. Stress management is one of the major lifestyle behaviors you should adopt if you want to lose belly fat. Not only does stress increase one’s chance of consuming excess calories that can lead to weight gain, but it can also increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the blood, leading to increased visceral fat over time.
Therefore, learning to manage stress through various methods such as yoga, meditation, therapy, guided visualization, and relaxation breathing is vital. Setting aside a little time each day to lower stress levels can positively impact your overall health.
The Bottom Line on Belly Fat
Belly fat is not just a cosmetic concern but it can place you at great risk for serious chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Making healthy lifestyle changes to help reduce belly fat will not only make you feel better in your clothes, but more importantly, it can save your life. The key to making long-term lifestyle changes to lose belly fat involves making one healthy lifestyle change at a time. If you are unsure where to start, don’t hesitate to contact a healthcare professional such as a registered dietitian, exercise specialist, or psychologist to help you start making positive changes today.
Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian, freelance writer and health editor. She has been a registered dietitian with the Commission on Dietetic Registration since 2010 and has over a decade of experience in the nutrition and dietetics industry. She has graduate degrees in Biology, Human Nutrition, and Nutrition and Education from New York University, Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition, and Teacher’s College, Columbia University.
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