Want to lose that middle aged spread?

You are not on your own! This is one of the commonest complaints women have during menopause. 

But the good news is, you CAN get rid of it with a little bit of time and perseverance.

I don’t believe that there are any magic formulas, but start following these strategies and you will see results. Just make sure to be patient and be consistent.

But first, a little bit about why we get this band of fat round our middle...

There are a few reasons and without going into too much detail it is mainly to do with a reduction in the hormones oestrogen and progesterone and an increase in cortisol.

One of the functions progesterone performs in our bodies is to keep us calm and help us sleep well. When progesterone is reduced we often get an increase in the stress hormone cortisol.

A regular increase in cortisol causes our fat and carbohydrate metabolism to be stimulated in an attempt to provide extra energy to fight off threats. As a result our appetite increases and we crave sugar and simple carbohydrates which give us a quick burst of energy. 

However, we can’t blame the hormones entirely, as our lifestyle can contribute to the dreaded mid life spread too. 

When we reach our 40’s and 50’s if you have children this is the time they start to leave home, we have more disposable income and time to enjoy socialising.  We have a tendency to exercise less and generally become more comfortable in our own skin.

This is when the stretchy waistbands start to appear!

So what can you do to reduce it?

1. Hormone replacement therapy: there is evidence that taking HRT does help to reduce middle aged spread so it is definitely worth considering if you are not taking it already. 

2. Sleep as well as you can: if you are not sleeping well, the neurotransmitters ghrelin and leptin are reduced. These two hormones  significantly affect your hunger and your satiety. You feel more hungry and are much more likely to eat processed & sugary foods and you won’t feel full.

3. Review your exercise regime: There is evidence that vigorous exercise can increase cortisol levels, so consider gentler forms of exercise such as yoga, walking, swimming etc. I would also highly recommend some weight resistance training too - Here's why...

As we age we gradually lose muscle mass and because muscles burn more energy in our bodies than fat we are not using as much energy on a daily basis as we did in our 20’s.

(You don’t need to go to a gym either to have a daily habit of weight training. I do a 10 minute routine in the morning using my own body weight and 2 dumbbells whilst the kettle is boiling and my tea is brewing)

4. Stop counting calories as your main method of losing weight. Calories do still matter but should not be the main focus of your weight loss strategy. Instead concentrate initially on these 5 things:

• Stop snacking between meals
• Have a gap of at least 12 hours between your last meal of the day and the first meal the next day.
• Stop or reduce significantly your intake of processed food
• Eat till you are 80% full only
• Write a list of at least five really easy to cook recipes that you can make quickly and easily using real food. I have several Jamie Oliver one pan wonder recipes that I use on a regular basis.

Action steps;

1. Write down everything you eat and drink in the next 3 days (everything). We often forget drinks and sneaky snacks

2. Think about your daily exercise routine, what exercise can you do on a regular basis that is easy? Link the exercise to another habit like boiling the kettle in a morning.

3. Make a habit of walking after you have eaten if possible for 15-30 minutes

4. Re-evaluate your sleep routine. If you are having problems sleeping I have some simple strategies that you can try in a Free PDF download HERE