After the age of 50 a woman is likely to notice a flabby belly, even if this had never been a problem in the past. This is due to changes in the body's composition related to menopause that make it easier for the body to deposit fat in the midsection, as opposed to the hips and legs. While hormonal changes naturally come with age, you do not have to settle for a flabby belly.
Follow these 4 tips to prevent or get rid of belly flab:
1. Do a Daily Calorie Swap. When you were in your teens and twenties carbohydrate calories were quickly converted in your body to energy. However, over the age of 50 your body is less efficient at turning the carbs you eat into energy, and these carbs often end up being stored as belly fat.
Therefore, you want to "eat for your age," and swap a couple of hundred carbohydrate calories for protein calories each day. For example, try having shrimp for a snack, instead of chips. Or, put a chicken breast on top of a bed of lettuce, instead of in a bun. By eating more protein and less carbs you work with your body to prevent fat storage.
2. Time Your Carb Intake. Carbohydrates are important foods that should be included in your daily diet. However, if you eat them at the wrong times they will contribute to a flabby belly. One of the best times to eat carbohydrates are in the morning when your metabolism is naturally spiked.
Another good time to consume carbs is before or after a workout. This allows the carbs you eat to be used up as energy and not stored as belly fat.
3. Cut Processed Foods. This tip alone may be enough to reduce a flabby belly. Processed food is any type of food that has been "processed," to either improve its shelf life or make it more convenient. Therefore, you can feel pretty confident that if the food item comes in a box or a bag, then it is a processed food.
The problem with processed foods is that they contain trans fats. These man-made fats are not easily handled by the digestive system and can wreak havoc on your metabolism. This makes them a problem for women trying to reduce belly fat.
4. Use Your Muscles. If muscle is not used, it is lost. Every pound of muscle on your body has the ability to burn about 50 calories a day. Therefore, if you do not work your muscles and lose 5 pounds of muscle after the age of 50, you must eat 250 calories less each day to prevent weight gain. This is why it is important to exercise and use your muscles.
Walking is good exercise, but make sure you also tax your muscles each week. Try weightlifting, yoga, bodyweight exercises or follow along with an exercise DVD.
Use these tips to get rid of a flabby belly and remember that there is no better time to create change then right now. And, all change starts with setting a clearly defined goal.
