The Muffin Top - Belly Fat and Perimenopause

For years I worried about my butt. There was a time when I thought that I needed back up lights, but exercise and diet took care of it and the problems of my derriere were behind me (yuk yuk).

But now that I am over 40, a whole new problem has cropped up which is completely foreign to me: Belly fat. I am gaining inches in my middle despite my best diet and exercise efforts. How can this be??

Apparently, as women age their estrogen levels drop causing a weight redistribution from the lower body to the abdomen creating what WebMD calls the "menopot". Charming. A gain of 2-5 lbs is acceptable, but if your starting to pack on the pounds and/or your waist exceeds 35 inches, you could be dealing with a dangerous amount of belly fat.

The good news is that there is something you can do about it. It isn't a pill or doing 1000 crunches. It's as simple as diet and exercise. Eliminating starchy foods, fried foods, processed foods and salty foods and replacing them with food that doesn't come in a box. Whole foods. Fruits, vegetables, seafood, lean protein choices are the best choices for anyone trying to lose weight and especially for women in perimenopause.

In addition to proper diet, try to eat 3 smaller meals and 2 snack a day. You want to keep your energy levels up and to avoid afternoon lull. Avoid sugar. Period. Sugar will spike energy levels, increase insulin resistance and it will cause you to gain weight. A good way to lose a sugar tooth is to simply go cold turkey and within a few days, the cravings will end. Take it from someone who lived on Sweet tarts and Sour patch kids.

I also suggest that you try to avoid bagels, pizza, too much pasta and rice and anything "white". White bread. White potatoes. White rice.  I am NOT suggesting a no carb diet. I am suggesting that you get your carbohydrates from a more nutritious source like whole wheat,  brown rice and yams.

Lastly - but not least important is exercise. For many women, they steer away from resistance training when they should embrace it. At any age, resistance training helps to build strong muscles, which in turn helps you to burn more calories while at rest. For women over 40 who are heading towards menopause, we need the bone strengthening benefits resistance training can provide. It helps to keep your lean body mass up, improve bone density and helps to get you toned and lean and keep you that way. You'll also burn more calories during your cardio workouts when you have more muscle!

So, while sometimes it isn't so "wonderful to be a woman" there steps that one can take to help negate the effects of aging and make yourself feel better and become healthier. Even if you think that you can't control nature, you can absolutely control your diet and exercise habits and give nature a run for its money!

Resources: http://www.webmd.com/menopause/features/oh-do-you-know-the-muffin-top
Suggestions: Chalene Extreme, P90X, Turbo Fire, Slim Series, Yoga Booty Ballet, Hip Hop Abs
www.beachbody.com/Tamlin1