By https://youtu.be/CAC6JHnt7Ck
With age comes the inevitable belly that we can conquer
Being an adult is hard. It gets even harder to accept your fate when you add body fat into the mix. Menopause will eventually loom close with us women, and those added belly fat stores become a hormonal trend — instead of a lifestyle hick-up. I wouldn’t say I like to accept the defeat of excess fat stores on my body after 40, let alone my fate as I move towards 50. Unfortunately, we must become extra vigilant of the foods we eat and the lifestyles we want, which might mean becoming much more rigid. The level we play will depend on our lifestyle and health goals. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. We have to do what we can and do our best. The good news is it’s not impossible to eliminate belly fat — it takes a bit of effort, but here I will highlight the specific points you should avoid, allowing you to have a high success rate.
One: No more fakes
Many fake sugars or drinks on the market claim to be low in calories and carbs and even sugar-free.
But they are filled with artificial alternatives which don’t help belly fat.
The body doesn’t entirely digest artificial sweeteners, and bacteria live in the large intestine fermenting. It causes gas and bloating. You should avoid Xylitol, lactitol, sorbitol and mannitol sweeteners.
Two: No more added sugar
Sugar only spikes your insulin, and it comes crashing down with a vengeance. That leads to consuming even more food than you should, and it’s not the healthy variety! If you’re hungry, have a glass of water first, then snack on some nuts, a piece of fruit or better still — how about an egg or some avocado?
Three: You have to chill out
You aren’t young anymore, and although it took less time to lose weight at a younger age, now — well, it takes some time. Our metabolism slows down, and what worked when you were 21 doesn’t level up at 40.
That’s ok; we have to swap a few things and intervene according to our goals and present health.
So be more flexible in your approach, and please, do not give up. Stay the course, and eventually, you will see results.
Four: You must lift some weights
Lifting weights is essential throughout your life, especially after your 40s. Strength training helps to build lean muscle mass, boosting your resting metabolic rate. Resting metabolic rate tends to take a downturn as you age. Don’t be afraid to lift super heavy regularly — as long as you keep movements in good form, and that’s usually achieved with a proper strength coach.
Five: It’s time to stop using cardio as your only fat-burning strategy
It’s so easy to over-exercise on cardo. Doing this won’t give you the body composition results you want.
With estrogen decline, you have a much higher chance of losing muscle, leading to a slower metabolism (and the potential to gain weight very quickly).
That doesn’t mean giving up cardio completely; take it slow and increase that low-impact cardio while ensuring you begin to lift some weight.
Six: Find your bloating suspect foods
This can be hard to find, so you must be aware of your bodily responses to food. No doubt, food like dairy is one of the main bloat culprits. When we get older, our bodies struggle to break down lactose. That can lead to nausea, gas and bloating. So naturally, this increases inflammation and leads to belly fat. Avoid dairy for a month and see if this is one of your main food culprits.
Seven: A holiday after 7–8 hours
That sentence is true for those who are sleep deprived and finally get a good night’s rest. Then, finally, you feel rejuvenated, energetic and at your best. But, of course, that’s pretty much anyone’s experience after a holiday — and sleep can provide that.
Young people can sleep less — even 24 hours without it, but in their 40’s, that doesn’t work too well!
We older folks get hit hard the next day, leaving us in a hot mess, unable to recover for days! So, please don’t do it to your body or your diet.
Get some well-deserved rest, and don’t burn the midnight oil unless you have to.
Key take away
Ageing is never easy or fun, for that matter. The symptoms seem to creep up on you slowly, and you suddenly realise that perhaps you’ve been bitten by the effects of old age. But with some practice, we can build up our resistance to the inevitable and that seemingly protruding belly fat we’ve begun to carry around. There is a way forward that starts with little steps over time. Your time starts now?
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