Abdominal Weight Gain

Have you found that your diet and exercise routine hasn’t changed over the past few years but you are gaining extra inches around your middle area?

Are you now more of an apple shape rather than a pear!

One common issue with stubborn weight loss, as we approach or pass through our 40s and 50s, is a reduction in the hormone oestrogen.

Here are 4 areas where this decline can impact your weight management:

1.Oestrogen Supports Skeletal Muscle Mass

Lower muscle mass means lower metabolism which means we are burning less energy.

2.Fat Storage Pattern

Women usually carry excess fat on their hips and thighs but as oestrogen levels decline many women find that excess fat is deposited in the abdominal area.

3.Speed Of Fat Storage

The overall fat storage "machinery" is more active in post-menopausal women so the adipose cells store more fat than they previously did.

4.Rate of Fat Oxidation

During exercise oestrogen promotes the mobilisation of adipose stores. Declining levels of the hormone has been shown to reduce whole body fat oxidation and energy expenditure during exercise.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit grim! 

The body isn’t depositing fat around your abdomen for no reason – those fat cells can produce oestrogen!

We still need oestrogen and when the ovaries have stopped providing it the body tries to compensate by increasing the number of fat cells.

The key takeaway is that as we age, we need to be a bit more mindful of the quality and the type of foods we eat. 

It is a good time to get the basics right and incorporate a balanced diet and an appropriate exercise programme to support both your hormone balance and overall health.

A great place to start is to include a protein rich breakfast into your meal plan – for inspiration try the recipes in my free ebook – click here to download

If you would like some personalised advice on simple dietary and lifestyle changes that will help with stubborn weight loss and support your hormones please get in touch.