How to beat belly fat during Menopause thanks to our Nutritionist

During menopause, it is common for women to develop a "meno-pouch". Our nutritionist, Mel Gearing, shares why it happens and what you can do about it. 

At Zing Wellbeing we think it is SUPER important to provide women with reliable resources to help them through all stages of life, including perimenopause and menopause. That's why we offer our team of expert to all members.

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A well-balanced diet can have a profound effect on mitigating perimenopause symptoms and promoting overall health.

How to beat belly fat during Menopause   

The meno-pouch is a small pocket of fatty tissue which sits at the bottom half of the stomach. Although this is often viewed as a negative side effect of menopause it is important to have a balanced view of why this happens and how it can actually benefit this stage of life.

Why does it happen?

During menopause, the body goes through significant hormonal changes, primarily a decline in estrogen. As estrogen levels drop during menopause, the body’s fat distribution changes. Before menopause, women tend to store fat in the hips and thighs. However, lower estrogen levels lead to more fat being stored around the abdomen. Reduced estrogen also affects how the body responds to insulin, leading to increased fat storage, especially around the belly.

Metabolism naturally slows with age, making it harder to burn calories and easier to gain weight. Muscle mass also tends to decrease during menopause, which further reduces the body’s metabolic rate.

Abdominal fat is not desirable and has negative effects on metabolic and heart health. Maintaining a healthy weight range during menopause is key for our health and longevity.

However, there is a difference between hard and problematic abdominal fat and a small soft  meno-pouch. Obviously for many women there are aesthetic concerns as the body shape shifts and this can be upsetting but a balance between the two is achievable and may in fact be better for our health long term.

Menopausal belly fat may have a positive impact on bone mineral density (BMD) with some studies suggesting that the hormones and adipokines that are produced by body fat may help preserve bone mass in post-menopausal women. Importantly, this little pouch may ease your transition into menopause.

As the ovaries stop producing estrogen the fatty tissue becomes a secondary source and this residual estrogen may help slow transition, reduce symptoms and maintain bone and muscle mass.

Maintaining a Happy Equilibrium

1. Focus on Protein-Rich Foods

Protein helps build and maintain muscle mass, which is crucial for boosting metabolism as it naturally slows down with age. Upping protein intake and reducing refined carbohydrates is key to maintain a healthy weight range.

Foods to include:

• Meats (chicken, turkey, beef)
• Fish (salmon, tuna)
• Plant-based proteins (lentils, quinoa, tofu)
• Eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, and seeds

2. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber helps regulate blood sugar, which can reduce insulin spikes and belly fat storage. It also keeps you feeling full longer, preventing overeating. It is key for gut health and bowel health. Eating a wide range of leafy greens will also assist your liver to detox and maintain a healthy weight.

Include foods such as:

• Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, carrots)
• Fruits (berries, apples, pears)
• Whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa, spelt)
• Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)

3. Include Healthy Fats

Healthy fats like omega-3s reduce inflammation and can improve insulin sensitivity, which helps control belly fat. Avoid trans fats, which promote fat storage around the abdomen. Having healthy fats in the diet can actually improve and assist in maintaining healthy weight. Good fats do not make us fat, they help us shed excess fat and support our hormonal health during this time.

Foods to include:

• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Fatty fish (salmon, sardines)
• Olive oil

5. Stay Hydrated

Water aids digestion, helps control hunger, and reduces bloating. Drinking enough water supports metabolism and fat breakdown. It may sound simple but most of us are walking around dehydrated. Measure your water intake and aim for at least 2L of water per day. Coffee, alcohol and soft drinks do not count towards water intake. Instead opt for filtered water and herbal teas.

6. Manage Stress

High cortisol levels (from stress) can promote fat storage, especially around the abdomen. This may not be mental stress but physical stress that your body is experiencing during this transition. Stress and sex hormones are intricately related so balancing stress hormones will support balanced sex hormones and therefore menopause symptoms. Reducing stress may also help reduce food cravings.

7. Regular Exercise

Strength training builds muscle, which increases metabolism and helps burn more calories even at rest. Cardiovascular exercise helps burn overall body fat. Note only will exercise assist with maintain a healthy weight range but it also improves overall health and may reduce other symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and insomnia.

8. Gut Health

Gut health is linked to fat metabolism and hormone regulation. A balanced gut microbiome can improve digestion and reduce bloating. Including fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir) and probiotic supplements may assist with feelings of being bloated.

9. Accept and Support your Body

After that is all said and done, menopause does bring some unavoidable changes and a body happy mind-set may assist in accepting and supporting your body through this change. A focus on promoting overall health and well-being may negate appearance-related goals.

Embracing the natural changes and the amazing job our body is doing, focusing on what we can do rather than what we can’t, allowing self-compassion and kindness to shine through on our self and looking at function, not form are all celebrations of the strong and capable women we are.

Listen to our Podcast on Menopause now available on Apple or Spotify.

You can listen on SPOTIFY here

https://open.spotify.com/show/0TvtrPiyrSQEATBj9L7jan

And you can listen on Apple Podcast here