Let’s talk about why it’s so difficult for women to lose belly fat after menopause—and what to do about this issue.
When a woman goes through menopause, her ovaries no longer produce or release eggs. This big change leads to a cascade of other changes. The ovaries also make hormones, which means a woman in menopause will have lower hormone levels.
However, when this happens, the adrenal glands are supposed to act as the backup system for the ovaries. The adrenal glands make all of the hormones that the ovaries make.
If the adrenal glands are strong and stable when a woman is going into menopause, they may experience fewer symptoms. It’s not normal to experience symptoms of menopause unless there’s a problem with the adrenal glands.
Another part of the body we need to focus on is the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is the recovery system of the body. It influences your sleep and ability to recover. Fat burning occurs in the recovery phase.
Exercising your parasympathetic nervous system will help reduce cortisol, support sleep, and get rid of belly fat.
In order to strengthen your parasympathetic nervous system, it’s crucial to increase the time you rest in between your reps and sets of exercise, as well as the days of exercise. You have to make sure you don’t overtrain and give your body a chance to completely recover and reset.
How to lose belly fat after menopause:
1. Do high-intensity exercises with longer rest periods
2. Don’t overtrain
3. Don’t train over soreness
4. Focus on getting more sleep
5. Take advantage of chiropractic care, massage therapy, or physical therapy
6. Consume omega-3 fatty acids
7. Take DHEA
8. Go on a low-carb diet with intermittent fasting
9. Get plenty of magnesium, choline, vitamin B1, and vitamin D
10. Try lemon balm, passionflower, or ashwagandha