Why Belly Fat Increases After 40 — And How to Lose It Safely.

Why Belly Fat Increases After 40 — And How to Lose It Safely

Having belly fat at 40 is more than a matter of eating too much or eating too little. With increasing age, we experience a lot of things in our bodies that make fat reduction extremely challenging, let alone reducing fat in our midsection. Many of you must be feeling extremely annoyed that the strategies you used to follow when you were young are no longer effective, and you are struggling with your increasing weight. It is essentially important to understand that understanding the cause of fat is a very important step towards a successful solution. In this guide, you’ll learn what really leads to having belly fat at 40, as well as tips to help you melt your belly fat more safely and healthily.

1. The “Why” Behind the Belly: Losing Fat After 40

In America, there is a phenomenon commonly understood as “middle-age spread,” although it can’t always be forecasted. Now, at age 40, a lot happens in a woman’s body:
Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia): Notice when your body starts to lose muscle mass. This is due to a higher metabolism cost per pound of muscle compared to a pound of fat tissue when your metabolism is underactive; this ties in with your metabolism rate being slower.
Hormonal Changes: In the case of women, the process of Perimenopause and menopause involves the decrease of the female hormones, estrogen, thus causing an accumulation of fat in the abdominal region of their body, compared to men, who go through the decrease of male hormones, testosterone.
The Cortisol Factor:Face the facts:Being in your 40s is a miserable experience and causes a tremendous amount of stress for you. With too much cortisol in your system, your cells go haywire and exclaim, “Oh no, the stress!” The result is a clogged body part in the shape of your life-giving organs, also termed the stomach.

How to Fight Back:

Emphasis on Protein: 

The goal of a meal should be to have an intake of 25-30 grams of protein. This helps you feel satiated for a longer period of time

Sleep is a fat burner. 

If you’re sleeping for 5 hours a day, your body is just going to retain the fat. You have to sleep for 7-8 hours a day to make sure that the fat-burning hormone levels for hunger are okay.

“Liquid Calories”  

Our craft beers, as well as coffee drinks, are sugar bombs here in America. This is usually an area of the diet that is simple to reduce and see what effect it has on the scale.

2. The Best Diet Plan for a Busy American Lifestyle

The fact is, we live in a ‘grab and go’ society. If a dieting plan is going to take three hours to prepare the food for Sunday, most people are not going to last until Tuesday. A good dieting plan isn’t a ‘diet’; a good dieting plan is a ‘plan.’

Not trying for a Michelin star, but using what is at hand, the available American grocery store before us—and yours may be Joe’s, Costco, Whole Foods—try:  

 Grilled

Pre-washed Greens: Just toss into a bowl.

-Rotisserie Chicken: “Fast Food” that is actually Healthy!

Frozen Vegetables:

They have all the nutrients of fresh vegetables. • Fresh vegetables would not stay longer in our kitchen since they would soon become spoiled. Pre-cooked Quinoa or Brown Rice: These microwaveable wonders have been a lifesaver. The 80/20 Rule: “Don’t try to be perfect. If you are eating well 80% of the time – as in real foods, lean meats, greens, then the other 20% – Friday night pizza, celebratory cupcake – just aren’t going to derail you. It’s the only way you’ll maintain your sanity inside this country where the food is amazing.” – Pete Thomas

3. Intermittent Fasting: Is It Worth the Hype?

Intermittent Fasting (IF) has become widespread throughout the United States because it is a practical approach to meal planning rather than an actual diet plan. Busy professionals find it easier to plan their daily meal intake around an Intermittent Fasting schedule than it is for them to count their daily calories consumed.

There are several benefits associated with Intermittent Fasting.

One of the key advantages of utilising an Intermittent Fasting schedule is that it is very easy to use. You can eliminate worry about eating breakfast, which is just one less meal to deal with.

Insulin Sensitivity: Studies show that Intermittent Fasting increases your body’s ability to process sugars efficiently, which will help you lose abdominal fat.

Autophagy: “Housekeeping” function of your cells.

However, Intermittent Fasting does have several disadvantages.

The ”Binge Trap” — After a long day of fasting, many individuals will consume an excessive number of Junk Food Calories, typically around 3,000 calories in a single evening, and do not experience any weight loss.

Feeling Irritable: If you are frequently experiencing irritability while fasting in your job and/or in your personal life, or if you are feeling “hangry” while working or in your personal relationships, consider seeking out a different type of job. “Cortisol Hormone Stress” – For some women over the age of 40 years, frequent long durations of fasting will result in increased levels of cortisol hormone in the body, which can cause fatigue. Therefore, it is suggested that you shorten your fasting time; begin with a 12:12 eating schedule, where you will eat your first meal at noon and your last meal at midnight. Once you are able to do this with ease, switch to a 16:8 eating schedule.

4. Keto vs. Mediterranean: Which is Better?

This is the “heavyweight title fight” of the nutrition world. Let’s look at them side-by-side to see which fits your life.

The Verdict:

If you are looking to shed a significant amount of weight in a short period of time and enjoy consuming meat and fat, then a ketogenic diet may be a suitable option for you. Be aware that during the first week, many people experience what is known as the “Keto Flu,” which can include symptoms such as fatigue and headache.

If you are looking for a long-term eating plan that is considered one of the healthier ways to eat throughout the world and can easily be maintained when dining out at American restaurants, then the Mediterranean Diet is a good choice.

5. The “No-Excuses” Home Workout Plan

As far as fitness is concerned, you definitely do not need to shell out $100 a month at a gym or fork out $1,500 for a Peloton bike. If you have a space to move around in and 20 minutes, you’re ready to roll.

The “Over 40” Circuit Workout

Do each exercise for 40 seconds, with 20 seconds of rest in between exercises, and repeat the entire circuit 3 times.

Air Squats – These squats are used to boost metabolism rates. These squats target the largest muscle group in a human being; hence, boosting metabolism is essential.

Incline Pushups: Incline pushups can be performed with your feet on an elevated surface such as your kitchen counter or couch. This can be helpful if you find pushups from the floor painful to accomplish.

Reverse Lunges – It’s an alternative exercise for lunges, which tend to have a harmful effect on the knee joints due to the movement oflunging forward.

Plank – Planks target all the abdominal muscles. Holding a plank is very effective in strengthening the core muscles. It is important to maintain a straight back in a plank position.

Glute Bridge – Glute bridges will help combat the effects of

The Mindset Shift: Grace Over Perfection

In your 40s, quality trumps quantity every time. A poor meal is not the end of your day. A workout that gets flushed is not the end of your week.

“You live in a society that encourages all or nothing, and your 40s are for sustaining. You’re not training for the Olympics – you’re training for the next 40 years of your life. You want to be the guy or gal that can go out and hike, travel, and play with the grandkids without needing an oxygen tank.”

Your First Step

Everything cannot be changed in one day. You should choose one thing from the list below and change that only.

Instead of a bagel, eat eggs.

Do a 15-minute walk after dinner.

Try not to have dinner after 8:00 PM. Winning is basically getting a series of small victories in a row. You got this.