Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to lose weight as a woman over 40 while you find yourself scouring the internet late at night trying to unlock the secret on how to get rid of stubborn belly fat which seems to stay even though you eat well and exercise regularly? While you may have been able to cut back on a few treats and add in an extra gym session to get your body to shed inches in the past, these days it seems like no matter what you do you just can’t seem to lose the weight or get rid of your belly fat even though you eat well and move your body. For women over 35 in perimenopause and even into those menopause years this frustration can be especially true, but it turns out there are many non-diet related shifts you can make to help your body lose weight, get rid of belly fat, and feel like you again.
So what is actually blocking your weight loss?
You already know that a balanced diet of carbs, fats, and proteins along with daily movement to strengthen your body is key to success, but these 5 weight loss blockers may surprise you! And in case you don’t know what a balanced diet looks like, download my 4 week meal plan here : https://sarahfit.myflodesk.com/lazygirlprotein
Here are 5 things that could be keeping you from seeing the results that you want, especially those extra pounds around around the middle.
1. Not getting enough sleep.
While you may love those late nights to unwind (and get a few precious hours of alone time at the end of your jam-packed days!), if your late nights are cutting into your sleep then you are keeping yourself from seeing results or losing belly fat.
Researchers have found that even if you are eating balanced meals and moving your body well every day, when you reduce the hours of shut eye each night for more than a 14 day period, the amount of weight that you could lose from fat drops by 55%. This shocking stat means that even when you are putting in the effort to lose weight, you only get LESS THAN HALF of the results that you could get if you prioritized 8 hours of quality sleep each night! Now that is more than enough of a reason to climb into bed earlier each night.
You can prioritize 8 hours of quality sleep by
- Adding a Magnesium supplement before bed. Magnesium helps your muscles relax and primes your body for a restful night’s sleep. This magical supplement is especially helpful for those days after a big strength training session to assist in reducing soreness. If you deal with restless leg syndrome (RLS), 200mg of magnesium alone can even calm your legs and help you drift off to sleep faster. I love the brand Calm which is in a powder form that you can add to a small glass of water, but you can also find this supplement in capsules or even gummies to snack on. Start with a dose of 200mg before bed to see how your body responds before increasing to the ideal dose of 400mg.
- Practice good Sleep hygiene by creating a sleep supporting, zen like space in your bedroom. Set your thermostat to 67 degrees, keep blackout curtains over your windows or use a silk sleep mask, and (I know this is a tough one but so important) cut back on your screen time 2 hours before bedtime. The blue light from our beloved screens whether it’s the TV, laptop, tablet, or phones will disrupt your melatonin levels and make falling asleep more difficult. If you must use a screen before bed, invest in a pair of blue light glasses to help protect your eyes from the light and keep melatonin at the prime level for a good night sleep.
2. Doing too much cardio, HIIT
I love getting outside for a quick run or cranking out a sweaty HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session at home to get my heartrate up, boost my mood, and get into a fat burning state. But studies show that too much HIIT can actually negatively impact your nervous system. Ultimately, your body needs to feel safe in order to let go of that stubborn fat around your waistline and this means following a key motto for reducing stress on your body so it can feel safe to turn on it’s fat burning mode -- living in moderation.
Instead of daily cardio or 3+ multiple days of HIIT in a row try this…
- Swap out one of your HIIT days for a walk on the treadmill or better yet get outside for a walk in nature which also helps you manage your stress levels (more on this lifestyle focus next!). There are so many positive benefits from walking and the best part is that you can do it anywhere, anytime, and even with your family or friends.
- Balance your HIIT days with Strength Training. All cardio may putputs too much stress on your body. Focusing on strength training more than cardio will help you keep a healthy balance. Strength training has been proven to balance your cortisol levels as well as increase your metabolism boosting muscles making it a valuable exercise for women over 40. Balancing your workouts throughout the week will keep your stress levels happier and shift your body into fat burning mode. I aim to do 2 days tops of HIIT each week and 3 days of strength.
3. You are stressed out.
As nice as it would be to cut out all stress in the world -- it really isn’t possible or realistic. With kids, jobs, relationships, and just day to day life, there will always be an element of stress coming at us. The good news is that our bodies are designed to handle this stress and can do so powerfully when we are proactive in managing the stress of daily life and support our nervous system regulation. In an article by Yale News, it stated that “cortisol [is] related to greater visceral [stubborn belly] fat in women”. It is vital that we as women prioritize stress management not only for a happier life, but in order to get rid of stubborn belly fat which is caused by excess cortisol.
Manage your stress levels by …
- Practice Meditation each day to help you focus on your breath and take in your surroundings. This simple but powerful practice helps you to regulate your breathing, feel present in your body, calm any feelings of anxiety, and it gives you the power to handle whatever your day throws at you. Meditation can be done while sitting at your desk, resting on the couch, or even during a walk! I use the walking meditations found on my Faster Way or Peloton apps to help guide me and keep me focused.
- Prioritize your recovery days each week by blocking out 2 days on your workout calendar to be at a slower pace and focus on self care and recovery modalities like yoga (I love the FW or Peloton app for this too!) or taking a long leisurely walk outside to move the body in a restorative way and give your nervous system a chance to regulate. When your nervous system is regulated your cortisol levels will be too -- and together this will help your body shed unwanted inches!
4. Alcohol is halting fat burn & messing with your hormones
I know this one is hard to hear, but it has been proven over and over again that drinking alcohol too often will keep you from your fat loss goals -- especially when we are talking about that stubborn belly fat.
Here’s why this happens -- when you drink alcohol the liver gets right to work detoxifying your body of the toxin (alcohol). And since your liver can only focus on one activity at a time, it literally stops fat burning until all of the alcohol is out of your system. This stall in fat burn can take up to 48 hours! In addition to halting fat burn, if your liver is busy detoxifying alcohol it can’t help you to get rid of the extra estrogen that builds up for women in perimenopause. (More on this in the next section!)
To help you cut back on alcohol try this…
- Swap your wine at the end of the night for an adaptogen beverage, prebiotic soda, or sparkling seltzer. Often what you are really craving (more so than the alcohol) is the act of pouring a glass of something special and sitting down at the end of the day. Adaptogen beverages can also give you that calming effect which you are looking for without clogging up your liver. A prebiotic soda is a sparkly, tasty alternative for alcohol with flavors ranging from orange soda to cherry limeade and even a mocktail like mojito. With all of the yummy options out there to choose from these days, you may not even miss the alcohol!
- If you do choose to drink alcohol, do so in Moderation. Keep your wine nights or cocktail parties for the weekends or special occasions. And give your liver some support by alternating your glass of wine with a glass of water and a lemon wedge which will help you to limit your alcohol intake to just 1 or 2 drinks. Be sure to choose low sugar options when at the bar like a seltzer water & gin with lime, an organic wine without nitrates, or a High Noon. And steer clear of syrupy, sugary cocktails so you can indulge and still see the results you want. Also beware of low cal canned beverages sweetened with artificial sweetener like splenda. I’m looking at you Surfside and Topo Chico.
5. Estrogen Dominance is holding onto fat storages in your body
Higher levels of estrogen can cause weight gain especially around the belly, hips, thighs. As you enter perimenopause (usually for women this is between the ages of 35-50) and throughout menopause (usually ages 45-55), your body will begin to increase estrogen production and create what is called Estrogen Dominance. In addition to this natural estrogen build up, toxins such as anything made with BPA and synthetic birth control can also impact your estrogen levels by acting as a “fake estrogen”. Whether your body is dealing with perimenopause related estrogen dominance or it’s holding onto xeno estrogens your body reacts to this surplus the same … holding onto fat stores especially in the middle of your body. This surprising news is exactly why it is vital to support your liver function as a woman over 40, so that this important organ can effectively remove extra estrogen instead of storing it inside the body and causing unwanted weight gain.
Reduce Estrogen Dominance by…
- Get 25 grams of Fiber in your diet each day. Focusing on fiber rich foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes helps aid your body in naturally ridding itself of any extra estrogen through the gut. The estrogen that builds up in your system is more easily removed when it can bind with fiber. Fiber has so many bonus health benefits too -- like how it helps you to feel fuller longer- so adding 25 grams through nutrient packed fruits, veggies, and legumes gives you a big impact in your fat loss efforts!
- Start your morning with lemon water before your first cup of coffee to support your liver function and give it a chance to flush out those extra hormones before activating even more cortisol with coffee.
- Reduce xeno-estrogens, otherwise known as “fake estrogens”. The body can’t tell the difference between estrogen and xeno-estrogen, so these imposters just tend to add onto an already estrogen dominant system and keeps you holding onto the weight around your middle. This problem has an easy fix though in that you can swap your plastic bottles and containers for glass, and be sure to stay clear of anything made with BPA. If you are taking birth control, consider talking with your doctor about other methods that you could use which won’t include these xeno-estrogens.
- Add fermented foods to your day to help with estrogen detoxification. Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi contain probiotics which improves your gut flora, and when your gut is working optimally it removes extra estrogen more easily.
In summary, if your body is hanging on to extra fat especially around the middle you can greatly increase your results and start losing weight again when you incorporate these 5 lifestyle shifts along with a balanced meal plan full of whole foods and consistent fat burning workouts:
1. Get 8 hours of sleep each night by prioritizing sleep hygiene and adding in magnesium to help calm the body before bed.
2. Reduce the amount of HIIT workouts you do and keep them to 1 or 2 days a week. Instead swap your HIIT workout for a walk and be sure to incorporate regular strength training throughout your week.
3. Manage your stress levels with daily mediation using the walking meditations found on the Faster Way or Peloton apps. Prioritize 2 recovery days each week in your workout schedule and use it to enjoy movement outdoors, relax with a yoga class, or stretch those hard working muscles.
4. Reduce your Alcohol consumption so that your liver can focus on fat burning and reduce your estrogen dominance. Try cutting out alcohol and swapping your drinks for adaptogen beverages, prebiotic sodas, or seltzer waters. When you do choose to drink alcohol, keep it for special occasions or just the weekends while choosing low sugar options limiting yourself to 1 or 2 drinks at a time.
5. Manage Estrogen Dominance by adding in 25 grams of fiber through fiber rich foods such as beans,legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Swap out your plastic or BPA lined household items for glass to help stay away from xeno-estrogens.
It is possible to lose weight after 35 and reduce that stubborn belly fat so that you can love the way you look and feel in your clothes again. If you are wondering what is blocking you from losing weight, download my free guide created just for you “How to Overcome Weight Loss Resistance” BELOW
