Are you entering midlife and experiencing some weight gain, especially in your midsection? I’m sure you’d like to see it gone, but there are certain myths about menopause weight gain and belly fat that you could be believing that are preventing that from happening.

I want to share a short story about Lisa…

A vivacious friend of mine, Lisa recently celebrated her 46th birthday. Like many of us, she entered her midlife with grace, wisdom, and unfortunately, a few extra pounds that seemed to love her midsection a little too much. She told me about how every morning, she’d look in the mirror, tug at her waistline, and sigh, 'Ah, the inevitabilities of aging!'

Lisa bought into the idea that her new 'menopause belly' was just a natural part of getting older. She increased her morning jogs and drastically reduced her food intake, hoping it would help. And when that didn't seem to do much, she signed up for an intense 'core blast' fitness class, thinking more crunches would melt that belly fat away. But despite all her efforts, her waistline barely changed.

It wasn't until Lisa and I had a deep chat over coffee that we started breaking down some of the myths she'd come to believe. And let me tell you, she was shocked at what she discovered.

Today, I want to share those revelations with all of you, to dispel the myths and shed light on the truths behind menopause, weight gain, and that stubborn belly fat.

3 Myths About Menopause Weight Gain & Belly Fat

Myth #1: Your metabolism has slowed down simply because you’re getting older, and that’s why you’ve gained weight

• Truth - it’s far more complex than that:
• Your metabolism may certainly have changed, but it’s not because you’re getting older - it’s because your lifestyle has probably changed as a result of your fluctuating hormones.
• In midlife, as your estrogen becomes more dominant and your progesterone declines, you may experience more:
• Mood swings, depression and changes in motivation
• Sleep struggles
• Changes in hunger and digestion issues
• All of these things can lead to the perfect storm where you’re
• less physically active overall so you start lose your muscle tissue
• And your body is creating more of the stress hormone cortisol, which as you may know, leads to belly fat
• Combine these things with stress that has gone unchecked for many years, just to add to the cortisol mix
• Your metabolism is highly adaptive, and it’s NOT inevitable for it to slow down as you get older.

Myth #2: Doing more cardio and eating less is the best solution for the weight gain.

Actually, ramping up your cardio is NOT the best for fat loss, and it may actually increase your hunger cues, which is a nightmare when you’re simultaneously trying to eat less. Plus, doing more cardio and significantly restricting your food (like eating only 1300 calories a day) is really stressful on your body - You’ll get a cortisol backfire.

• Truth:
• Doing more strength training to build muscle mass will help the most
• The more muscle mass you have on your body, the faster your metabolism will be and the less body fat you’ll carry
• Eating MORE muscle building fuel will help the most (protein & produce)
• Yes, processed carbs, excess sugar and things like alcohol are a major culprit for weight gain.
• But it’s far easier to reduce your consumption of those foods when you’re primarily focusing on increasing your intake of PRO’s
• Doing more NEAT will also help (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
• It can account for as much as a 10% increase in your overall metabolism
• Look for all the opportunities as possible to move throughout the day

Myth #3: For specifically targeting that belly fat, you need to do more exercises for your core

Actually, you CAN spot strengthen, but you can’t spot reduce fat in your belly.

• Truth:
• Belly fat is a product of higher cortisol levels due to poor sleep, unmanaged stress and an unhealthy lifestyle that dumps the excess there
• Train your core to build a strong foundation so you can do full body strength training, which will move the needle the most

Does all this really work?

I know this weight gain can be super frustrating and discouraging, and at times make you want to run out and do something extreme. But I want to share a story about Liz, who you’ve met before on the podcast, that actually experienced her own transformation when she didn’t go down the road of these myths and followed the tips I outlined….

Ok, big takeaway:

If you’re entering midlife and going through peri-menopause or you are menopausal, combatting the weight gain, especially in your midsection, requires:

• Getting your sleep and stress in a better place, first and foremost
• Finding as many opportunities to be a person that is active and moves, and putting all of your training focus on building muscle mass
• Doing core strengthening work to support your other training efforts and prevent those chronic aches and pains that will prevent you from being a mover
• Eating in a way that fuels your muscle-building efforts

More Resources & Links

FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - A free mini-course to dramatically improve your functional core strength, create better alignment, and relieve back and hip pain for good!

Episode 276. The Hidden Toll: Stress’s Silent Physical War on Women

Episode 258. Unlocking the Secret to Better Sleep

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