menopause and tummy

[menobellyattack]

Hi,

I need to lose some weight and know this will be hard with menopause etc so am giving the blood sugar diet a go to see if I can change my lifestyle. I have great cross trainer/elliptical whatever you like to call them that I need to use more . But I assumed that was more for cardio and getting your heart pumping but saw one article mention them for strength training which confused me a bit. What else can I use to help try and tone up core muscles to improve the tummy area? Have seen the hula hoops and was about to get one to try but then read an article saying it can cause back trouble. Never had back trouble and certainly don't want to do anything to start stuff like that.

Also with strength training that I know is a big thing with menopause what works the best. I have no idea where to start.

Pilates... and weights....

Yup. Pilates first, imo, to improve core strength and stability so you don't hurt yourself

are there any good pilates classes online. I was looking at Les Mills classes as online and I could fit them in at home.

Weights- where do you start and how often?

I'd recommend doing at least some classes with an instructor, quite a small difference in position can make a big difference. My instructor has carried on doing a zoom class since covid so that's what I do now.

Yoga works better than Pilates for me - I use Adrienne on youtube , her original 30 days series I think starts slowly with lots of explaining

Then with weights /strength

Absolute beginner ? www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-flexibility-exercises/strength-exercises/

There are loads on online videos - just remember you don't have to lift their weights and if something doesn't suit do something different

Menopause doesn't have to mean weight gain and saggy tummies but it's a great time to take stock and get yourself in shape for the next stage of your life

thanks guys lots to try here. Due to job sometimes tricky to get to regular classes which is why I like to do at home/online things.

I see no-one uses hula hoops here so guess not as good as some suggest.

Use / do whatever makes you feel good, not what other people do - everyone's different and it's consistency that matters more than the actual exercise

I never could get a hula hoop to stay up

Post menopause here and reformer Pilates classes 6 times a week mean I have abs. Reformers are great for strength training.

I watch my diet too which is more important and recently lost a stone by sticking to eating fish, rice and veg for a few months.

Appreciate it is difficult to get to regular classes but if you can possibly get 3 x 1-2-1 lessons with a QUALIFIED Pilates teacher it will set you up safely for online classes..

I have a hula hoop and confirm its fun but not the answer. I downloaded an app called 30 Day challenge - you can pick abs exercises, it's quite fun.

Front crawl is incredible for stomach muscles, I naturally hold mine in much more when I do it. 3 times a week for best results. Time consuming though. Also you need to do about 60 lengths.

I started with a few fitness classes, progressed to joining the gym, now setting mini challenges for myself.

Cutting out sugar and refined carbs helped a lot.

Fat loss is key. You will already have muscles, otherwise you'd just be keeling over. Working the muscles is working the difference between a 6 pack and a flat belly. Losing the fat is the difference between what you have now and a flat belly.

Imagine muscles as balls of different sizes, and fat as different thicknesses of covering. Currently you have ping pong balls covered by a duvet. Really, you'd like ping pong balls covered with a duvet cover, so that you can see the balls. You don't need them to be tennis balls or cricket balls, right?

Lose the fat. That's diet, not exercise. Exercise is for keeping your heart and lungs (CV) and muscles (resistance) in good shape. Fat is different. It's about what you eat, and what your body does with it. Some of it will fuel the exercise, sure, but that's a side effect of exercise. Make the fat loss your primary goal, not a side effect. Deal with your diet.

For weights maybe invest in a kettlebell? Cheapish and can do at home - lots of full body workouts online