Help! Hormonal belly fat

[DontEndSummer]

I’m hoping some of you lovely ladies might be able to help me!

I’m mid 40s and all of a sudden seem to have developed hormonal belly fat (that seems to be the name for it based on my lengthy google searches!) It’s basically very soft fat that sticks out a bit just under my belly button but my tummy is still flat above my belly button.

Does anyone know any good exercises to specifically target this? I eat healthily and am otherwise active and about 8st 10 for 5’5” height.

Hoping others may have had similar and had success in dealing with!

Thank you for reading!
x

You can't target fat with exercise, sorry!

you need to go low carb. Our metabolisms change around menopause.

Are you taking hrt?

Leg raises
Sit-ups
Strict diet

Unfortunately, as op said you can’t target weight loss. You can firm up in targeted area but location of weight loss depends on your genetic make up.

I noticed the lower belly flab. It came on quite suddenly. I’m slowly shifting it.

Fat loss happens with calorie deficit and I’ve found eating more protein helps you take on fewer calories because you feel full for longer.

My other solution to this is HIIT and weight training.

I’ve also started hrt but only been on it 6 weeks.

Thanks all. I’m not on hrt - without too many other symptoms I was thinking to wait and see on that one.

Maybe I’ll try switching some carbs to more protein. Carbs are my weakness instead of junk food!

I’ve always been more of cardio exercise person but maybe I’ll look into weight or hiit training then.

Getting older is rubbish 😂

Can I suggest reading up on it, I like dr Stacey simms on this. If you ask online you'll get loads of different answers, which contradict what the research says. Stacey simms reviews the available evidence and discusses why, in relation to both diet and exercise (and more)

Id try weight training or pilates/yoga. At your height and weight you clearly dont need to lose any so maybe concentrate on doing more toning?
AT this age we really need to start leaning more into things that will promote bone density and flexibility rather then heavy cardio.

Thank you for the ideas, I’m doing more reading into the recommendations and looking into local fitness groups.
Looks like a little less carbs and a move towards some sort of weight training might work. Thank you

I am quite fit now and not overweight but I can’t really get this to fully go away unfortunately. I’m a bit heavier than you at the same height - I think you are lower end of our BMI bracket and I am upper end, and I also kept thinking losing more weight would help but it’s got the point where I think it will not really make it ever go away, so I am focusing on fitness overall. My stomach muscles under the pouch is hard and I have good core strength so I am just going with that! I also had 2 kids and a surgery so I assume some of it is loose skin?

I agree. I am mid 40s and as soon as I eat sugar or drink alcohol it goes straight to my belly. Weights help a bit long term as muscle acts as a glucose store meaning you can eat a little more sugar before it goes to your belly!