9 Natural Ways For Women Over 50 To Lose Belly Fat

Many women experience a significant increase in belly fat when they get older. The phrase ‘middle-age spread’ is commonly used for this phenomenon and it is more noticeable after the age of 50. 

Factors like lower estrogen levels, decreasing muscle mass and lower metabolism contribute to weight gain in older women. Although losing weight can be trickier as you get older, it is definitely not impossible. 

After you turn 50, your muscle mass and strength decreases every year. Loss of muscle mass can slow down your metabolism and this leads to weight gain. 

Strength training improves muscle strength and keeps your metabolism up. Aerobic exercises keep your heart rate up without having to do anything extremely intense. It increases your metabolism and helps you lose that stubborn belly fat. You can also try the ModernFit weight loss program. They will help you tailor an exercise program to fit your lifestyle.

While it is not possible to avoid sugar completely, you should definitely reduce your sugar consumption if you want to reduce belly fat. 

After 50, older women are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes because lower estrogen levels can increase insulin resistance. And take note that insulin resistance can help the progression of Parkinson's Disease.

Thus it is important you monitor your sugar intake and limit your intake of added and refined sugars as much as possible.

Make sure you consume a protein rich diet in order to slow down age related muscle loss. Incorporate protein rich food items like legumes, fish, soya beans and lean meats in your diet. 

Older women have higher protein requirements than younger women and a good protein intake can help them lose weight and prevent fast weight gain.

Research says that fast food places and dine-in restaurants serve more cholesterol and translate fat in their meals compared to the ones you make at home. Besides, they also contain a lot of additional flavouring agents and other unhealthy ingredients. 

Yes, eating out is convenient but if you want to get rid of your belly fat, you better start investing more time in home cooked meals.

Whole food and plant based diets are considered to be the best diets for weight loss. Cut down on your processed food intake and incorporate food like nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, legumes, grains and plenty of fibrous foods in your diet.

Having a heavy meal right before you go to bed can increase your blood sugar levels which can interfere with your sleep. 

Digestion also takes place more slowly at night so there are higher chances of indigestion. Doing this continuously can lead to weight gain.

You get sleepy when the hormone Ghrelin is released in your body. If you fail to get proper sleep. Ghrelin production increases. At the same time the amount of Leptin in your body decreases when you are sleep deprived. 

A combination of high Ghrelin and low Leptin leads to weight gain. Make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep everyday.

You can do this by making a couple of changes in your daily routine. 

Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. If you have to go to a place which is a few blocks away, walk instead of hailing a cab or driving. These simple changes can help you lose weight and keep you fit. 

In intermittent fasting, you eat food only during certain fixed periods in a day. The most common type is where you eat all your meals within an 8 hour time period and fast for 16 hours afterwards. 

There are many studies which show that intermittent fasting helps you lose weight faster.

It is always better to start making healthy lifestyle changes at the earliest. By practicing good habits like eating healthy and working out consistently, older women can expect to see a visible reduction in their belly fat.