• Home
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • SUBSCRIBE!
  • BEST ONLINE SHOPPING
  • youtube
  • Contact Me

Baby Boomster

Active Women Over 50

WALK AND EARN YOUR BRACELET
  • Read About >>
  • Fashion/Beauty
  • Travel
    • General Travel
    • Los Angeles Travel
  • Wellness
  • Fitness Over 50
  • Lifestyle
  • Recipes
  • Interviews
You are here: Home / image / How to Reduce Stubborn Belly Fat in Midlife and Beyond
Privacy Policy This post may contain affiliate links for products I recommend. If you purchase, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

How to Reduce Stubborn Belly Fat in Midlife and Beyond

April 21, 2012 by Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski 10 Comments

I’m an apple shape. Being an apple means you store most of your fat in your belly, making you more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. Yikes! You can’t breeze through a checkout line these days without finding magazine headlines strategically placed at eyeball level promising to annihilate your belly fat. Similar “cures” pop up on the Internet, TV, or are heard on the radio.

How to Reduce Belly Fat in Middle Age

Have you ever noticed that many of the people who claim to have the answer to belly fat are either younger than 40, are men, or have had work done. Sorry, Jane, we all know you had a little help. Liposuction, gastric bypass, and tummy tucks are painful and dangerous medical procedures. They should only be performed if absolutely necessary. I made it through 2 natural childbirths and that was enough pain for me.

It’s rare that a woman over 40 hasn’t experienced some kind of hormonal imbalance after menopause. You may not be a raging crazy person or sweating through hot flashes, but subtly, your hormones are not quite in sync. It’s alarming when our bodies turn from hot mamas into bulky babushkas. We feel unattractive, undesirable, and even depressed.

Doctors are quick to hand out hormone replacement drugs to fix the problem. Alternative health practitioners promote herbal supplements that may not have been thoroughly tested. Many of these so-called fixes turn out to be expensive or cause side effects.

I was always slender up until my late 40’s. Then my tummy started slowly to expand. When you’re an apple shape, it’s not unusual for someone to ask you when the baby is due. Some of my flab managed to work its way up giving me cleavage I never had. I went from being a girl with a slender boyish figure to plump stocky matron in what seems to be a blink of the eye.

Marketers mainly want your money and provide little results

The problem with most of the belly fat diets you see being marketed en masse is that they may work temporarily, but not in the long term.  This is especially true if you’re around other people who unknowingly sabotage your efforts at every opportunity.

It also doesn’t help if your significant other or roommate tempts you with creamy dips, large slabs of meat, or foot-long submarine sandwiches.

Belly fat diets may put you in “danger Will Robinson”

Everyone’s body is different. Cleanses, juice fasts instead of real meals, stimulating supplements that promote fast weight loss often have side effects that are detrimental to your health. The safest way to lose belly fat is to eat a well-balanced diet that doesn’t require you to cut out food groups. Avoid processed foods, watch out for hidden sugars, stay hydrated, practice portion control, and exercise moderately. Once you’ve gained belly fat, focus on slow, steady weight loss, because it’s more effective in the long run. It’s frustrating, but if you’re persistent and determined, you’ll be successful.

Stay away from weight loss gurus or multi-level salespeople, hawking miracle products. They especially prey on those of us 50 years and older. They make millions of dollars selling and up-selling us snake oil that’s expensive, ineffective, and may be dangerous.

I love the commercial where a woman is looking for an exercise program. She purchases exercise equipment, tries working out to the TV, looks horrified at a green drink she just whipped up, walks out of a pole dancing class, and eventually decides to chuck it all and go for a walk.  After spending a fortune to be fit, she does what comes most naturally to human beings. She walks with her own two feet. It costs nothing and guarantees better results.

Practice Stress Reduction

If you eat healthy as a rule, watch your portions, and exercise, but are still sporting a pot belly, chances are you’re stressed out. Stress causes our bodies to secrete cortisol as a survival response. This triggers other physiological mechanisms that keep your body functioning. Unfortunately, it limits the body’s ability to burn fat. This primal survival response protects you from wild animals, starvation, and other terrifying situations.

“We also found that women with greater abdominal fat had more negative mood swings and higher levels of life stress,” said Elissa S. Epel, Ph.D., lead investigator on the study she conducted while at Yale’s psychology department. “Greater exposure to life stress or psychological vulnerability to stress may explain their enhanced cortisol reactivity. In turn, their cortisol exposure may have led them to accumulate greater abdominal fat.”

If stress is the culprit, and chances are it is, try some of the suggestions below to help you mellow out.

  1. Walking
  2. Stretching
  3. Yoga
  4. Dancing
  5. Meditation
  6. Writing – try a gratitude journal
  7. Singing
  8. Hypnotherapy
  9. Massage
  10. Pampering
  11. Fishing
  12. Hiking
  13. Golf
  14. Swimming
  15. Drink soothing tea.
  16. Listening to jazz or a classical concert
  17. Playing an instrument
  18. Play with a pet
  19. Gardening
  20. Taking a bubble bath
  21. Sex … Yes … Sex.  With the right partner, it can be relaxing.  With the wrong partner, maybe not so much.

Understanding why you’ve developed belly fat after middle age makes it easier to do something about it. Despite massive advertising targeted toward it, a miracle cure DOES NOT EXIST!  Save your money and find out what’s truly causing you to be “round.” If you eat smart and reduce your stress, you’re sure to see your rotund middle start to shrink. I know you can do it!

What have you done successfully to reduce your belly fat?  Please leave a comment below and share this post.

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn

Filed Under: image, Weight Loss Tagged With: Fitness over 50, reduce stress, Weight loss

Post Updates

Best Women’s Clothes and Accessories Over 50
Best Beauty and Skin Care Products for Women Over 50

See my favorite books on Amazon here!

Listen to popular audiobooks without subscription fees with Chirp!

Comments

  1. Here is the info on how to lose weight fast says

    June 18, 2012 at 3:01 am

    I am just getting started on the Internet. I am retired now.
    I am reading blogs on many topics, and commenting too.
    I think I really appreciate the basics of what you have here in this blog.
    I not only read and comment on the blogs of others but I now have my own blog and my own website.
    I have incuded a website and email address. Is it ok that I
    included them? TheVeryBest2You 13 11

    Reply
    • Rebecca O says

      June 18, 2012 at 8:12 am

      Thanks so much Bill. Good luck with your blog. I checked it out. Great information.

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

    December 9, 2013 at 6:06 am

    Thanks so much! I appreciate your support and hope you keep enjoying my posts.

    Reply
  3. Austin Bariatric says

    June 2, 2015 at 9:40 am

    I am in no process of losing those belly fats. I have undergone the gastric surgery a week ago, and there are some weight loss tips which my doctor recommended to me so I will get recovered soon. I know the feeling of having those bumby belly, and I am with you all in the process of losing them.

    Reply
  4. pritom says

    May 28, 2018 at 2:26 am

    Thank you for the information this is very easy to understand
    Thank you,

    Reply
  5. Lean Belly Breakthrough says

    August 19, 2018 at 6:10 am

    Thanks for sharing the Lean Belly Breakthrough is one of the best product that helps you to get rid from the over-weight. It is designed in such a way that it will help the immunity system to lose many pounds of weight within a month. You can lose weight without the hard hitting exercises and toxic pills. The program of this product will hit the mid area of your belly and will help you in the fat burning process. If you are willing to get the effective results, then you have to follow the given below points.

    Reply
  6. Sébastien says

    September 28, 2018 at 11:25 pm

    I was worried about losing belly fat fast! I know losing with belly fat by is safe but I was wondering how it is with belly fat. Actually, I got a lot of information from your blog which you have written your blog. Review this article my confusion is clear, Thanks.

    Reply
  7. Marty Deemst says

    October 7, 2018 at 10:45 pm

    Wow! Such awesome vital information in regard to losing belly fat quickly, I remember there were awesome days when I’d just try to lose belly fat quickly using this tips and it was fantastic,

    Reply
  8. Laura McNab says

    December 20, 2018 at 9:13 am

    I am so grateful I found your post, You are inspiring me to make an exercise plan to reduce belly fat. You’ve really covered up almost all the possible tips should follow to make an exercise plan to reduce belly fat. Actually, I got a lot of information from your blog which can help to make an exercise plan to reduce belly fat. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Forstadt-Olkowski says

      December 20, 2018 at 9:31 am

      Thanks, Laura. I’m so glad you found it helpful.

      Reply

Leave a comment and tell us what you think Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to Baby Boomster!

Rebecca Olkowski

I’m Rebecca an over 60, Los Angeles-based travel and lifestyle, blogger

I created Baby Boomster for active older women who are not ready for a rocking chair, but are ready to ROCK and enjoy life! Aging is an attitude. It’s all about how you choose to react to it. Read more about me here

  • Rebecca@babyboomster.com
  • Let’s Collaborate
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Subscribe to Post Updates Here
  • What I Recommend on Amazon

Los Angeles resident or traveler?

Visit my Los Angeles travel blog BoominginLA.com here.

Best Online Shopping sites

Thinking of starting your own blog? Read this first.

CVS CarePass: Get your first month free!

If you think you have COVID you can get tested and treated IMMEDIATELY with the government’s Test to Treat Program. Click here

Latest Posts

  • The Appalling State of Women’s Rights
  • For the Biome: Immunity Support Iced Tea Review
  • The Best Diet Plan for Older Adults Who Are Foodies
  • The 70s on the Sunset Strip – A Reminiscence
  • How to Thrive as an Empty Nester
  • Why Balance Exercises are Essential as You Age
  • Sensationalism in the News is Not New
  • The Most Attractive House Dresses for Older and Stylish Women
  • Is Your Dentist Taking Advantage of Your Medicare Plan?
  • Prioritizing Your Changing Dietary Needs Over 50

Contact Info

  • About Baby Boomster
  • Send a message
  • Media Kit
  • Writer’s Guidelines

…………………………………………..

Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski
rebecca@babyboomster.com
Los Angeles,  CA 91001

Honors and Awards

Top 100 Baby Boomer blogs

Search for a topic

Legal Stuff You Need to Know

  • Disclaimer
  • Disclosure
  • Please read my Privacy and Cookie Policy

Rebecca Olkowski is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to BabyBoomster.com. Other affiliations are listed HERE.

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK |  LINKEDIN |  PINTEREST |  TWITTER |  YOUTUBE | IMDB


BabyBoomster.com is a travel, food, wellness, entertainment, and lifestyle blog for Baby Boomer women over 50. | Los Angeles, California

Copyright Ⓒ 2011 - 2022  | BabyBoomster.com  |  All Rights Reserved

Privacy and Cookie Policy