Good Lifestyle

As we get older, it is normal for our body to go through several changes, and in the case of women is no different. Over time, a greater accumulation of fat in the abdominal region becomes common, which terrifies a portion of the female population.

In most cases, this occurs with the arrival of middle age (between 45 and 59 years, according to the World Health Organization), when some female hormones end up influencing fat storage in the region.

A reduction in estrogen production, associated with a decrease in metabolism as people grow old, make it difficult to lose abdominal fat. Below are some factors that may influence the accumulation of abdominal fat in middle-aged women.

1. Hormonal changes

As we said, the sharp drop in estrogen production tends to be one of the main factors of increasing the belly. It is well known that during the reproductive age of women, estrogen contributes to better distribution of body fat, causing her to be located in breasts, thighs, buttocks and pelvis. However, with advancing age and reducing estrogen, fat, which was previously distributed to various parts of the body, ends up being directed more to the waist.

2. Physicalism

Although hormonal factors are important, a sedentary lifestyle contributes to the progressive increase of fat in people of virtually any age. The lack of physical activity in anyone causes them to have a reduction in their caloric expenditure, and if this posture lasts over time, the tendency is that the surplus of the caloric ingestion is accumulated in the form of fat.

3. Lack of physical exercises

Linked directly to physical inactivity, the lack of physical activity also contributes to the reduction of the individual's muscle mass. With a percentage of smaller muscle mass, the tendency is for the person to spend less calories, as unlike adipose tissue, muscle tissue needs a lot of energy to stay active and healthy.

Therefore, performing physical activities regularly is an excellent alternative to maintain and increase your percentage of muscle mass, which consequently helps to raise your daily caloric expenditure and stay fit.

4. Inadequate food

Unhealthy eating habits are among the main factors that contribute to increased fat in the abdominal region of women. Ultra -processed foods, rich in sugar and trans fat, are true villains of good nutrition, as besides containing poorly nutritious elements, they are usually very caloric.

Thus, avoiding excessive consumption of sodas, ice cream, stuffed cookies, fried foods, snacks, among others, is a good alternative to stay fit. It is important to prioritize the consumption of foods rich in vitamins and minerals, proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. Some examples are fish, eggs, broccoli, nuts, sweet potatoes, oats, avocado, among others.

5. Insufficient sleep

Having a few hours of sleep or hours of troubled sleep is another factor that directly affects the performance of hormones that help regulate weight. Lack of sleep tends to reduce leptin levels, one of the hormones responsible for its satiety. In addition, this attitude raises ghiline levels, a hormone that stimulates the feeling of hunger.

As a consequence, sleep deprivation and the resulting deregulation of hormones mentioned can reduce the individual's energy expenditure, raising the trend of consumption of high caloric density foods, which will result in a weight gain. To try to reverse this scenario, it is important to have a quality sleep and enough to repair the energy spent throughout the day.

6. Stress

Excessive stress is terrible for weight loss at any age, as increased cortisol raises adrenaline release rates, which in turn increases the amount of circulating sugar in the bloodstream. These factors will trigger a greater performance of insulin, which will cause glucose molecules to be captured faster by cells.

For this reason, the tendency is for the person to be hungry and look for more caloric foods that can cause increased body fat. So the best alternative is to find options that help you control stress, such as keeping your hobbies up to date, exercising, spending time with friends or listening to music, for example.