Midlife Weight Gain?
How to combat midlife weight (& belly fat!) gain
“I feel like I’m going crazy!
I’m doing everything that has always worked for me, but since midlife my pants keep getting tighter!
What gives?
”I hear this from the soccer field sidelines to the grocery store checkout line and clients alike.
😫Why is weight loss in midlife so hard?
😫And what’s going on with belly fat in particular?
You’re not imagining it.
Weight management IS significantly harder as we move into our 40’s and beyond.
Especially what feels like a sudden accumulation of belly fat!
No one wants this, so let’s dive in to learn how you can combat this.
Why This Matters
After menopause, fat is more likely to settle deep in the belly as visceral fat, which surrounds your organs and can rise to 15–20% of body fat (compared to just 5–8% before). This type of fat isn’t just about clothing size—it’s strongly linked to heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and more intense menopausal symptoms, making it crucial to address now.
FITNESS SIMPLIFIED
The trick for helping your body make the transition into post-menopause is deceptively simple, yet easy to let slide…
Move Everyday. Period!
Fitness Tip to Help with Fat Loss
Move Everyday & Prioritize Muscle-Building Work
The #1 cause of weight gain in midlife?
A DECLINE in physical activity.
It’s easy to miss as it creeps in slowly over time.
You have an injury.Kids are out of the house, so you’re not walking laps around the field during practices anymore.
Your dedication to exercising 4 times a week from 5 years ago, somehow is barely hitting 2 times now.
When you’re less active, you naturally lose muscle mass - and muscle is the key driver of your metabolism. In midlife, maintaining muscle is non-negotiable.
More cardio won’t fix it—strength training will.
And you don’t need a full gym to start. I’ve got a simple 10-minute workout you can do right in your kitchen to fire up those muscles.
👉 Check it out…
Kitchen Workout - 3 Easy Strengthening Exercises
- Single Leg Dead Lift (10 reps/side) - Balance on one leg, hinge at the hip, then stand upright with control. Use hand on counter for support.
- Countertop Push Ups (10 reps) - Hands on counter, maintain strong plank position and keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle
- Assisted Squats (10 reps) - Hold onto the edge of the counter and sit back into squat; maintain alignment in knees.
Extra tip: Challenge yourself! Set a timer for 10 minutes and see how many round you can do. Work continuously, with only very minimal breaks. Push yourself as you get stronger!
Did You Know...
- A great pattern for total body fat loss is to have 2-3 days a week of moderate to high intensity strength training, buffered by low to moderate intensity activity on the in-between days.
- Simply moving more throughout the day, beyond the workouts, can increase your metabolic output (calorie burn🔥) by as much as 10%! This is called “Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis” or NEAT…and it’s great for your cardiovascular system too!
- A full body, muscle-building workout is far more impactful on overall fat loss than doing steady state cardio in the so-called “fat burning zone”.
NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED
Nutrients are KEY to achieving healthy body fat levels and ultimately better health in midlife.
Gone are the days of calorie deprivation!
Robust meals that are high in nutrients will help you feel full and satiated longer, while giving you energy so you simply feel better and move more.
Nutrition Tip to Help with Fat Loss
Eat Nutrient Dense Foods
There is so much noise around what to eat when fat loss is your goal.
Carbs are evil!
Eat more meat!
Eat less meat, only plants!
Never touch a gram of sugar again!
Let’s cut through the food noise and focus on nutrient-dense options:
Think “Eat Your PRO’s!”
That’s PROtein and PROduce at every meal.If 80-90% of your meals are very high in protein and fresh produce (lean cuts of meat, seafood, a rainbow of fruits & vegetables), you’ll be giving your body what it needs to thrive, be healthy and reduce excess body fat.
Compare nutrient-dense foods to “calorie dense” options, such as cookies, chips, crackers, processed meats and lots of cheese and cream.
It’s easy to consume excess calories from these foods, which leads to excess energy that could be stored as fat.Listen, eating your PRO’s does not have to be boring.
This recipe is nutrient dense, without being calorie dense AND it’s delicious!
Broccoli Quinoa Chicken Salad
More ideas for Fat Loss:
- Make a simple stir-fry with lean steak or pork and veggies. Save time by buying the bagged stir-fry veggies pre-cut in the produce department.
- Add a piece of salmon or some shrimp to a bagged salad.
- Create a Greek yogurt bowl with berries, seeds & a few nuts; you could even stir in half a scoop of protein powder for an extra boost.
MINDSET SIMPLIFIED
Even though exercise and nutrition are the most talked about aspects of fat loss, they are NOT the only important elements.
Your old standby methods of weight loss (just exercise & nutrition) might not feel like they’re working anymore because as you move into midlife, weight loss is heavily impacted by:
• The amount of chronic, frequent stress your body deals with daily
• The amount of quality sleep your body receives nightly
Your workouts could be perfect.
Your eating habits could be spot-on.
But if your stress and sleep habits are overlooked…
You will struggle to get your weight under control.
Log off, go for a walk, drink a cup of tea, listen to your favorite music, breathe deep and allow yourself the luxury of relaxing.
Mindset Tip for Fat Loss
Prioritize Stress Management and Quality Sleep
THE TAKEAWAY
Not only is extra weight in midlife frustrating, but visceral fat is deadly! Managing your weight and keeping belly fat at bay is essential for your health & vitality as you move through midlife. These priorities, though small but mighty, will lay a solid foundation for your health.
- Move Everyday & Prioritize Muscle-Building Work
- Eat Nutrient Dense Foods
- Prioritize Stress Management and Quality Sleep
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self Care Simplified podcast
Ep 280. How To Combat Menopause Weight Gain and Belly Fat
Ep 258. Unlocking the Secret to Better Sleep
Ep 324. Menopausal Belly Fat & Why It’s Killing You
SPECIAL RESOURCE
Fat loss your goal? This relaxing stretching workout will help get you moving more, de-stress your entire body and help you sleep better - all factors that greatly impact your ability to lose body fat. This routine feels so good, you’ll want to do it every night.
Deep Hip Stretches For A Better Night's Sleep
Until next week... Be strong
