Eat your belly fat safely in the 6 steps celeb PT swears by

FIRST the hot flushes, then the memory gaps and now belly fat gain!

When it comes to going through menopause, the list of symptoms is seemingly endless.

But while hot flashes may be bothering you, gaining fat around your middle can affect your self-esteem and overall health – so preventing it can be extremely important.

Cecilia Harris, fitness expert and founder of menopause fitness app RWL, says that once you know the golden rules for menopause eating, you can say goodbye to belly fat.

Cecilia, 53, says: “For many years I exercised regularly, ate home-cooked food, never went on a diet, and never struggled with belly fat – until menopause.

“I suddenly noticed that my belly fat was showing where it wasn’t before and I quickly realized that I needed to make smarter diet choices.

“Those choices changed everything and those choices can do the same for you.”

But why does menopause cause this weight gain around our middle in the first place?

Cecilia, who coaches TOWIE’s Lucy Mecklenburgh, Coronation Street’s Ryan Thomas, Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid and The Saturdays’ Frankie Bridge, says: “The hormonal changes we go through during the menopause change our gut microbiome, which means which our body cannot absorb. energy in the same way they used to, instead storing it as fat, especially around the middle.

“On top of that, our muscle mass starts to decrease rapidly, leading to weight gain and a ‘loose’ effect.

“It’s also hard to find the energy to eat well and be active when the hormonal changes are making you lethargic and your sleep disturbed, so overeating and lack of exercise can be another reason with belly fat.

“Diet is key if you’re serious about getting rid of the extra fat around your middle, but making an effort to move more – with daily walks and a regular exercise routine – will really help regulate your hormones, your increase energy levels and maintain your muscle mass. .”

From what to cut out to what to put in, Cecilia reveals the six key steps to reducing menopausal belly fat – for good.

Get rid of these:

1. Highly processed foods

“Highly processed foods are packaged foods that have been processed with chemicals and additives,” says Cecilia.

“Processed foods include things like processed meats (sausages), takeaways, supermarket breads, crisps, frozen pizzas and many breakfast cereals.

“These are just a recipe for disaster during menopause.

“Additives wreak more havoc with your hormones, which are already causing major changes to the bacteria in your gut microbiome, which can cause bloating and fat gain.

“Highly processed foods are also designed to give you a quick energy boost with flavors that make you want to eat more and more.

“With all the other hormonal changes going on to increase your appetite, adding these foods can lead to eating too many foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition – which will cause you to gain weight.”

2. Refined sugar

Cecilia says: “The hormone estrogen helps to control our blood sugar levels thanks to its effect on insulin.

“When we go through menopause we see a drop in estrogen, which means it’s harder for the body to regulate its sugar levels.

“Biscuits, sweets, milk chocolates, sugary drinks, ice cream and sugary breakfast cereals are good examples of things that have high levels of sugar.

“Because sugar is high in calories, but you still feel hungry after eating it, you’re also more likely to drink more of it.

“When we eat these high levels of sugar, we have a ‘sugar high’, followed by insulin release and a sugar low, which makes you feel tired.

“During menopause, the last thing you want is to feel more tired – plus, tiredness often means reaching for even more.. you guessed it … sugar .”

Eat more of this:

3. Lean protein

Cecilia says: “To have the best chance of reducing your visceral fat (the belly fat around your middle) during menopause, you need to look at eating a healthy, more Mediterranean diet.

“I always tell people to start by looking at their protein because it’s a nutritional building block.

“Eating unprocessed meats such as fish, steak and chicken is a great way to get quality protein into your diet without disrupting your hormones.

“Tofu and eggs are also great things to add to your diet, and protein helps fill you up for long periods of time.”

4. Vegetables

Cecilia says: “Home cooked meals are key to reducing belly fat during menopause and after choosing your protein source, think vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables.

“Courgettes, broccoli, spinach, peppers, cauliflower, apples, carrots – these are all packed with nutrition, slow-release energy and don’t make you overeat.

“Throw them all on a tray, cover with some herbs and oven cook – easy peasy.”

Diet is key if you’re serious about getting rid of the extra fat around your middle

Cecilia HarrisPersonal trainer

5. Berries

Cecilia says: “If you have a sweet tooth, berries are your best friend during menopause.

“They are extremely high in antioxidants, which are great for overall health but especially useful during menopause as they can reduce inflammation, reduce stress in the body and support healthy aging processes.

“They also give you that sweet, delicious hit without affecting your insulin release.”

6. Wine…?

Cecilia says: “Okay, although it’s not recommended that you drink a lot of alcohol if you want to lose belly fat, the truth is, a glass of wine isn’t going to make you gain weight.

“In fact, red wine contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and lipid-enhancing properties, which can be beneficial during menopause.

“Some women find that alcohol brings on hot flashes, so if that’s you, you might want to cut back.

“But if it’s belly fat you’re trying to lose, a glass of red wine is fine!”

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