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When you reach menopause your body wants more fat because fat is a source of estrogen.
You don’t want those extra pounds, so in this video I’ll show you how to keep belly fat under control by starving your fat cells, without starving yourself.
Menopause changes two things:
1. It change where fat is stored on your body (i.e. more gets deposited in your midsection and less in your lower body).
2. It changes where estrogen is produced. The ovaries no longer make estrogen, but your fat cells do, so higher body fat% is not frowned upon by your post-menopausal body.
Cortisol is another hormone that is not automatically thought about with menopause, but it contributes to belly fat.
Think of cortisol as the stress hormone, physical or emotional stress, even a lack of sleep causes an increased release of cortisol.
Bottom Line: you have to work with your body during and after menopause to get it to do what you want.
The trick is to starve your fat cells without starving yourself.
In this video, I show you how with the right food choices and time-restricted eating.
Check out the associated blog post for this topic at:
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More Videos by Dr. Becky:
3 Ways to do Intermittent Fasting:
You've Cut Carbs…Now What Do You Eat?
5 Low-Carb, High-Fat Foods to Eat Every day:
How to Make Weight Loss Easier after Menopause:
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Disclaimer: Dr. Becky Gillaspy received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991. Her use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to herself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Gillaspy was a licensed chiropractor in Pennsylvania, but she no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Gillaspy and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Dr Becky Fitness LLC and Dr. Rebecca Gillaspy, D.C. are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any conclusions drawn, services or product you obtain through this video or site.
Menopause is a natural process in which women's ovaries stop producing the hormone estrogen, and it can have a big impact on your weight. Menopause-related belly fat can increase by up to five pounds over just two years! This blog post will talk about what causes that extra post-menopausal belly fat, how you can get rid of it, and why starving yourself may not be the answer.
As women, we're all aware that fluctuating hormones can lead to weight gain. During perimenopause and menopause, it's even more common for women to struggle with their weight. But what exactly happens? Why do we gain so much extra fat around our midsections at this time in our lives?
It all has to do with estrogen levels.
Estrogen helps keep food from accumulating as body fat by regulating the enzymes in charge of breaking down carbohydrates and fat. For example, when estrogen is low, fewer carbs and fats are broken down during digestion. This means that the excess carbs and fats consumed throughout your day aren't used for energy — instead, they get stored as body fat! Estrogen also plays an important role in breaking down cortisol, the stress hormone. When estrogen levels are low, cortisol goes up and fat-storing enzymes go up as well. So what's a girl to do?
Well, studies have shown that exercise can help counteract weight gain during perimenopause and menopause by increasing estrogen levels. So get moving! Strong muscles also burn more calories than fat does, so your increased muscle mass could also be helping you fight belly fat. That said, there's no need to overdo it or injure yourself — start with 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times a week and go from there. It may even help to engage in relaxing activities like yoga and meditation which have been shown to decrease cortisol.
And while a healthy diet will help you maintain a healthy weight, it won't hurt to add in some extra foods that may be beneficial for perimenopausal and menopausal women. Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish like salmon and tuna) can keep estrogen levels balanced during this time by inhibiting certain enzyme reactions that lead to the creation of excess estrogen. Foods high in calcium also promote hormone balance by decreasing levels of cortisol.
Calcium-rich foods include dairy products like yogurt, cheese, milk, and cottage cheese, as well as dark leafy greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens. That's not to say you should go overboard with dairy — too much fat or sugar can contribute to insulin resistance which affects metabolism. If you're concerned about osteoporosis, a bone-building disease in which the bones become excessively fragile, you should aim for 1200 milligrams of daily calcium or look into taking a supplement.
The most important thing to remember during menopause is that your hormones are going through major changes! While this can lead to health problems like heart disease and cancer down the line, it's also an opportunity to learn more about your body and what makes you feel healthy. Let us know how you've been affected by perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause in the comments below, and share this blog with others who might find it helpful!
Thank you, I’ve been frustrated but your information gives me hope.
Wonderful! Thanks for your comment!
MrsBlack q
MrsBlack. I’ve had massive hot flashes for over 10 years, tried diet and herbal, nothing gave me relief unti almost a year ago when I found Macca ( a root) it totally elimated the day & night sweats..I don’t get them anymore unless I forget to take it..you can find it online
Yes, thank you again Dr Becky, really encouraging and motivational.
Hello I’m 53 and have found this eating method through trial and error but found not eating from 5pm until 12 midday the following day works for me. I also do 1.5 hours aerobic exercise 3 times a week and 30 minutes exercise strength daily. I’ve lost 10kg and my belly fat has gone. Now weigh 63kg but my target is to loose another 5 kg. I eat mostly salads but have a small carb with it. No bread but I do have the occasional pasta! I drink alcohol weekends only but again in moderation. You only live once so you have to have a small treat. I love chocolat but eat a small amount say 1/2 a bar weekly. Uk size 10 USA size 8.
I lost 7 kg in 6 weeks with keto diet and intermitten fasting. Without exercise. I hate exercise lol. Oh and I’m 56. I was skeptical at first. I was surprised when it worked! Now I’m 63 kg (163 cm height), planning to go down to 59 kg.
Choo Momma (7555
Well if you eat like a rabbit and work out like hamster of course you’re going to lose weight. I used to be able to work out like a hamster and eat like a horse, anything that I wanted , not just salads and an occasional treat. After menopause it’s a whole different ball game. I want to eat moderately and work out at a moderate or above average level and not gain weight. The solution must be in the hormones.
can I drink 3 drinks twice a week instead of one a day? Also Do you use dressing on your salad? If I use avocado oil will that work?
@Glamsky how long did it take to lose the weight
Thank God I found you! I have gained so much weight due to pre-men.
Hi +Gina Mascetti, I’m happy you’re here!
After menopause ? Menopause never ends
My menopause lasted for about 3 months and hardly no symptoms and I had no medication. That was 5 years ago. Stop eating carbs and processed food.
@Barb Drake I eat few carbs and cook everything I eat from scratch. No processed foods at all. Still fat, still hot flashes. Its just the way it is for some of us.
@Nell Simpson wow! I do the same, but still have menopause symptoms 🙁
@Mona Lisa We! the ones with symptoms don’t like you!!😁😂🤣
Plan for your time in Hell. Save up to move to a place with year round cold climate and plan for the pause from Hell to go on for at least 10 years……you heard me right. Many women look at menopause as a prison sentence. This is why it is critical to be in the right climate and job at this time. Accepting your fate is better than fighting it.
Best video I have seen for older women to date. This was so well done I love it.
Yes its nice to hear someone make alot of sense
Praise God for you! You are the only Dr. on You Tube that has actually made sense about this belly fat cortisol problem. Thank you! I did suscribe.
You haven’t seen Dr Berg, he is the best!
Fantastic and thank you Dr Becky you spoke with everyday words that’s understood by a 81 year old
@Atheist🌺Spiritual who is that, is he on youtube?
@Michelle Tolliver Yes, he is fantastic, Dr Eric Berg D.C.
I do not have belly fat but my buttox and thighs!!!!!
1. Keep cortisol low. Less stress. Avoid processed food
2. Eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats (nuts and seeds, avocados)
3. Extras to add to diet – Ceylon cinnamon, 70% or higher cocoa chocolate, one drink a day (12oz beer, 5oz wine or 1.5oz hard drink)
4. Time restricted eating – 12hr to eat and 12hr to rest.
Eat protein
Thanks!
Alcohol consumption should never be part of any diet or health regimen. Do the research.
Can I have 2-3 drinks twice a week instead of one daily?
La Shonda Mitchell n
I was a perfect size 8 – 10 and never put on any weight now I’m 54
I look 5 month pregnant and find it hard to bend down I’m so miserable 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩
@Atheist🌺Spiritual huh.. u must be doing soneting wrong definatey. Search on youtuve how to get rid of belly fat
@Shell B. Atoms great..well done
@Mona Lisa well done
@rhonda holland lots of vegetables and add lean protein with every meal. Make sure you are in a caloric deficit, experiment with starchy carbohydrates very conservatively, maybe just before and after your workout and that is it. Hopefully this will get you back on track.
I can totally relate
I let the bread , pasta, rice ,and sweets go for five months so far , and now I no longer look like I’m six months pregnant due to belly fat . I thought that it would be impossible… because I had a large stomach for a long time. It worked . My diet consisted of vegetables and meats and a smoothie of spinach and pineapple just about every day along with exercise, but sticking to this diet was damn hard at first , but I’m conquering my sugar(s) addiction so far…
@bearing fruit in old age
You could try taking it with a couple of tablespoons of full fat plain yoghurt.
@I AM LUCY
It helped me to drink herbal tea in the hours before sleep.
Chamomile, Mint, Ginger and Rooibos (a South-African tea) worked best for me. I had a thermos ready every evening. You can also mix them to your taste.
I effectively got rid of my insomnia in that way. After a year or so I slept for at least six to eight hours even without the aid of herbal tea.
Might be worth a shot. It’s so miserable to lie awake at night and it deeply affects one’s functioning during the day.
Wishing you the best.
That wonderful, congratulations. What was your breakfast like ? This the hard part for me. Thank you
Please advise me for breakfast
Thats why I am started beating premenopausal symtoms when I was 38 years old ,so that is why keeping my self active in my lifestyle, as of my age 52 years old today Iam feeling great .
I would seriously be sick if I drank that much alcohol, honestly I feel no alcohol is better especially if you haven’t consumed much alcohol in your life.
N A I don’t drink alcohol either. It’s good, however, that she address it because many do drink and it would be important to include how much if any might be beneficial and/or harmful for them. She certainly wasn’t suggesting that we start drinking If we don’t already.
@Jacqueline Lombard I think she intised me to have a drink once in a while she did say a small amount is good for stress relief. I’ll do that by not putting my tinctures in boiling water to kill alcohol. Boiling water doesn’t take the alcohol taste away. There are so many things that taste much better. I am too good of a cook for my own good. I need to learn how to not please my mouth so much. 😒🤔😩😄
1 small glass per day?
I probably have 1 or 2 glasses of wine a year. I’m not a drinker.
Good advice, and well presented, doesn’t faff on for an hour talking crap and then try and sell you something, great.
After you skip 7 minutes of yadda yadda…🙄🙄🙄
Agreed! I keep skipping forward
I do this 12 hour a window every day and it’s not helping since perimenopause!
Great great & great…I ♥️ the video- easily applicable, suggestions were realistic & basic diet changes!! This helped me understand what I was doing wrong!! Thank you! for saving the big girl on the inside trying g to take over my life!!
Many kisses
💋💋💋
After watching this , I was happy to to know that I was already doing the things you mentioned 👍 . Healthy fats, never snack after dinner, love fruits , nuts, and veggies, I could almost be a vegetarian if it wasn’t for my husband. Most of all staying active. I’m 49 an weigh 127 lbs. woohoo 🥳
Meant can’t complain
Fruits are high carb, and the opposite of this approach. Try low carb fruits like berries and ditch the rest.
Shayna Kennedy
I’m sorry It took me so long to answer back.. I didn’t get notifications of your response.
I do not take any medication not even Advil or ibprophen .
I do not suffer from any anxiety. But I do have a sister who does. I try to keep giving her encouragement. I would never tell anyone to get off meds. Although I do believe these big Pharma drugs are created to keep us addicted to them. My sister tries to find a healthy replacement/ alternative to do a slow transition off of drugs to healthy diets and herbals and essential oils, and teas. The biggest thing that helps my positive mind body and spirit.. it my prayer time/ medication with God. Not sure if you are. Believer , but for me my faith, and personal relationships with God I what keeps me focused on positive thought, and how I balance my mind which in-turns balances my health. Our mind is a power force and can influence all things in our body. I also feel most of the food we get in the stores are meant to slowly poison us into this bad health. I try to eat only natural perishable foods. What I mean is.. no sit on a shelf for yrs full of preservatives, or a ingredients list longer than my arm lol. I cut out sugars , table salts , high sodium foods. And try to eat with the season. Certain foods grow at different season for a reason. The health benefits need for the time of season is important. Now a days we can grow hybrid food in green houses out of season , I try to follow how God Created things to be. I figured if he created it that way must be for a reason, I know I can’t begin to thing I have all the answers. It just a philosophy of life I have learned over time. I truly hope you can accomplish your goal of being medication free and be healthy. I will pray for you and your health. Bless you and keep positive focus. 😊
Connie H
I do eat berries, but I have a high metabolism and I am very active so I need certain carbs in my body. My husband on the other hand carbs turn straight into sugar and fat. He went on a carb diet high protein.. so as most wives who do the shopping and cooking I did it to , to show support, not that I had a lot of carbs in my daily diet anyway, but I went along with him. And it had a bad affect on me. I lost more weight than I should, yes I know what women says she lost to much weight lol. But again I have never been over weight not even when I was pregnant. Always right where I should be. So J lost to much weight very very quickly and it actually cause problems with in my digestive system. So I introduced healthy carbs back into my daily diet and that balance me out. I don’t believe in one diet is for everyone.. there are so many different things with in our bodies that one diet isn’t effective for all. These are things we need to find out about our bodies before we start on any diet. And has we Women her older our hormones play a big role as well. I am going to have different needs and things going on in my body compared to my husband, to you, or even my sister. Balance is the key, every one needs to find how their bodies run and then work with in that. Thanks 🙏 have a great life.
Copper Head Best of luck to you if you can make the carbs work.I simply suggested the lower carb fruits as your previous comment is on a video about menopausal weight gain etc. But it’s not a one size fits all. I personally believe that lower carb is healthier but each to their own. I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you.
I felt like she was talking to me, just telling me continue doing what you do but add this and that. Thank you Dr. Becky
One thing that stopped my hot flashes by 99% was eliminating sugar and flour out of my diet sounds crazy but it work
Every woman should be advised that it’s the carbs and sugar in diet that causes hot flushes. I discovered it by accident after starting keto diet and then whenever I slipped and had carbs the hot flushes came back along with joint pain as well. Doctors should know about this and tell patients instead of medicating with dubious hormonal treatments first.
Absolutely! I have the worst hot flashes and also weird brain thoughts while I’m trying to fall back to sleep if I have a lot of sugar in the previous days. I also learned from an acupuncturist to stay away from the meat from young animals like lamb. That also can trigger hot flashes because the Ying and yang of certain foods.
Yes!!! Me too !!! Horrible hot flashes if I eat sugar, flour, …the good stuff – lol ! Brushing my teeth and tongue right after a meal has really helped drop the sweet cravings. Also, a protein shake – water ice protein powder only – more like a dessert ..but works !
I’ve started fasting and so far so good. I don’t seem to be loosing any weight as far as the scale, but I can tell in my clothes. My hot flashes are bad and I’m trying really hard to eliminate sugar. I still have my coffee with cream in the mornings but I’ve heard so many say no cream but I just can’t drink black. What type foods can I eat for breakfast. HELP!
Bombshell57 drink coffee with home made milk – almond, coco .. it is something else..😉
I’ve been doing this with at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week and I’ve seen a different in two weeks.
The scale hasn’t changed much but I’ve measured myself and I’ve lost inches.
My grandmother lived a long life she walked and danced. Her doctor put her on one beer or a glass of wine each night. She died at 97. She always felt bad until he recommended the beer or red wine each night.
Do you know the reason the Dr. recommended that?
Something must be wrong with women’s body’s. To have your period for so long, hormonal changes, giving birth which also changes your body drastically, to peri menopause, and menopause…!! It just doesn’t get any better for women! The female body is an absolute MESS!!!
Blame eve, Read Genius in the Bible. 😉
Women grow babies in their bodies and then feed them.. Not sure what you mean….Stop listening to doctors…and appreciate your body
I was about to buy Calcium D- Glucarate – is this good for getting rid of extra estrogen please? Can I get this from food instead? – can anyone help???