How to Lose Belly Fat After Menopause

As many women know, menopause can cause weight gain around the mid section. Gaining weight during menopause is not an uncommon thing and many times, extra belly fat is one of the places that the extra weight is stored. However, by following some simple principles, belly fat can be lost after menopause. Here's how to do it.

Things You'll Need

• Determination
• An exercise program
• Proper diet

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Instructions

• 1

  Exercise most days of the week. In order to lose belly fat, you need to create a calorie deficit, or burn more calories than you consume. One of the best methods to do this is exercise. Aim to do three days of cardiovascular exercise and three days of strength training. Try to make each session 30-60 minutes in length. Aim for a moderate intensity. You should break a sweat and your heart rate should increase.

• 2

  Lose belly fat by following the principles of proper nutrition. Refer to USDA's MyPyramid site for a personalized healthy eating program. Also, remember that you must consume less calories than you eat in order to lose any type of body fat. Aim to create a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories in order to lose 1 pound of body fat per week. This will help reduce your belly fat.

• 3

  Exercise your core and abs. While it is impossible to "spot train" an area, it is possible to help your efforts along by training target areas. Do ab exercises three times weekly. Perform core strengthening exercises as well such as Yoga or Pilates.