How do I get rid of belly fat after 40? 10 TIPS to achieve it

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josue M.D.

How do I get rid of belly fat after 40? When we get to 40, we have the maturity and experience of the years we have lived. Specific changes also begin to occur in our body, among them the accumulation of fat around the abdomen.

The most effective way to eliminate body fat is through aerobic exercise such as fast walking, running, walking, and swimming. By practicing these activities, accelerating the burning of body fat, belly fat, and eliminating love handles is entirely feasible. 

That represents a styling problem, as well as problems for the health appearance of the belly.

Here we will explain what is behind that belly, avoid it, and some tips to eliminate it.

What is behind the belly fat?

When you overeat and don’t exercise enough, you probably have belly fat. Your metabolism slows down, and your muscle mass decreases slightly with age and causes the fat to increase.

 We notice that belly fat increases as we age. That is because we have a minimal estrogen level that influences where the fat is in the body.

Abdominal fat is under the skin. But there is also visceral fat located on the inside of the abdomen, around the internal organs. 

This type of visceral fat is related to health problems among them:

• Heart disease.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Breathing problems.
• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol.

 Even if your weight is ideal, if you have a large waist, you increase your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. 

How do you lower your abdomen after 40? How do I get rid of belly fat?

Find an active hobby

Adopt a healthy lifestyle and pursue a hobby that requires a lot of energy.  An ideal hobby is a Latin dance; it is a dynamic aerobic activity that combines exercises for the mind like Tai Chi and yoga.

Decrease sugar and fat intake

Avoid high-fat and high-sugar foods that will help you reduce your body fat gradually.

Get enough sleep

Irregular sleep patterns have a significant impact on the abdomen. Get the necessary rest. If you sleep less than 6 hours, you will have more anxiety throughout the day. 

One study carried out by the doctors Jean-Philippe Chaput, Jean-Pierre Després, Claude Bouchard, and  Angelo Tremblay, shows that lack and excess sleep after 40 can be fattening. That happens because the hormone cortisol increases and helps to have more stress and more desire to eat. 

Lack of sleep helps the brain make bad decisions like: 

• Eating junk food.
• Stop exercising.
• Altering the hunger and satiety hormones This causes you to overeat without realizing it.

Control your waist measurement

Measuring the circumference of the waist helps us to know when we should act. A waistline of 88.9 centimeters for women and 102 centimeters for men means an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. 

According to studies, the accumulation of fat around the stomach helps to narrow and harden the arteries.

The ideal waist measurement is less than half the person’s height. For example, if a man is 1.80 m tall, he should have a waist measurement of less than 90 cm, and if a woman is 1.70 m tall, her abdominal circumference should be below 85 cm.

At this stage of our life, it is easier to gain weight than to lose it. People tend to exercise less, and the slow metabolism predisposes you to accumulate more fat.

Eat a healthier diet

As we get older, we lose muscle and gain fat. The problem begins when people become less active with age. That leads to us burning far fewer calories.

Also, they don’t make changes in their diet, which leads to weight gain, and hormonal changes also play a role above all after 40.

Check if you are retaining fluids

Investigate what is causing fluid retention. It may be due to hormonal problems due to the approach of menopause. That causes many changes in the body.

Set a meal schedule

Respecting mealtimes Eating in an uncontrolled way at this age is very harmful. Uncontrolled eating will cause our abdominal fat to accumulate very quickly.  Try to follow a routine and respect meal times.

Breakfast should be a little more abundant, lunch normal, snack, and dinner eat something lighter.

Breakfast is fundamental. It provides energy with your body needs during the day. Please do not use a refrigerator; it is bad for the stomach and the weight.

Please do not skip any meals, because it ruins your metabolism. Instead of burning calories, you get to store them.

Exercise

Age-specific exercises, I mean without forcing your body to the limit. At 40, exercising is essential, and it is much better if you do it every day.
Do specific special exercises for your 40’s where you lose abdominal fat, such as sit-ups, squats, and dancing.

Do 30 minutes of cardio, including 4 to 5 sessions of resistance training.  Walking at least 10,000 steps a day helps your metabolism or keeps you in shape.

Include the essential nutrients in your diet

Include in your diet calcium, vitamin B12, Potassium, Magnesium, vitamin D, Omega 3, and probiotics. 

• We can find Potassium in avocados, dried apricots.
• We can discover Calcium in almonds and yogurt. 
• You can get vitamin D by exposing yourself to the sun, getting a tan (as long as you use sunscreen, and the exposure is not too long).

Drink plenty of fluids

Drink enough if you are predisposed to swelling, don’t make the mistake of reducing the water. Instead, it would be best if you drank plenty to help you with this problem.

It also increases the number of calories you burn and helps you detoxify your body. If you drink a glass of water before a meal, it will reduce your appetite and the number of calories you ingest.

Drinking cold water will also help you burn calories, as your body uses more energy to warm up.

Conclusion

If you need to lose abdominal fat after 40, there are several easy ways you can achieve it with consistency and dedication.

Try to follow all these recommendations to improve your health. Abdominal fat represents a risk for our body because, at this stage, we gain more weight than we burn.

[author] [author_image timthumb='on']https://buildyourbody.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Nataniel-Josue-Alvarez.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]The article was reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josué Alvarez. Medical Doctor graduated from Medical School Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda. Área Ciencias de la Salud. •Awarded winner IV Science Fair of Research Methodology - April 2012 •Recipient of Asesor Estudiantil Institucional Scholarship •Thesis: Relationship Between Parasitosis, Anemia and Hygiene Habits in patients aged 20 yo 70 years old in Amuay, municipality of Los Taques, Falcón State, Venezuela •Thesis: Intervention Plan in Rural Healthcare in Monte Verde and La Puntica sectors, of the Amuay Community, Los Taques parish, Los Taques municipality, of the Falcón State, Venezuela. During the period March 2018 - July 2018[/author_info] [/author]