Passive lifestyle
It is almost impossible to get rid of belly fat after 40 years unless you start actively moving. A sedentary lifestyle leads to many negative consequences for your figure:
- calories eaten during the day do not have time to be consumed, turning into fat;
- Lymph stagnation and swelling are formed;
- strength becomes less and less, muscles weaken and physical activity is difficult, even if desired;
- metabolism slows down.
To restore the muscle corset, strength training 3-4 times a week is optimal. If going to the gym is not possible, try to spend more time outdoors. To give yourself an incentive to walk regularly, you can get a dog.
How to make an appointment with an endocrinologist
You can make an appointment with an endocrinologist at Meditsina JSC (academician Roitberg’s clinic) on the website - the interactive form allows you to select a doctor by specialization or search for an employee of any department by name and surname. Each doctor’s schedule contains information about visiting days and hours available for patient visits.
Clinic administrators are ready to accept requests for an appointment or call a doctor at home by calling +7 (495) 775-73-60.
Convenient location on the territory of the central administrative district of Moscow (CAO) - 2nd Tverskoy-Yamskaya lane, building 10 - allows you to quickly reach the clinic from the Mayakovskaya, Novoslobodskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya and Belorusskaya metro stations .
Incorrect posture
At first glance, the connection between correct posture and a slender figure is not obvious, but it is there. Due to the curvature of the spine, internal organs can move forward, forming a protruding abdomen.
With this problem, diets are ineffective; even thin women can have it. In women over 40 years of age, the cause of poor posture is weakening of the back and abdominal muscles, so the main efforts should be directed at them.
To strengthen the muscle corset, the following are effective: Pilates, yoga, physical therapy. If possible, regular use of the pool is recommended.
How to remove belly fat for a woman after 40 years old?
After medical supervision and treatment, if necessary, you can begin to work on yourself.
The first step is to adjust the diet: the daily amount of food is divided into 6-7 meals in portions of 200 g.
A woman should receive 1500-2000 calories per day.
Eating habits need to be changed radically:
- Fast carbohydrates (flour dishes, desserts) are excluded. Vegetables and fruits containing fiber are introduced into the diet.
- Fatty meats, spicy dishes, smoked sausages, and an abundance of spicy seasonings are unacceptable. But chicken breast and fish are welcome “guests” on the table of a losing weight woman.
- Water regime is important - up to 2-2.5 liters of ordinary water daily. As a result, cellular metabolism is normalized, toxins are eliminated, and the feeling of hunger is eliminated.
Now you can connect aerobic exercise. Fitness – for women without serious health problems. In other cases, it is enough to walk 5-10 km a day at a leisurely pace.
You need to sleep at least 7-8 hours, go to bed before midnight. So sleep will cover the period of hormonal activity of the pituitary gland.
Important! Be patient with visceral deposits: fat around internal organs is difficult to remove. Positive changes are noticeable after 4-6 months of living under the new regimen if the recommendations are fully followed.
Hormonal imbalances
After 40 years, a woman’s belly increases due to hormonal changes. As menopause approaches, the amount of sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, LH and FSH) decreases. This provokes abdominal obesity - a condition in which excess weight accumulates especially actively in the abdominal area.
Another negative factor is hypofunction of the thyroid gland, which often develops with age. When there are not enough hormones in the body, fats practically stop being broken down, which leads to rapid weight gain.
You won’t be able to get rid of a “hormonal” belly with diet and exercise. For a stable result, you will need treatment from a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
When to see a doctor
In this case, the situation is very simple: if you notice an excess amount of hair on androgen-dependent areas (face, chest, nipples, abdomen, buttocks, thighs) - this is a reason to consult a doctor.
The main specialist who deals with the problem and will tell you everything about hirsutism - treatment, medications, further actions - is an endocrinologist. Also, a gynecologist is often involved in the process - at a minimum, an examination and consultation will be needed. In some cases, the endocrinologist sends patients for additional examination to a dermatologist.
Diseases
Since health weakens with age, after 40 years a woman may develop diseases that cause an enlarged abdomen:
- Gallbladder dysfunction. If the bile ducts are obstructed, food is not digested properly, which causes increased gas formation. Deterioration is observed after eating poorly digestible foods.
- Endometriosis and myomatosis. These are benign growths of uterine tissue, accompanied by an enlargement of the lower abdomen. Associated symptoms include painful menstruation, cycle irregularities, pain above the pubis and in the lower back, anemia, and frequent urination.
- Cirrhosis of the liver. When liver cells stop performing their functions, this leads to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity - ascites. The abdomen increases sharply and takes on the shape of a ball.
- Oncology. Malignant tumors of the intestines, uterus and ovaries also cause an enlarged abdomen in women. Its growth, as in the case of liver cirrhosis, is associated with ascites. Warning signs include general intoxication of the body, weight loss, and pain.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is often made by gastroenterologists. Less often, the participation of gynecologists, oncologists, cardiologists, and other specialists is required. During the interview, the time, circumstances of the onset of the symptom, and the dynamics of the development of the pathology are clarified. During the examination, external changes are identified, palpation and percussion are performed. Depending on the detected changes, the following diagnostic procedures may be prescribed:
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.
A basic examination method used to assess the size and structure of parenchymal and hollow organs, determine the location and volume of pathological foci. - Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
Indicated for gynecological diseases. It is performed using abdominal, vaginal or combined access. Visualizes cysts, tumors, inflammatory changes, structural abnormalities. - X-ray studies
. For pathologies of the upper gastrointestinal tract, an x-ray of the stomach may be prescribed. If intestinal obstruction is suspected, irrigoscopy is performed. X-ray techniques make it possible to assess the width of the lumen, peristalsis of hollow organs, detect neoplasms, areas of stretching, and megacolon. - Other imaging techniques
. To detail the results of basic non-invasive techniques, CT, MRI, and less commonly PET-CT, SPECT, and scintigraphy are prescribed. - Endoscopic techniques
. For diseases of the digestive system, colonoscopy, gastroscopy or laparoscopy are performed. For gynecological pathologies, hysteroscopy and diagnostic laparoscopy are possible. During the procedure, the condition of the internal organs is assessed, and material is collected for morphological analysis. - Laparocentesis.
A therapeutic and diagnostic technique that makes it possible to confirm the presence of ascites, determine the nature of the contents of the abdominal cavity, remove fluid, and install drainage. - Lab tests
. During laboratory tests, liver tests are performed, tests for tumor markers are prescribed, feces are studied to identify pathological impurities, and biopsy samples are examined to clarify the nature and degree of malignancy of neoplasms.
In case of cardiovascular diseases, an ECG is performed, in case of endocrine pathology, the level of hormones is determined, in case of the infectious nature of the pathological process, cultures are done on nutrient media to detect the pathogen.
Nutrition correction
To eliminate visceral fat, the following principles should be followed:
- The energy value of the diet should not exceed 1700 - 2000 kcal.
- The daily diet should be varied and balanced according to BJU.
- It is recommended to eat 4-6 times a day in small portions, since 4-5 hours after eating the metabolic rate decreases, which creates conditions for the formation of “fat depots”,
- Never eat at night. Since food digestion processes are slow at night, late dinner provokes the deposition of fatty tissue.
- Introduce more protein foods into your diet. This includes lean meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. The daily diet should include a total of 160-180 g of protein.
- Of the total carbohydrates (100-150 g per day), 80% should be complex. They are contained in cereals, legumes, bran and whole grain bread, vegetables, and fruits. It is useful to include foods containing a lot of fiber in your menu. It provides a long-term feeling of satiety and perfectly “cleanses” the intestines. Sweets should be completely excluded from the diet.
- It is recommended to consume no more than 30-50 g of fat per day, and this should be mainly vegetable oils.
- Drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day, it has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes and is needed to maintain water and electrolyte balance.
Meals also need to be prepared correctly. Vegetables, fruits and berries should be consumed raw whenever possible, in which case they retain the maximum amount of nutrients.
Why does the belly grow after childbirth?
Belly after childbirth
A month or two passes after childbirth, but the stomach is “in no hurry” to return to its previous state.
And that's why:
- Carrying a baby has led to stretched and weakened muscles. During a multiple pregnancy, it is very difficult to get your stomach in order.
- During pregnancy, hormone levels changed. It will take time to restore the previous status.
- A woman constantly takes care of a child, she does not have enough time for herself. The waist “floats” due to lack of sleep, overwork, and snacking “on the go.”
Women in good physical shape get into shape faster after childbirth. Sometimes, in order to remove a hanging belly, you need to go to an aesthetic medicine clinic.
Massage help
It is worth remembering that there are a number of contraindications to this procedure: acute diseases of the stomach and intestines, a tendency to bleeding, stones in the gall or bladder, inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, tumors and neoplasms. Even with a banal ARVI and a slight increase in temperature, you should not resort to active influence on the problem area.
The goal of any massage is to cause blood flow to the problem surface.
The pinch method is most suitable for this. As a result, not only adipose tissue is broken down, but also the appearance, elasticity and tone of the skin significantly improves due to the activation of metabolic processes and nutrition.
Before the procedure, it is recommended to apply a moisturizer or special oil. The massage is performed lying, sitting or standing. Its principle is very simple:
- First, warm up the surface with light stroking. Such preparation will prevent the appearance of bruises as a result of intense exposure.
- We grab the skin with the fat layer so that the thumb is on one side and the rest on the other. We squeeze the fold, as if wanting to squeeze out the fat. So we move clockwise from the navel, increasing the radius and depth of influence with each turn.
- We do three such approaches.
- Then rub the problem surface with a terry towel.
- We end the session with patting and stroking.
There should not be any severe pain during the procedure. Only slight tingling and redness of the skin is allowed. A noticeable result from the massage will appear no earlier than in a month, provided that you devote 10-15 minutes of your precious time to it every day.
