Tips for flattening your menopausal muffin top

Why the muffin top appears during menopause

If your muffin top is your least favourite body part, you're not alone. For most women, this is a common problem area, especially once you reach menopause.

Any woman can get a muffin top, but it's more common in menopausal women. That's because this is when oestrogen levels drop and body fat is redistributed from our hips, thighs and bum (where it is stored as a fuel reserve for breastfeeding) to our tummy.

Whittle your middle

The bad news is that this kind of belly fat creates the dreaded 'pooch' so many of us try to avoid or cover up. The good news is, there are ways to tackle it and get rid of it.

But it's not about doing hundreds of sit-ups every day. The magic formula is the old-fashioned combination of regular whole body exercise and smart, healthy eating.

• Look at how you eat. If you're skipping meals or eating one or two heavy meals during the day, or eating at night, to compensate for hunger, it's time to change things. Eat smaller meals, more often to help with your metabolism and help combat those dreaded mid-afternoon slumps when those junk food cravings hit.
• Focus on quality, not quantity. Remember, your body is a temple, not a garbage bin. Feed it nutritious, whole, plant foods (fruits and veggies), enough carbs (roots and whole grains), and a little high-quality fat and protein every day.
• Exercise smartly. Whole body workouts burn calories and blast body fat, which includes the fat around your midsection. The trick to cardio workouts is getting in short bursts of high and low-intensity training, at least four times a week. Give HIIT workouts a try! Do some body- and weight-training exercises twice a week to keep your muscles strong, and treat yourself to yoga or Pilates to trim your core and de-stress.
• Visualise your reward. Imagine how great you'll look and feel having slimmed down your muffin top. Sure, it might feel like a drag getting up early or delaying supper by a few minutes to exercise, but keep your goal in mind. The fitter you become, and the more you  notice how great you feel, the easier it will be to realise your dream goal for your body.

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