The Lifestyle Rx for Muffin Tops and Menopots | February, 2010

The most troubling part of the body that gives women the most amounts of frustration and anxiety is her middle. If a women carrying an extra 10 pounds of baggage she'll feel anguish over the muffin top that appears every time she puts on a pair of jeans. Women have a greater tendency to pack on belly weight more commonly when she is approaching her perimenopausal years and beyond. I call this taunting belly fat menopot. All women have menopot and the normal amount of belly fat is ideally no more than 5 pounds. However, a lot of women are carrying that in to the double digits.

It's time to take charge!

To make a change their must be two present factors. The first is the force that drives you to make the change. For example, you go to try on your favorite pair of jeans and you see your belly spilling over the top and your zipper about to pop and you come to the realization that you can't go on like this any longer and whatever it takes you're willing to resolve your abdominal bulge. The second factor is the reward. People usually change when they are transitioning from something unpleasant to joyful. The reward is up to you. However, the point is that everyone has to clearly identify their reward and use that as motivation to make the changes in your life.

Here are three belly-blasting steps to help you get started and on your way to whittling your waist.

1. Use your mind and visualize your reward- Close your eyes and see yourself without a big belly.
2. Eat the right foods- Remember quality, quantity and frequency.
   • Quality- refers the type of foods you are eating, concentrate of consuming whole foods like veggies, fruits, whole grains and lean meats. For your benefit, do not include any high content fats or processed science fair projects.
   • Quantity-Watch you portions. Eat slower and stop before you are full.
   • Frequency- Eat every 3-4 hours after you wake up until dinner and don't eat late. The later you eat, the easier it is to pack on that belly fat.
3. Stay Active- The magic formula to blast away you belly fat is to add a combination of cardio, weight lifting and core work outs. Cardio keeps your heart pumping and blood flowing doing these type of work outs 4-5 times a week you burn more calories and become closer to you goal. You don't have to go to the gym to add weight lifting to your daily exercise at least 2 times a week. Weight lifting is vital if you want to see real shape shifting in your body composition. Finally, working core does not just mean doing an extraneous amount of crunches. Doing simple Pilates or Yoga workouts are terrific to achieving your reward.

Here are three final belly- blasting tips.

1. What to do from 3p.m. to determine your girth size?
   • At this time of the day you start to lose it. Make sure you have planned a mid-afternoon snack, something light. For example, peanut butter on crackers, carrots or even. At supper time, be careful not to over eat and watch out what you eat after dinner.
2. If you don't wake up hungry in the morning, you overate the night before.
   • You don't want to eat or put any food in your stomach at least 2 hours or more before its time for bed.
3. For a flatter belly, get seven or eight hours of restful sleep.
   • It is a fact that women who don't get enough sleep or their sleep in poor quality that they have larger bellies. Get a good night sleep.

Read more: The Lifestyle Rx for Muffin Tops and Menopots.

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