I was a skinny child. Tall and lanky. Hips were nonexistent on me until I fully blossomed into pseudo-womanhood in my late teens. Up to that point, I had always fantasized about being a man magnet, a real man-eater, a true vixen who could capture the heart of any man she wanted. Nope, that didn’t happen.

My breasts, however, made me feel special when, at the age of 12, they sprouted like the flowering buds they were seemingly overnight. By way of comparison, other girls’ mammaries (I know; it’s totally laughable to use that generous term for such diminutive lumps of flesh) were like mosquito bumps while I was sporting two ripe kumquats. For the record, I was neither a boy- nor man-magnet.

Somewhere around the age of 19 or 20, I began to notice a gentle swelling of my hips, giving added definition to my tiny waist and feeding into the illusion of a womanlier appearance. While I wasn’t stacked like a brick house, I had curves and that was good enough for me.

Ahhhhh, the good old days.

These days, when I stand in front of my bathroom mirror in the buff and take a gander at myself, I’m perplexed. That nicely carved out waist that I once possessed was nowhere in sight. In its place was a menopot – you know, that little (wait…did I actually say little?) protruding pouch that materializes during menopause, takes up residence between the belly button and just above the pubic hairline, and is as persistent as a pit bull.

What. The. Hell?!?

Where the hell is my waist?

Okay, I get it: hormones get a little wacky when women reach menopause. We develop fat pockets in places where, in my humble opinion, they just shouldn’t be. Now, not only do I have padded hips and a padded ass, I also have (gulp!) a padded waist.

That’s not right.

Thank you, menopause. You light up my life. menopause belly fat

When you couple waning estrogen with a slowing metabolism (and likely genetics), you get menopot. I hate that. What’s worse is that belly fat can be unhealthy, increasing our chances for diabetes and heart disease. So what can be done to help banish menopause belly fat? I have a few ideas up my sleeve.

Nom, nom, nom – Girl, put that plate of fried chicken down. And while you’re at it, do you really need to jiggle the salt shaker 15 times to season those potatoes? You’re not doing yourself any favors with those bad eating habits. Instead of chomping on three big meals a day, switch to five smaller meals a day. And never fear, there can be snacks in your future; just make them healthy ones that provide protein,  fiber and other nutrients, especially for afternoon snacking when fatigue may try to creep in. Some example are almonds, a small can of tuna, a cup of edamame, light string cheese, baby carrots with hummus, and so much more. Notice I didn’t use the dreaded, foul four-letter word that we all hate: D-I-E-T.

Work it, work it, work it – Exercise is critical to our aging bodies. A little cardio (30 minutes of walking, power walking, jogging, aerobics, etc.) 4-5 times a week can go a long way in helping you keep excess weight off and combat menopause belly fat. Also, try strength training to build muscle mass. Not to worry; you won’t end up looking like this guy. →

Zzzzzzzzz – Are you getting enough sleep? I know of a few people in my life who proudly boast things like, “I only sleep for five hours…I’m fine!” or “Six hours is all the sleep I need.” Then why are you so damn tired, moody and grumpy all the time? Well before bedtime (an hour or more), put away the electronics and turn off the television – they give off blue light which can actually hinder your circadian rhythm and suppress the secretion of melatonin (the hormone that helps to control your sleep and wake cycle). ¹ Got it? Good. Now go get some sleep.

H₂0 – Did you know that not drinking enough water can cause bloating? Weird, right? So when you’re retaining water and you look and feel bloated, what’s the first thing you might think? “Phew, my tummy’s looking a bit bloated today. I’d better lay off the water.” Wrong answer. You should actually be drinking more water. You’d be doing yourself a favor as well as your kidneys, which won’t have to work so hard to flush the excess water, salt and toxins out of your system.

Portion, portion, portion – Do you really need to eat that entire rack of ribs or that double bacon cheeseburger with a side of fries? That may be the way you used to eat when you were pre-40, but now, baby, that kinda gluttony isn’t gonna cut it. Trust me, your body can survive without you devouring a steak that’s as big as your head. And when you do eat, stick with the good stuff: lean meats, fiber, protein, fruits, veggies. Your body will thank you and so will your scale. menopause belly fat

Tick-tock, tick tock – Bon bons are a sweet indulgence; an entire bag of potato chips quells your salt cravings; chocolate chip cookies are a big “Yes!” . . . but that kind of binging at 1:00 a.m. is a no-no. When you wake up in the middle of the night to tinkle, forget about taking that detour to the kitchen. And don’t even think about stashing snacks in your nightstand – yeah, I see you thinking about it. The bottom line is this: eating late at night (or in the wee hours of the morning) is bad for you and your waistline, resulting in menopause belly fat. According to Kelly Allison of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders (in a Washington Post article),

Studies tend to show that when food is consumed late at night — anywhere from after dinner to outside a person’s typical sleep/wake cycle — the body is more likely to store those calories as fat and gain weight rather than burn it as energy.

Alcohol – Yes, I know you love it, as do I, but too much can be a bad thing. Take red wine, for instance. One glass: lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke; six glasses: you’re fall-down-sloppy drunk, singing with lampshades on your head, making horrible decisions (like that clown tattoo on your forehead), boosting your chances for liver disease and you’ve got a menopot. The bottom line: drink responsibly, enjoy your alcohol in moderation, and never ever binge drink. menopause belly fat

These were just a few ideas that may help to bring back the waist that once was. Of course, each body is different and may respond in varying ways. Find what works best for you and combat menopot.

Are you experiencing menopot in menopause? What are you doing about it? Share your thoughts and let’s discuss it in the comments.

¹Blue Light Has a Dark Side. (2012, May). Retrieved August 19, 2016, from http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side