For Your 40s: How to Lose Belly Fat and Tighten the Stomach

For Your 40s: How to Lose Weight in a Healthy Way

How to lose belly fat after 40:

1. Seeing a gynecologist

Before taking any steps, you should visit your gynecologist to check your hormone levels. As you know menopause can happen anytime and in turn can cause an imbalance in the body's hormones, which play an important part in the process of burning fat and the accumulation of fat in some areas like the stomach, for example. 

2. Simple routine and habit changes

Remember that just like our bodies change, we also need some changes in our daily routine. On the surface, these look really simple but they can make a big difference.

- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

- Don't take your car for a short drive, walk instead. 

- Go shopping on your own.

- Go for daily walks with your dog, if you have one of course.

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3. Anxiety and stress

Who said that belly fat is only a result of food or lack of exercise? There are many other factors, most notably anxiety and stress. So try to stay away from everything that causes anxiety and stress. Take a break from these things for a while and focus on healing your mental health. You can even try yoga or meditation, which can help ease the body and mind, a lot. But if it's hard to control, consider seeing a therapist.

4. Simple changes in your daily diet

You don't have to go on a strict diet to see a difference, the simplest changes can have an impact when being consistent.

- Having vegetables as a main part of every meal you have.

- Reducing consumption of canned foods.

- Reducing your salt and sugar intake.

- Avoiding dairy products as much as possible. With age, our bodies cannot break down lactose as efficiently, which causes bloating. 

- Add more protein to your daily diet.

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5. Working out to help lose belly fat

The muscles of the body weaken in our 40s, so it is normal to start seeing a belly. Exercising regularly to strengthen these muscles can make a difference, but there are also some exercises that you no longer need at this age.

- Weight-lifting exercises: Weights can be really important for this issue, because they are able to strengthen various muscles of the body. Just make sure you're being safe and gradual, under the supervision of a professional, and not putting too much pressure or hurting your back. 

- Reducing cardio exercises: Cardio is not that beneficial anymore. You should working on increasing muscle mass more than anything else.

- Stop doing crunches: These exercises work more on the waist than they do for the stomach, which is not your goal. But through exercising with weights, you could strong muscles even in the waist area. 

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6. Taking your vitamins

Note: Before taking any vitamins or medication, you should always consult with your doctor first and make sure it's right for you and your case.

Taking vitamins in your forties is really important. There are some essential vitamins that can not only maintain health, skin and bone strength, but also some of them control the hormones responsible for hunger, such as ...

- Vitamin D3.

- Omega-3.

- Vitamin C.

7. And finally...Sleep!

There's a myth that as you get older, you no longer need long hours, like your twenties, for example. Unfortunately, that's not necessarily true. In your twenties you can go to bed late, but in your forties your body needs to use up every hour at night. Therefore, it is always recommended to go to bed early and get 8 hours of sleep, because it can improve your body's health and its ability to burn fat.

Main Image Credits: Via Pinterest