“As you get older, it helps to gain a certain amount of weight to maintain energy,” and “A middle-aged person’s soft belly fat is a symbol of age,” and in the past, many middle-aged people thought belly fat was not a big deal.
But now, middle-aged people who have belly fat are often dismissed as those who are unable to take care of themselves or are lazy. When you reach middle age, it is easy to gain weight due to hormonal changes, so it is difficult to say that you have not been able to take care of yourself. Especially after menopause, it is difficult to lose weight even if you starve, so it is more difficult to manage it with diet and exercise.
However, experts say that if you ignore belly fat due to age and repeat irregular lifestyle habits, you increase the risk of various adult diseases and complications, so middle age is a time when you should especially focus on weight management. Additionally, it is advised that middle-aged people should not lose belly fat in a different way, rather than losing it like younger people in their 20s and 30s.
They say that you must first set realistic goals and change your bad habits.
Typical examples of bad habits include not being able to endure a brief hunger and seeking carbohydrates, and constantly seeking sweets such as red bean bread or coffee mix after a meal. Eating plenty of snacks to feel fuller even after a meal and lying down right away are also bad habits that cause belly fat to gain.
In the case of women, it is said that they often gain belly fat after menopause, and as men enter middle age, testosterone levels decrease, muscle mass and basal metabolic rate rapidly decrease, leading to an increase in visceral fat.
As a result, changes in body shape begin to occur, typically turning into an ET-type or spider-type body shape with thin limbs and a protruding belly. As both men and women age, their basal metabolic rate decreases, and fat fills the space where muscle is lost, causing flab. It is recommended that middle-aged people first change their bad habits and think about their body shape when they were younger and do not set a goal of losing 10 to 20 kg at once, but to first lose about 5 to 10% of their current body weight within 8 to 12 weeks. Additionally, it is recommended to do brisk walking for at least 20 to 30 minutes after a meal.
One expert says, “Menopause is a golden time to manage belly fat,” and “You should get into the habit of moving a little more.” Exercising after a meal is most important because just walking for 20 minutes after a meal lowers blood sugar levels and improves physical condition.
Strength training is also necessary. The common opinion is that you should not do abdominal strength training to lose belly fat, but if you do strength training that uses your limbs and back muscles a lot, belly fat can come off on its own.
Strength training releases growth hormones and reduces inflammatory response. The best way to do strength training is to choose about 30% of the weight you can lift as much as possible and do two sets. You also need to change your eating habits. Don’t just reduce the amount of food you eat, but start by reducing foods that are high in calories but contain no nutrients. It is better to eat mixed grain rice rather than white rice and eat side dishes with a variety of vegetables.
Alcohol, which has no nutrients, should also be reduced. Even when snacking, experts recommend eating boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, or low-sugar yogurt topped with fruits and nuts. Living with a heavier body can easily cause chronic fatigue, and since life is uncomfortable and stress accumulates, you need to move a little more and break the cycle of bad habits and addictions to avoid abdominal obesity. Reporter Kang Min-seong kms@dt.co.kr
[ 저작권자 ⓒ디지털타임스, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지 ]
2024-01-26 09:20:00
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