Denise Austin Shares Her Secrets to Getting Rid of a Menobelly Once and for All!
See simple standing exercises that can help, plus how to tweak your diet
During midlife, fitness expert Denise Austin says you may notice a shift in your body, especially in how your weight is distributed. Many women naturally carry fat in our hips, buttocks and thighs. But when you start to hit perimenopause and menopause, your body composition can change and the fat gets redistributed to your abdomen, known as a “menobelly.”
Extra abdominal fat is more than just a nuisance during the menopause transition—it can actually be harmful to your health. Excess visceral fat (the kind deep within your abdomen, surrounding your organs) is linked to an increased risk of heart attack, type 2 diabetes and other serious health conditions.
To help combat these changes and lose weight (especially in your midsection), Austin recommends using both diet and exercise. Here, her best tips for getting rid of menopause belly fat, including her favorite balanced meals and easy standing ab exercises.
Woman's World Answers
The importance of a balance diet during menopause
According to Austin, it’s always a good rule of thumb to focus on high-quality, whole, fresh foods as the basis of all your meals. Think of it as treating your body as well as you can now for a healthy body for all the days and years to come.
“I’m a firm believer in this, which is why I stick to the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of the time, I eat healthy—veggies and fruit take up most of my plate, with lean proteins and healthy fats such as extra-virgin olive oil and nuts making up the rest,” Austin explains. “This actually curbs my cravings for the bad stuff!”
But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t indulge at all. “I love sweet treats like everyone else. I just eat them in moderation, or at 20 percent,” she says. “It’s an effective way to make sure I am giving back to my body, but also indulging every now and then. A win-win!”
How exercise can get rid of menobelly
Regular exercise is crucial for keeping your body (and mind!) healthy and fit, especially during perimenopause and menopause. A combination of cardio (walking), strength training (resistance workouts) and stretching exercises (yoga and Pilates) is what you’ll want to do to both maintain muscle mass and lose weight and belly fat. Here’s why:
Cardio burns fat
A regular aerobic exercise routine can help control your weight, tone your muscles and improve circulation. It also supports healthy blood sugar levels, lowers high blood pressure and offers many other benefits. The best part? You can fit cardio into your day, no matter how busy you are—take a brisk walk, dance in your living room or do a quick set of jumping jacks. Every bit counts, especially when time is tight.
Strength training boosts calorie-burning muscle mass
Strong muscles are one of the best defenses against aging—they burn about three times more calories than fat! That means building muscle not only boosts your metabolism but also helps protect your bones from osteoporosis and improves posture. Regular strength training not only boosts calorie-burning muscle mass, it can also help burn body fat.
Stretching keeps you flexible and lean
Stretching helps pump vital nutrients to your muscles and tendons, which keeps them healthy. As circulation increases, so does your energy. It also helps to lengthen muscles, which can lead to better posture so that you look longer and leaner. Make it a consistent part of your daily routine and you will reap the benefits.
Denise Austin’s standing ab exercises to blast a menobelly
Looking for easy ab exercises that fight belly fat without having to get down on the floor? Austin shares her favorite standing moves to help blast menobelly fast. She recommends doing 8 to 12 reps for each exercise, and three sets each.
Pull downs
Stand with your hands above your head. As you pull your arms down, drive your right knee up, keeping your abs tight. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left knee.
Standing crunch
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands behind your head and elbows out to the side. Slowly raise your right knee up, and at the same time, move your chest toward your knee. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg.
You can also do a side variation. To do: Follow the first step above. Then raise your right knee up, and at the same time, twist your torso while bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.
Standing lunge twist
Stand with your right foot to the side and slightly behind you, with both arms to your left. Drive your knee up and across your body, and at the same time, move your arms to your right side. Switch sides once reps are completed.
Lateral side reach
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and arms out in a lateral position, making the letter T. Keep your lower half still and reach your torso and right arm to the right, bringing your left arm into your hip at the same time. Then do the same on the left.
Good mornings
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands behind your head and elbows out to the side. Keeping your back straight, bend forward at the waist until you are close to parallel with the floor. Keep your abs tight and stand back up.
Upper torso twist
Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands resting on shoulders and elbows out to the side. Twist your torso toward the right, back to the middle and then to the left.
Wood chopper
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands together and reach up over your head to the right. Swing both arms across your body and down, pivoting your feet as if you’re chopping wood.
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