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If you’re feeling frustrated by your jeans feeling tighter or loosening your belt another notch, then you aren’t alone. A woman’s body goes through multiple changes between the ages of 40 and 60. Some of these changes you’ll notice (weight gain) and others you won’t (higher cortisol).

But often the result of both is the same - needing to buy larger jeans and an increased muffin top. 

Dealing with stubborn weight and a wider waistline was not my dream for midlife and I doubt it is yours. So let me walk you through 4 Strategies you can start to move toward a trim belly in midlife.

The Mindset Shift: Understanding the Power of Nutrition

There are specific reasons why we gain weight in midlife. Menopause isn’t all to blame. 

Age-related factors like decreased estrogen, loss of muscle mass, and increase in cortisol levels all play a part in the fat packing around your...

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Midlife Challenges in Your Trim Healthy Journey

Back in 2012 a couple of my “besties,” Serene and Pearl, searched for answers to sustainable weight loss for women. As they figured out the best ways to fuel with foods for fat loss, I joined their plan and together we lost weight and regained our health. 

The plan (Trim Healthy Mama) they laid out for weight loss is excellent and works for women of all ages but as I’ve moved into my midlife years I’ve learned to make a few tweaks to the basic Trim Healthy plan to make weight loss easier with hormonal changes.

A key concept we often overlook in midlife is to eat plenty of protein. Protein is a key pillar of the Trim Healthy plan and continues to be of utmost importance through your...

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"I hate the belly fat that I have. I'm on bio-identical hormones and can't get rid of the tire. I don't want to go through surgery; I don't know what to do; please don't tell me to start running; I can't do it."

Does anyone else feel the same?

This question came from a member of my Peri/Menopause Trim Healthy Mama Community.

No, I'm not going to tell you to start running, and I'm not going to encourage you to exercise more. Or eat less. 

But there are multiple things that contribute to that spare tire/muffin top you are seeing. And a lot of it has to do with your age and your hormones. 

Extra fat is frustrating and a health risk for women, especially in midlife. 

The fat you see around your middle is most likely visceral...

Music provided by: https://www.purple-planet.com/ 

Apple Podcast - Spotify

If there's one thing I get asked about by women in the midlife season, it's "How do I get rid of belly fat?" 

I had the same question just a few years ago, and getting the answer was challenging. But thanks to the Trim Healthy eating plan, we have a shortcut to increase belly fat loss without deprivation and dieting.

Today on the podcast, I'll show you a few fundamental changes to make to your meal plan in menopause so you can reduce belly fat and feel better. It's like Trim Healthy Mama 2.0. The same basic principles of protein-centered meals but with a strong focus on your E (energizing) meals over your S (satisfying) meals. Because of declining hormones over 50 and sometimes younger, you need to fuel differently. You need fuel to turn on fat-burning, and as your hormones change, your fueling needs to change too. You can lose the extra belly fat, but you'll need to understand the hormones...

Trim Healthy Mama is not about obsessing or number counting. But having a few guidelines can help you bring your eating into balance. This can be especially important if you have gotten confused with all the chatter around about what you “should” and “should not” eat.

Your body craves balance. Blood sugar balance, fat balance, and carb balance.

With Trim Healthy Mama, you will bring your body into a place of healing and balance so it can release fat. You do this by cycling your fuels. Choosing a fat focus fuel (S-Satisfying) means you add healthy fats to your protein-focused meal but keep your carbs very low. A carb-focused meal (E-Energizing) is focused on a lean protein with added healthy carbs. Both meals should include good amounts of non-starchy veggies. Read here for a refresher on your fat & carb number guidelines.

Let’s take a look now at the Fuel Pull meal (FP). This meal will be centered around lean protein ...

You can learn a lot about what you are putting into your body by simply taking a moment to read the labels on packages. 

Let’s get super clear on what you are looking for when you read those labels. <<Click for a helpful guide

When you are putting together an S (Satisfying) meal, you will be focusing on fats anchored by protein but limiting carbs. Your carb count should not exceed 10 grams for an S meal. You will not count the carbs in non-starchy vegetables, those are freebies!

For an E (Energizing) meal, your focus is to anchor your lean protein with healthy carbs. You may include starchier vegetables and will keep your carb amount 45 grams or less. Watch your fat amounts with this meal and keep the fat amount 5 grams or less.

If you find that a regular E meal is a bit more carbs than your body likes, feel free to rotate out with a pulled-back E meal. Take your carb amount down to 12 grams instead of 45 grams. 

Are you ready to get Energized?

Let’s continue to learn about the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan. This is the best eating plan that you can follow for your health, hormones, and fat loss especially if you are over the age of 40. Mid-life weight can be very difficult to shed because you are dealing with shifting hormone levels. The best plan for you to follow is the Trim Healthy Mama way of eating because it will bring your blood sugar levels under control and allow your body to heal and release stubborn weight.

I taught you earlier about Satisfying meals that are centered around good healthy fats; now let’s look at Energizing meals. 

E meals are Energizing meals. When we create E meals our focus turns away from fats and toward carbs. Carbs give us the energy that we need. Carbs are basically glucose and our bodies need glucose in the right setting and at the right time.

Healthy carbs are metabolism revving and healing to our...