If you’re older than 30 you’ve probably already noticed that the blissful period in your 20s where you could eat, drink and be merry late into the night and seemingly consequence free, does not last. One of the key reasons for this is as you get older your hormone balance shifts and your lifestyle needs to shift with it. If you continue to live and play hard it won’t be long before your lifestyle rapidly catches up with you – inside and out.

I’m now in my late 40’s and I’ve personally discovered what’s known as ‘the middle age spread’. No longer can I get away with eating whatever I want and gaining weight seems to happen so much easier now. So, the burning questions are why and what can we do about it?

For women, the primary change starts with perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause where symptoms are starting to occur as hormones begin to shift. Menopause is a natural biological process that occurs in women as they age, which typically can be around the age of 50 but differs for individuals. It is characterised by a decline in estrogen levels, which can lead to a variety of physical and emotional changes, including weight distribution.

During menopause, there is often a redistribution of body fat, rather than a significant increase in overall body fat. Specifically, there tends to be an increase in abdominal fat and a decrease in subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that is located just beneath the skin. As men get older their hormone balance shifts too, lower testosterone levels and oestrogen dominance can mean a gain in belly fat.

While to some extent we can and should embrace our changing bodies, excessive middle aged spread or accelerate ageing isn’t inevitable and can be minimised or even reversed with a few small consistent changes.

Nutrition plays a key factor, particularly getting adequate protein throughout the day to minimise loss of muscle mass. Also significant is adequate sleep and hydration to help balance hormones.

Exercise is a big factor, particularly weight bearing exercise – it can help regulate hormones by lowering stress levels and increasing muscle mass. If you think of muscle mass as your engine, the more muscle you have, the stronger and more vital you will look and feel as you age.

It can also help regulate insulin levels, regulate mood, and reduce the chance of diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

If you don’t know where to start, start with walking or swimming. Grab a buddy and head off into nature or the pool and get used to the idea of regular exercise. The key is consistency. Once you’ve nailed the habit, add some body weight exercises and progress to adding some weights. Join a fitness group or hire a coach to make it easy and enjoy watching your progress.

If you are experiencing other extreme symptoms, please see your GP as there may be some additional hormone therapy that can help.

Fitness Revolution in Bassendean welcomes everybody but specialises in the over 40’s in a fun and safe environment. Learn more about our personal and group training.

Founder/Director Angela Gawthorne

• BBus (Accounting)
• Fitness Australia – Level 2 Exercise Professional
• Nutrition Coach: Precision Nutrition Level One Certified
• CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer
• Australian Weightlifting Federation – Level 1 Coach
• Pre & Post Natal (Exercise in the Childbearing Year)