Women over 50: Why the belly is getting bigger

 Many women get a bigger stomach in their 50s. But why is that? We give you possible reasons behind it.

Our body changes throughout our lives: we are sometimes slimmer, sometimes a bit fatter - but many women notice that they weigh more and more, especially from their 50s onwards. And the body shape changes too. As the butt gets flatter, the waist size increases. But why is that? We get to the bottom of this question and tell you the most common causes.

From 50: For these reasons, you gain weight around your stomach

1. Menopause

A possible explanation for a thicker midsection could be primarily menopause. During this time, the ovaries produce less estrogen. The result is irregular ovulation and missed periods. Due to hormonal change, well-known symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, or sleep disorders can occur during this time. What many women don't know is that hormonal changes also have an impact on our body weight. As the?

The female sex hormone estrogen is not only crucial in terms of reproduction but also has a significant impact on metabolism. Especially at the beginning of menopause, estrogen dominance can temporarily occur. This can promote water retention, which can be another reason for a fattening stomach. 

Elevated levels of estrogen can also affect the thyroid and cause hypofunction. This in turn encourages weight gain. Good to know: Since the testosterone level increases, the fat is distributed differently and increasingly settles in the middle of the body.

Read Also: 5 best exercises for women over 50

2. Too little sleep

Do you suffer from insomnia during menopause? That's not uncommon. Again, the hormones are responsible. Due to the declining estrogen activity, our sleep quality suffers and the restorative deep sleep phase is shortened. Mood swings can also make it difficult to fall asleep, and night sweats can disrupt your sleep. 

If you constantly suffer from bad sleep, your energy metabolism will change and more fat reserves will be stored. In addition, too little sleep affects the area in the brain responsible for hunger and satiety. The release of the hormones ghrelin (triggers appetite) and leptin (triggers satiety) gets mixed up.

3. Natural loss of muscle mass

Muscle mass also decreases with age. This process begins as early as the age of 30 and muscle mass is lost by around 1 percent every year. The degrading muscles are gradually converted into fat. The problem with this is that muscles burn a lot of calories. 

With an increased fat content, the calorie deficit is reduced accordingly. But if you eat the same way you used to, you burn fewer calories. These are stored as fat and give you extra pounds. You can effectively counteract this with weight training and a protein-rich diet.