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Emma Brown
Nutritionist
Janet Aylott
Nutritionist
Kelly Marshall
Fitness Consultant
Hi I am 50 years old and have now acquired a horrible spare tyre round my middle. Can you advise the best way to get rid of this, foods to avoid and any specific exercise would be most helpful. Thanks
Hello,
Unfortunately, a symptom of getting older, which seems to apply to many women, is that they start to store fat around their middle and develop a spare tyre. In my view, there are two main factors that can contribute to this.
The first is elevated blood sugar levels, which need to be brought down by the hormone insulin. Insulin removes excess glucose from the blood and stores it in fat cells, often around the middle in older, less active women. So, I recommend that you avoid sugary foods and white carbohydrates, which tend to have the same effect as sugar when digested. Satisfy a sweet tooth with fruit and change any white carbohydrates to brown, wholewheat varieties. Also, eat little and often, never skip breakfast and add protein to each meal to slow down digestion and absorption.
The other cause of the dreaded spare tyre can be stress. Stress causes a rise in the hormone cortisol, which can also promote fat storage around the middle of the body. Cortisol can be responsible for an increased appetite and also cravings for chocolate, sweets, cakes, caffeine and alcohol. So you can see how this hormone can contribute to a spare tyre in more ways than one!
If you like reading, I can recommend a good book on this subject called ‘Fat Around the Middle’ by Marilyn Glenville.
I hope this helps.
Vicky
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