👩🏼 Tips To Help 'Menopause Belly'

Fit with Frank
6 minutes ago
2 min read

I got asked the same question three times in one class. All different women, same question, worded slightly differently:

"Frank, how do I get rid of my menopause belly?"

Well seeing as it's clearly on a lot of minds, I thought I'd sit down with my podcast partner KBC and hash it out properly. Here's what we covered...

Why does it happen?

Short answer: hormones.

Longer answer: hormones, plus a natural decline in muscle mass, plus lifestyle stuff creeping in without you noticing.

You might be moving less than you used to, maybe you're tired, energy dipping a bit, so the daily walk gets shorter. None of this is your fault - it's just life shifting under your feet a bit, but it does mean the stuff that worked in your 20s and 30s might not cut it anymore.

So what actually helps?

Nothing magic, I'm afraid. No wand-waving here, but there are some really useful tools you can focus on to help yourself, starting with the three S's (plus a bonus, pretty important one too):

1. Strength training This is the big one. Aim for 2–4 sessions a week. Not endless cardio - strength. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, that sort of thing. Big compound moves that work loads of muscle at once (your tummy included, whether you're doing sit-ups or not).

2. Sleep Rubbish sleep = hungrier next day = reaching for the wrong stuff. If menopause is messing with your sleep, that's worth tackling head-on, not ignoring.

3. Stress More stress = more cortisol = more fat stored right where you don't want it. Life's throwing a lot at you in this era. kids, ageing parents, career peak. Managing stress isn't fluffy self-care nonsense, it's part of the plan.

4. Nutrition (the honest bonus S) Protein at every meal. Build your plate around it. Not "eat less," but "eat better." Nourish, don't starve.

The bit nobody wants to hear

Improvement takes consistency, not intensity.

You don't need to sweat yourself into oblivion. You need to keep showing up, keep progressing your weights, keep chipping away week after week. Boring? A bit. Effective? Absolutely... and do your best to ignore the vultures on your phone selling you the quick fixes. You know they don't work!