Some age-related bodily changes are expected.
Let's say, in any case, that we are prepared for it.
Wrinkles, white hair, less firm skin and body, reduced tolerance to alcohol and late nights at the start of the week, to name just a few.
Some, on the other hand, are more surprising, like this belly which becomes rounder over the years, and this, a priori, without any radical change in our eating habits justifying it.
So who is the culprit?
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Also read: Is it healthy to eat only soup for dinner?
A physiological change
It all starts in your thirties.
Once the 30-year mark has passed, both women and men can attest to bodily changes due to aging, and also because we are a little less physically active.
We then begin to lose muscle mass.
These changes - particularly in the stomach - are more visible around the age of fifty.
In women, the explanation of the phenomenon is simple and physiological.
The belly grows under the influence of hormones linked to menopause, and more precisely under the effect of estrogen deficiency.
Estrogens are in fact responsible for the distribution of fats in the body, a so-called “gynoid” distribution;
in other words, located at the level of the thighs and buttocks, and subcutaneous (what you have under your fingers when you pinch your thigh).
“At menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogens and progesterone: we are then left with only androgens,” explains Martine Duclos, head of the sports medicine department at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital and president of the National Observatory of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle in France (Onaps).
The distribution of fat then becomes “android”.
The fat is then no longer subcutaneous but intra-abdominal: like men, it migrates towards the abdomen, around the viscera, the liver, the pancreas and also around the heart.
This phenomenon is inevitable and appears around age 53 (the average age of menopause in France).
The process can begin with perimenopause and take – depending on the woman – one, five or seven years.
“We know, however, that a physically active woman before and during premenopause will experience lower fat gain than others, because sport limits it,” informs Martine Duclos.
Sport, healthy eating and good sleep
Good news on the other hand: this fat is the first to be mobilized, and reduced, when we practice sport.
Physical activity is all the more important as intra-abdominal fat is dangerous for your health, because it is located in places where it should not be.
“It is inflammatory and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes,” explains Martine Duclos.
Also read “I learned that I was menopausal when we wanted to have a child”
All sports are good to practice, the ideal being to combine muscle strengthening of the whole body and endurance.
Questioned in a previous article, sports coach Lucile Woodward recommended regular cardiovascular effort at least twice a week, alternating running or cycling and a session that is both short and intense, such as interval running.
At the same time, the specialist advised focusing on bodybuilding exercises dedicated to deep and superficial abdominals, using a kettlebell, performing core training, scissor leg kicks or even pull-ups.
We know that a physically active woman before and during premenopause will experience lower fat gain than others.
Martine Duclos, head of the sports medicine department at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital
Unsurprisingly, a healthy and balanced diet is essential to limit fat gain.
Nutritionist Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache recommended in a previous article to limit your caloric intake, without restricting yourself.
In practice, we favor a diet rich in vegetables and starchy foods low in sugar and with a low glycemic index, such as quinoa, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, etc.) or even whole-grain pasta or rice.
One last element is essential to limit fat gain linked to physiological changes: good sleep.
“Even a sleep deficit of 30 minutes or an hour will lead to greater hunger and insulin resistance,” emphasizes Martine Duclos.
We will secrete more of it, but it promotes fat gain and metabolic disorders.”