Belly Fat Busters for Seniors: 12 Weeks to Lose Weight, Gain Strength, and Improve Balance

by Paige Waehner

Overview

Living a vibrant, healthy life is something we all want to enjoy as we get older. Looking good is just as important as feeling good, but hormonal changes sometimes contribute to weight gain, sleep disturbances, stress, and a redistribution of fat to the belly. There are ways to combat this, and the number-one tool is resistance training. In Belly Fat Busters for Seniors, certified personal trainer Paige Waehner provides a detailed twelve-week strength program with a focus on exercise protocols that specifically target belly fat. You'll safely and gradually build strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance while improving your body composition and losing belly fat.

You'll get tips on diet, sleep, stress, and other things that contribute to belly fat so your overall health improves. All of the workouts include instructions for exercises that will:

• Increase your lean muscle tissue while losing belly fat
• Improve your strength, balance, and flexibility
• Recharge your metabolism
• Revitalize your mental health

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510769663
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	06/28/2022
Pages:	184
Sales rank:	339,348
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer and fitness writer who is a member of The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the IDEA Health & Fitness Association. She is a frequent contributor to verywellfit.com, has been published in Pregnancy Magazine, Desert Paradise, and Runner’s World, and is the author of multiple books on how to get in shape and become a personal trainer, including Strength Training for Seniors. She resides in Illinois and can be found at getfitwithpaige.com. 

Table of Contents

Introduction: Getting Older and Gaining Weight-It's Mot Inevitable vii

Belly Fat and Weight Gain viii

An Overview of How Our Bodies Age ix

Resistance Training Is the Answer xi

Chapter 1 The Basics of Perimenopause and Menopause-What Happens as We Get Older 1

A What Is Perimenopause? 2

B What Is Menopause? 3

i What Age Does It Happen? 3

ii How to Know If You're in Menopause 4

iii The Truth About Losing Weight During and After Menopause 4

iv A Glimpse at What We'll Focus on 5

1 Exercise 5

2 Nutrition 5

3 Managing Stress 5

4 Better Sleep Hygiene 5

5 Managing Your Insulin Resistance 6

C The Symptoms of Perimenopause/Menopause and How to Manage Them 6

i Hot Flashes and Might Sweats 6

ii Sleep Disruptions 8

iii Brain Fog 11

iv Dry Skin 12

v Weight Gain 13

vi Depression and Anxiety 14

vii Reduced Sex Drive 15

D When to See Your Doctor 16

Chapter 2 The Reasons We Gain Belly Fat After 40 17

A What Happens to Our Bodies in Our Forties, Fifties, and Sixties (Men and Women) 17

i Between 40 and 45 17

ii Between 45 and 50 18

iii Between 50 and 60 18

iv Body Changes in Men 19

1 Gaining Belly Fat 19

2 Loss of Muscle 19

3 Heart Issues 19

4 Prostate Issues 20

v Muscle Loss 20

1 Neurological Decline 20

2 Hormonal Changes 20

3 Inflammation 20

4 Belly Fat 21

5 Slowing Metabolism 21

vi Insulin Resistance-Feeling Hungry When You're Mot 21

vii Hunger Hormones Are Out of Whack 22

viii Unhealthy Eating Habits 23

ix More Stress 24

x Changing Sleep Patterns 26

xi Mot Exercising and Becoming Less Active Overall 27

B The Benefits of Losing Belly Fat 28

Chapter 3 Let's Talk about Your Diet 29

A Things that Affect Your Metabolism 29

a Genetics 29

b Size 29

c Age 29

d Body Composition 30

e Gender 30

f Health Issues 30

g Stress 30

h Dieting 30

i Activity Levels 30

B Your Diet: The Biggest Contributors to Belly Fat 30

i Sugar 31

ii Alcohol 32

iii Unhealthy Fats 33

iv Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods 33

v Eating Refined Carbs Instead of Whole Carbs 34

vi Yo-Yo Dieting 34

Chapter 4 Changes You Can Make to Your Diet Right How 37

A Pantry Clean-Out 37

B Drink More Water 38

C Eat More Protein 39

D Cut Out Added Sugar 40

E Eat More Fiber 40

F Eat Healthy Fats 42

G Meal Prep 43

H Mind Your Portion Sizes 44

I Track Your Eating 45

Chapter 5 Let's Talk about Exercise 47

A Cardio for Losing Body Fat 47

i General Exercise Guidelines 47

1 What Is Moderate-Intensity Exercise? 48

2 What Is Vigorous-Intensity Exercise? 48

3 Monitoring Your Intensity 48

4 Sample Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale 49

B The Best Cardio for Losing Belly Fat 50

ii High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 50

1 Examples of HIIT Workouts 51

2 The Benefits of HIIT 51

a Sample Home HIIT Workout for Beginners 51

1 Squat with Crescent Knees 52

2 Step Outs with Overhead Reach 53

3 Knee Smash 53

4 Squat with Knee Lift 54

5 Heel Digs 54

6 Crossover Knee Smash 55

7 Puddlejumper with Lifts 55

8 Side Squat Scoop 56

9 Dumbbell Swing 56

10 Low-Impact Jumping Jack 57

11 Side to Side Punch 57

12 Curtsy Lunges 58

13 Rear Towel Slides 58

14 Side Towel Slides 59

ii Low-Impact Steady State Training 59

1 The Benefits of LISS Training 59

2 Examples of LISS 60

3 Sample Cardio Schedule for Beginners 60

B Strength Training for Losing Belly Fat 60

i General Strength Training Guidelines for Seniors 60

1 How to Choose Your Weight 61

2 Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS) 62

3 How to Deal with DOMS 62

4 Discomfort vs. Pain 63

5 Rewarding Yourself 63

C Best Strength Training for Losing Belly Fat 64

1 What Are Compound Exercises? 65

2 The Benefits of Doing Compound Exercises 65

3 What Is Circuit Training? 66

4 The Benefits of Circuit Training 66

Chapter 6 The Program 69

A An Overview 69

i The Breakdown of the Workouts 69

1 Warm-up 69

2 Total Body Strength Circuit Workouts 69

3 Flexibility Workout 69

4 Core Workout 70

5 Suggested Workout Schedule 70

B Should You See Your Doctor Before You Get Started? 70

C What You heed for Your Workouts 71

a Equipment 71

i Dumbbells 71

1 Alternatives to Weights 71

ii Resistance Bands 72

iii A Towel 72

iv Mat 72

v A Step 72

vi An Exercise Ball 72

b Workout Shoes 73

a Workout Clothes 73

a Activity Tracker (optional) 74

D Scheduling Your Workouts 75

Chapter 7 Warm-Up, Cooldown, Flexibility, and Core Workouts 77

A Warm-up-You can use this warm-up or any cardio of your choice before you do any workout. 77

B Cooldown-This workout, or some other light movement, helps your body heal after exercise. 82

C Flexibility workout-This is a great workout to do after any workout or anytime throughout the day. 86

D Core workout-This workout can be done in conjunction with your other workouts or on its own. Just make sure you take at least one day in between core workouts. 90

Chapter 8 Weeks 1 & 2-Let's Get Started 95

a Suggested Workout Schedule 95

b Equipment Needed 95

Chapter 9 Weeks 3 & 4-Getting Stronger 103

a Suggested Workout Schedule 103

b Equipment Needed 103

Chapter 10 Weeks 5 & 6-Building Muscle 111

a Suggested Workout Schedule 111

b Equipment Needed 111

Chapter 11 Weeks 7 & 8-Making Changes 123

a Suggested Workout Schedule 123

b Equipment Needed 124

Chapter 12 Weeks 9 & 10-Getting There 135

a Suggested Workout Schedule 135

b Equipment Needed 135

Chapter 13 Weeks 11 & 12-Your Most Challenging Workouts 147

a Suggested Workout Schedule 148

b Equipment Needed 148

Chapter 14 What Happens Now? 161

a How to Change Your Workouts 161

b Taking an Exercise Break 163

Resources 167