The middle-age belly fat battle



"So, we start to lose 3 to 5 percent of our muscle mass beginning in our 30s,” Dr. Bergquist says. “And the best way to counter that is exercise, exercise, exercise."


By building muscle, you’ll burn more fat, even when you’re not working out.

So, the best exercise to build muscle are those that use several muscle groups at one time, like circuit training or “boot camp” type workouts that incorporate resistance training.


"For a long time, we've actually had a bias in telling everybody to do things slowly,” Bergquist says. “If you do it too fast, you're just going to regain all the weight. And that's not necessarily true."

Instead, she says, do what works for you.

“For some people, that's jump-starting and doing something that's really aggressive up front.’” Bergquist says. “And for other people, that slow, steady small change is what helps make it stick for them. And there is no right or wrong."

What you’re eating can make or break your attempts to lose the fat.




"I think the better way to approach diet is to really think of it as a dietary pattern,” Bergquist says.  “Just a way of life, that you're shifting to a healthier mindset.  That you're just going to make better choices. The term diet really implies restriction. And if you're eating the right foods, you should not be feeling restricted."