This is one of the top 5 questions I get asked as a wellness coach: How do I get rid of Belly Fat?

To women, especially for those of us that have had kids. This is what we have to deal with as we age over 40.

A lot of the things we did in our twenties and thirties just don't work anymore. There are some things you can be doing in your daily routine that can help reduce belly fat.

Let me preface this by saying that spot reduction, losing weight in one specific area of your body, is not a thing. Any "coach" or program that promises that is not being honest and is likely after your money.

When you lose weight you generally lose it all over, BUT the stomach area- at least for me- usually gets toned last.

So, here are my top 5 tips for helping you finally get rid of the belly fat:

      1. STOP UNDEREATING

I had no idea how many women were massively undereating until I started coaching. When I say undereating, I mean 1200 calories or less per day. That's barely enough for an adult to function, especially if you're adding fitness to your routine.

I blame the calories in, calories out mentality that so many of us have adopted over a lifetime of bad dieting advice. And while, yes, calories do matter, it is only a piece of the puzzle, especially for women over 40.  So STOP focusing on a calorie deficit and start focusing on the quality of food you eat.

      2. GET MORE SLEEP

How is this related to belly fat? Let me tell you, when you're not getting enough quality sleep your metabolism slows down. It also affects your hormones.

Ghrelin, the hormone that tells you when you're hungry, increases when you don't get enough sleep. Leptin, the hormone that tells you when you're full and to STOP eating, decreases. This is a recipe for weight gain. And a big one, Cortisol, can affect the way you store fat, and not getting enough sleep will throw the balance off.

Hormones don't operate in a vacuum, they are all related, like a symphony. So when one is off they're all off.

I want you to be getting good sleep for a whole host of reasons, but it can definitely help with reducing your belly fat.

      3. STRENGTH TRAINING

I get asked all the time what the best kind of exercise is for women over 40.

And I always tell them: strength training.

While you can still do the same activities you did in your twenties, make sure you're mixing it up with low impact, high impact, and lots of stretching.

So, why is it important for women over 40? Because as we age our metabolism drops and we lose muscle. A way to combat this is strength training and interval training. The good news is you don't have to spend hours every day doing it to see results.

And don't be afraid to pick up heavy weights. You will not bulk up like a professional body builder who spends hours in the gym every day, I promise. You will surprise yourself with how quickly you progress.

      4. WATCH YOUR SUGAR

Don't stop reading, I'm not going to tell you to cut out sugar completely. Life is too short to not enjoy your favorite dessert, mamma.  But when you start paying attention to labels, start noticing the added sugars and start adding more real foods instead of processed foods, you will automatically cut back on sugar and start to see a difference.

I talk a lot about ways to cut back on sugars so make sure to tune in and join my Free facebook group for more on this (I could talk about this for days).

      5. BE PATIENT

This whole process is a journey, mamma. And as I mentioned in the beginning, belly fat is often times the last thing to go. It can be a big source of insecurity for women, but I will tell you, you are your own worst critic, so be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace.

So, be consistent and just start!

If you want to hear me dive deeper into each of these topics tune into episode 8 of The Wellness Revolution Podcast.