If you're a postmenopausal woman, you're probably fighting the battle of the bulging tummy. You... Ways to find fat after menop

Decreased estrogen levels aren't piling on those extra pounds. Food choices and activity levels have more to do with postmenopausal weight gain than estrogen.

Watch out for high-calorie alcoholic beverages. If you drink wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages, cut your intake by at least 50 percent. For example, instead of two glasses of wine with dinner, drink only one, or, instead of one bottle of beer on a night out, ask for a glass and share the bottle with a friend.

Loss of muscle mass often results in increased body fat. Women lose 1/3 of a pound of muscle every year after their mid-30s. That could add up to a six-pound muscle loss over a 20-year period! Lost muscle typically is replaced with an equal amount of fat, causing both weight and percentage of body fat to go up. The solution? Bulk up those muscles! Regular exercise can rebuild lost muscle tissue as it burns calories to help you lose weight at the same time.

Forget about very low-calorie diets. Anything less than 1,200 to 1,400 calories may slow your metabolism, making it more difficult to lose weight. If you exercise regularly, you may need 1,600 to 1,800 calories to keep your metabolism humming.

A taste of the soup you're making for lunch, two extra crackers while preparing dinner, a large scoop of ice cream while watching TV — all add up to unwanted calories and pounds. Eliminate unnecessary eating and you'll shave 100 to 200 calories off your daily intake.

Watch out for restaurant portions — they're huge! Split the entree with a friend, order an appetizer or lunch-size portion, or take at least half the meal home in a doggie bag.

Focus on nutrient-dense foods that fill you up while they provide essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. A baked potato is more filling and provides more nutritional value than french fries and the same goes for a piece of fresh fruit vs. a glass of juice or a sandwich vs. a candy bar.

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