Denise Austin shared her “favorite” core exercise for those going through menopause.
The standing ab move is “so, so effective,” yet “gentle on your joints,” Austin explained.
The exercise will help “strengthen your core muscles, improve posture, and boost your confidence,” according to the 68-year-old.
Denise Austin has some of the best wellness tips and workout moves for everyone. Whether she’s demonstrating a #FitOver50 full-body workout or sharing her secrets to embracing aging at 68, the fitness pro continues to motivate her followers to stay fit and live healthy lifestyles. Now, Austin is sharing one of her go-to menopause exercises for toning the abs.
“Alright, let’s GO GIRLS!!!! Here’s a quick and so, so effective standing ab crunch perfect for menopause! No floor, no fuss. Just a simple move to strengthen your core muscles, improve posture, and boost your confidence,” Austin captioned the instructional video. “Perfect for busy days and gentle on your joints!! You can do this ANYWHERE, anytime. So let’s stand tall and strong together!! You’ve got this!!!”
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“Here’s my favorite menopause belly workout move,” Austin says at the beginning of the video while showing off her toned abs in a striped two-piece set. “This works the front of the tummy,” she adds, while “standing up nice and tall” to perform the standing crunch.
To begin the exercise, Austin starts with her feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended straight above her head. Then, she brings her arms down, with her elbows meeting her hips, while alternating the leg she crunches up toward her stomach. “Do this for one minute,” she instructs viewers. “You will love this move! It works the lower tummy and the front of your abs.”
Austin’s followers loved the simple, informative video. “Thank you!! Needing THIS more than ever at this perimenopausal point in my life!❤️❤️,” one fan commented. “I’ve been a fan since the ’80s!! OMG you look the same♥️ You’ve inspired me and helped me to look my best. Thank you Denise 🌷,” another wrote.
While many of her fans appreciate Austin’s “menopause belly” workouts, it’s important to understand exactly what the term means. Sometimes, when women go through the various stages of menopause, they can experience a shift in hormones, causing belly fat, also known as “hormonal belly” or “menopause belly.” Many hormones can do this, but for women in menopause, estrogen can have a noticeable effect.
During the onset of menopause, the body experiences a decline in estrogen that may “create a shift in body composition which favors fat distribution towards the center of the body, around the abdomen,” Krista Gonzales, M.D., endocrinologist and educator at Pritikin Longevity Center, previously told Prevention.
However, it’s important to note that you can’t pick and choose where you lose weight on your body. A balanced approach to decreasing belly fat—including cardio, nutritious eating habits, and weight training—can help you lose weight overall, if that is something you want to address. Adding effective core exercises like Austin’s can help tone a targeted area.
If you’re looking for more of Austin’s top core moves, check out some fan favorites below.
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