Especially goes to the stomach. Vacuum jars, wraps, hula hoops, diets — it endures everything steadfastly, and does not go anywhere. And what to do in this case? Give up? Experts say that first of all it is important to find out what type of belly you have: it does not always appear due to excess weight or improper nutrition. But having studied the enemy well, it will be possible to proceed to decisive, and most importantly, effective actions.
«From a medical point of view, the stomach is abdominal fat, which is metabolically active and harmful to health. The criterion for increasing the abdomen is a waist circumference of more than 80 cm in women and more than 94 cm in men.»
Abdominal enlargement is a multifactorial process. Overeating, an unbalanced diet, lack of sleep, stress, heredity, the balance of sex hormones, the state of the intestine, muscle tone, and posture play a role. General recommendations that are suitable for any of the conditional types of the abdomen, such as:
maintain a healthy weight and try to do it all your life, and not relax in the hope of further weight loss;
to reduce weight, choose a style of nutrition that you can maintain in the future, rather than a short-term diet;
it is necessary to get rid of excess gradually (about 0.5 kg per week), but this indicator should be at least 5% of the initial weight in three months. If less — nothing happens, you do not lose weight;
do not strive for weight loss of more than 15% of the original. According to statistics, such a loss is rarely retained, and the departed kilograms return «with comrades».»
Wine Belly
It is so called for a reason. The rollers on the sides, characteristic of this type, appear precisely for those who are not averse to brightening up a couple of evenings a week with a few glasses of wine. And what kind of wine without snacks? And here we meet the second culprit of extra centimeters: sugar and refined carbohydrates. Usually they are joined by enemy number three: sedentary lifestyle.
What to do? This type is the luckiest of all, because the recommendations will be as simple and clear as possible. To begin with, give up alcohol for a month and look at the result. We can bet he’ll inspire you. Then reconsider your relationship with alcohol — in the direction of reducing its amount in your life. Analyze your diet — often excess sugar is hidden in low-fat products, you have to somehow make them delicious!
On the contrary, healthy fats should not be afraid, they are important not only for the slimness of the figure, but also for female beauty in general: eggs, fatty fish, nuts and avocados contain essential amino acids and vitamins that directly affect the skin, nails, hair and, importantly, mood and libido. Finally, physical activity. Expensive subscriptions to fitness clubs and special equipment will not be needed. It’s enough just to walk more or combine watching your favorite TV series with simple exercises.
A stressed stomach
Such a belly also protrudes forward, but it is softer than wine. The reason for its appearance is the stress hormone. If you are often nervous and worried, he is literally trying to save you by supplying the eaten sugar to the blood as quickly as possible, providing the body with energy. If it becomes too much, and you do not spend the excess, carbohydrates are necessarily deposited in the form of fat, and it is in the area of the liver, so that in the event of the next emergency as soon as possible to extract energy.
It is easy enough even to visually determine that the problem is stress: the arms and legs often remain thin, but the stomach, the second chin and the so-called «withers» appear. Of course, it will not be superfluous to take tests to make sure of the high levels of this hormone, but you can act now.
What to do? First, try to eliminate the very cause of your worries. Learn to clearly distinguish between time for work, family and leisure, and sometimes just disconnect from everything — believe me, the world will not collapse without your relentless control.
Secondly, exclude from the diet all those snacks that you eat mechanically, not paying attention to their number. Let each meal become a meditative ritual, where the main characters will be you, beautiful dishes and delicious food, and the entrance for gadgets, TV and bad news is closed.
Third, adjust the sleep mode. It has been proven that the later you go to bed and sleep less, the more intense your appetite. Ideally, if it is a new regime: going to bed every day at the same time, preferably no later than eleven in the evening.
Mommy’s belly
This type is characterized by a sagging fold. During pregnancy, the abdominal muscles diverge to give the fetus space to grow. After giving birth, they should regain their original state, but this does not always happen, especially if a woman has not paid due attention to sports before. According to statistics, 40% of women who have recently become mothers face diastasis — the divergence of the inner edges of the abdominal muscles.
What to do? Muscle strengthening exercises are shown. A competent specialist will easily select the necessary ones and monitor the execution technique. However, the decision to do yoga videos from the Internet and do the bar (without fanaticism!) you can accept it yourself.
Mommy’s stomach is more of an aesthetic problem. And often Pilates becomes its ideal solution, and sometimes cosmetic surgery. According to women, visceral massage (massage of internal organs) also helps to achieve a good result, although its effectiveness is not strictly scientifically proven.»
Hormonal belly
It can also be called hypothyroidism, since the problem lies in the disruption of the thyroid gland. It produces little thyroxine, which controls the rate of calorie burning, so fat will be deposited not only on the abdomen, but also throughout the body. The accumulation of abdominal fat occurs in postmenopausal women. When the balance of sex hormones shifts towards the male, the waist gradually disappears.
What to do? Hormonal disorders are not a joke, so you can’t do without a doctor who can confirm your concerns and prescribe the right treatment. Conversely, do not treat yourself as something secondary, ignoring seemingly insignificant symptoms in the form of fatigue, constipation and cold limbs. The consequences of a negligent attitude can be much more serious than extra centimeters on the waist.
Swollen belly
As a rule, such a belly is clearly pronounced and bulges forward, and the tension of the skin on it is felt even to the touch. Moreover, in the morning it seems that there is no belly, but during the day it swells like a balloon.
Another distinctive feature: you will not see an increase on the scales. The main reason for this type of abdomen is excessive gas formation and bloating. In addition, the problem may be an excess of air in the digestive system. It is provoked by chewing gum, soda and the use of straws for drinks.
What to do? There are a number of products that cause bloating in most people. These include sweeteners, wheat groats, plums, beets, cabbage and legumes. Think about which of these is most often in your diet and reconsider your eating habits. If bloating is accompanied by pain or other unpleasant symptoms, consult a doctor immediately, as they can signal serious gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis and pancreatitis.
With an increase in the abdomen due to bloating, the waist circumference can change by more than 10 cm per day! A bloated stomach is a consequence not only of an excess of gas in the intestines, but also of problems with muscle tone. The solution is diet and exercise (Pilates).
It must be remembered that a significant increase in the abdomen can also be caused by the accumulation of fluid — the abdomen increases and becomes tense, the navel bulges, the veins expand. This dynamic is a reason for an urgent visit to the therapist.
