Excess abdominal fat, also known as “unwanted belly fat,” is a predictor of insulin resistance, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and several cancers, according to Health.
com. So, if you want to avoid these diseases, you must take care of your excess belly fat.
According to health experts, there are several types of bellies and before you try to get rid of your belly, you must know what type of belly fat you possess. Scroll down to know about five most common types of bellies and how you can get rid of them!
1. Bloated Belly: Kate Patton who is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic told Health.com that eating processed foods is one of the most important causes of gaining belly fat. She said, “Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts, increase inflammation in our bodies, belly fat is associated with inflammation, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your ability to lose belly fat.”
According to Patton, the best way to reduce a bloated belly is to reduce your intake of processed foods and consume more foods like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits because they contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help remove or prevent belly fat.
2. Hormonal Belly: According to Rachel Attard, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist, hormonal imbalance can also cause a weight gain. According to her, high levels of estrogen hormones can increase insulin, which leads to sugar cravings. That’s why many women eat chocolate during PMS. Rachel adds that increased estrogen levels can cause more fatty tissue growth as well as cause problems with appetite and sleep.
Women with high estrogen levels find it difficult to sleep at night which makes them hungrier, according to Rachel. To lower your estrogen levels, you should eat carrots, according to Natalie Ledesma from the University of California.
3. Stress Belly: According to a Daily Mail report, stressful life could contribute to excess fat in the abdomen. In an interview with health expert Jackie Wicks, co-author of new book Cheats & Eats: Lifestyle Programme, it was revealed that cortisol, which is also called the stress hormone, can increase the amount of fat stored in the belly if it becomes too high for a long period of time.
So, you have to destress yourself if you want to lose the excess belly fat caused by stress. According to Wicks, taking a hot bath on a regular basis and going for a walk every day is a great way to clear your mind as well as to burn calories.
4. Post Pregnancy Belly: According to a recent research, the extra weight gained after pregnancy is mainly due to the result of poor lifestyle choices following the pregnancy. The study, published in the journal Women’s Health Issues, was focused to find the association between post pregnancy lifestyle choices and excess belly weight. The study was done on more than 32,000 women with at least 2 births in Wisconsin between 2006 and 2013.
Olga Yakusheva, the lead author of the study, shared the results of the study in a press release with Michigan News. Yakusheva explained: “Mothers tend to put the needs of their children first, so they might not be exercising or taking care of themselves,” she said. “It might also be little things like finishing the food on their child’s plate or spending more time sitting with their kids reading or watching a movie.”
To get rid of that excess fat, Dr.point 127 | Kara Mohr, a fitness expert and exercise psychologist, told Fitness Magazine: “I would suggest increasing the intensity of your cardio workouts, making sure you include intervals (alternating walking with fast walking or sprinting).point 329 |
And be sure your strength training includes combination moves that work multiple muscles including the core (plank rows, push-ups, squat with military press, etc.point 139 | ) rather than single muscle groups.point 169 | ”point 172 | 1
5. Alcohol Belly: According to Psychology Today, alcohol contains an excessive amount of carbohydrates. Usually the body stores all carbohydrates and fat in the liver and muscle by converting them into glycogen (another form of sugar). However, the body cannot store alcohol so it must be burnt immediately after consuming.
So, to get rid of an alcohol belly, you must first reduce your alcohol consumption.point 169 | According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 2015-2020 U.point 235 |
S.point 2 | Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that women should consume no more than one alcoholic drink per day and men should consume no more than two alcoholic drinks per day.point 150 | The second thing, according to Tom Cowen, head personal trainer for Xercise4less, is “to have a state of negative energy balance – burn more calories than you’re consuming,” reported the Daily Star.point 325 | 1