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- Are you trying to lose belly fat and reach your ideal body weight?
- What causes fat to accumulate in the abdominal area?
- Why do men and women gain belly fat as they get older?
- Why do men and women gain belly fat in midlife?
- Watch your waistline!
- Why belly fat is so dangerous
- How to lose belly fat?
- Here are some effective tips to lose belly fat
Both men and women tend to accumulate visceral fat around the stomach, but also around the hips, thighs and glutes. Weight gain in the stomach area can be caused by a number of factors: poor diet, lack of exercise, age and hormonal factors such as the menopause or andropause. It’s not always easy to lose belly fat, but there are a number of ways to get rid of the extra kilos and start feel better about your body.
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What causes fat to accumulate in the abdominal area?
Several factors contribute to the appearance of belly fat:
Ultra-processed food
A diet too rich in fat and sugar contributes to abdominal weight gain. Adopting a healthy, balanced diet is the simplest solution.
Overeating is also a major factor in weight gain. If we consume more calories than our body expends in energy, we put on weight. Our energy balance becomes unbalanced and fat tends to be stored in the stomach, hips and buttocks.
To find out your daily calorie requirement, we provide you with a free calorie calculator: Daily calorie intake calculator.
Stress
When we’re stressed, cortisol levels in the body rise. Cortisol is a hormone involved in the regulation of various mechanisms, including carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and the distribution of fat in tissues. Hypersecretion of cortisol can therefore lead to an accumulation of abdominal fat. What’s more, people under stress will often gorge themselves on fatty and sugary foods to soothe their anxieties, which will encourage the production of abdominal fat.
Genetics
We are not all equal when it comes to weight gain. Genes have a significant influence on body shape and weight gain. This is why people with an “endomorphic” morphology (people who are corpulent by nature) tend to put on weight around the stomach more easily. This is because their bodies have difficulty eliminating excess visceral fat.
A sedentary lifestyle
Lack of physical exercise contributes to the formation of fat cells in the stomach area. Physical activity (sport, brisk walking, etc.) is the best solution. 30 to 40 minutes a day is enough to help burn fat.
Why do men and women gain belly fat as they get older?
Why do men and women gain belly fat in midlife?
For both men and women, age is also a factor in the accumulation of belly fat.
Why do men gain belly fat as they age?
Men’s waistlines increase from the age of 30. This is explained by the slower metabolism that occurs as the years go by. This makes it more difficult for men to burn off excess fat.
In addition, around the age of 50, testosterone production declines, which encourages the production of cells specialised in fat storage, the adypocytes.
Why do women gain belly fat during menopause?
For women, it’s the same phenomenon as for men. As we age, our basal metabolic rate falls. From the age of 30, the metabolic rate falls by 2 to 3% every 10 years. This drop affects muscle mass. So if we don’t change our eating habits and physical activity, we put on weight in the form of fat.
Between the ages of 40 and 50, the pre-menopause and then the menopause are responsible for weight gain in the stomach area. The sudden drop in oestrogen and progesterone secretion encourages the storage of fat in the body, as well as water retention. At this age, body fat is more easily distributed around the abdomen than around the buttocks, thighs or hips.
Find out more about : Why do we put on weight as we get older?
Watch your waistline!
Why belly fat is so dangerous
As well as looking good, abdominal fat can be a health hazard.
Unlike other areas of the body where the fat mass lies under the skin, abdominal fat lies under the abdominal muscles and surrounds the internal organs (intestines, liver and stomach). This is known as visceral fat.
Excess visceral fat is bad for your health because it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, sleep apnoea and liver cancer. So how do we know if we have too much visceral fat? The French National Authority for Health has set recommendations for a waistline that is safe for your health.
Why waist size matters: What’s a healthy waist size for your height?
To measure your waistline, simply place a tape measure under your last floating rib and measure.
Below 80 cm, a woman’s waist is normal. It is high between 80 and 88 cm and very high above 88 cm.
For men, the ideal waist circumference is below 94 cm. It is high between 94 and 102 cm and very high above 102 cm.
How to lose belly fat?
Here are some effective tips to lose belly fat
How can I get a flat stomach in just a few weeks? How do you get rid of tummy fat? There are no miracles: to lose belly fat, you need patience, a good diet and more exercise. Here are 5 tips for effective tummy loss.
Tip 1: Create a calorie deficit or exercise more
As with traditional weight loss, if you want to lose belly fat, you’ll either need to consume fewer calories than your body uses up in energy each day (this is known as a calorie deficit), or you’ll need to exercise more.
Tip 2: Eat well
Paying attention to what you eat is important when you want to lose belly fat. A diet rich in fibre (wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, cereals, vegetables and fruit), protein (lean meat, eggs, fish, etc.) and low in carbohydrates and fats will help you lose belly fat more quickly.
Tip 3: Practice a sport which makes you lose belly fat
The third important point for regaining a flat stomach is to practise sport to increase your energy expenditure. Sport is all very well! But there are certain sports that are more effective for sheathing the abdominal area, such as running, weight training and aquabiking.
Tip 4: Do targeted exercises
Do-it-yourself exercises at home to tone your tummy are also a good option. Not only will they give you a firm, flat stomach, they’ll also help you build up your abdominal muscles and other stomach muscles.
Tip 5: How to lose belly fat without exercising
It is possible to lose belly fat without doing any sport, simply by eating a healthy, balanced diet. But it will take longer.
And for the sake of your health, don’t forget that it’s important to move around every day to burn calories. For example, you can take the stairs instead of the lift, choose the bicycle instead of the car for short journeys, go for a 30-minute walk..
What are the causes of weight gain?
