Are you ready to bust out your abs? If the middle of your chest widens by the size of your belt, or if you see a tire or two over your jeans, it’s time to take immediate action.
Not only is a midsection bulge unsightly, it also puts you at risk for diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For health reasons, it must be stopped.
Belly fat is stored in two ways: visceral fat and adipose fat. While the visible fat deposited as a spare tire is adipose tissue, visceral fat is the type that accumulates in internal organs, mostly in the abdomen, where it is hard to the touch and increases the risk of disease. Men usually carry more of this dangerous intra-abdominal or visceral fat than women.
Too much visceral fat releases molecules associated with inflammation and elevated blood sugar levels, putting you at risk for everything from heart disease to type 2 diabetes.
Statistics from the Irish Longitudinal Study of Aging show that 48% of Irish men have ‘central obesity’, meaning they have ‘significantly increased’ waist circumference, and an estimated 25% or more have ‘increased’ weight circumference.
But where do you start? Here, we ask leading experts for the latest proven methods to alleviate abdominal pain.
The team of researchers concluded that diet and exercise are not “more important” than the other, and that a two-pronged attack is needed. Photo: iStock
Dr Shayan Aliannezad, an epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge, says people who choose diet over exercise, or vice versa, to reduce belly fat tend to make “compensatory changes” that slow progress.
“This means that people who increase their activity levels may become less active even if they eat more or improve their diet,” he says. A two-pronged approach to diet and exercise can help you achieve a flat stomach and keep it that way for longer.
Arianezad is part of a team of researchers who published a recent paper on this topic in the journal. They conclude that diet and exercise are not “more important” than the other, and that a two-pronged attack is needed.
If you like to indulge once in a while, you can expect your stomach to flatten out at a slower rate. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, and excess carbohydrates are converted to fat in the form of sugar, which can lead to excess belly fat accumulation over time. Reported by Spanish doctors.
showed a direct association between alcohol intake and abdominal obesity levels in men. Another study in It warned that adults who drink more than two cups a day are at increased risk of gaining abdominal fat.
Low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages are not necessarily low-sugar versions. The Irish government recommends that adults limit their intake of added sugars to no more than 30g (about 7 teaspoons) per day. A 330ml bottle of some brands of zero-alcohol beer can contain around 11g of sugar, more than a third of your daily intake.
Red wine contains slightly more polyphenols, which are antioxidants with health benefits, than white wine. Photo: iStock
Red wine contains slightly more polyphenols, antioxidants with health benefits, than white wine, but may also have some benefits for belly fat, according to researchers at Iowa State University who compared the effects of different drinks on your waistline.
A study published in the journal Obesity, Science and Practice showed that red wine was the only drink shown to reduce levels of harmful visceral fat, suggesting that red wine may reduce inflammation in the body and prevent fat storage. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a green light to drink it every day.
Coffee contains small amounts of fiber, which, along with the many plant compounds found in the beans, have beneficial effects on gut health and digestion. Photo: iStock
Coffee has been reinvented as a health drink and, in moderation, may even help reduce belly fat.
First, along with the many plant compounds found in beans, they contain a small amount of fiber, which has beneficial effects on intestinal health and digestion. Researchers reporting in magazines They showed that moderate coffee consumption (up to four cups a day) increased the number of good bacteria in the gut and decreased the levels of bad bacteria.
Coffee also appears to help reduce belly fat. This is partly because caffeine provides more energy for exercise, but also because of the effects of some of the plant compounds found in caffeine.
All types of olive oil are relatively high in beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids Photo: iStock
Swap butter or coconut oil for olive oil and your belly fat will thank you.
Although all types of olive oil are relatively high in beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids, extra virgin olive oil has the most health benefits as it is the purest and richest in antioxidants.
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and retains many of the polyphenolic compounds found in the olive plant that are associated with regulating fat storage in the body. A recent study of more than 16,000 people in Frontiers in Nutrition found that people who regularly consumed extra virgin oil had significantly lower BMI and waist circumference than those who consumed it sporadically.
Sorry, but please avoid unnecessary sweet foods such as biscuits, cakes, chocolate and coffee with syrup. A study published in a magazine It was found that people who drank fructose-sweetened drinks every day accumulated about 27% more abdominal fat than those who didn’t drink sugary drinks. Ultra-processed foods (UPF) (potato chips, instant meals, processed meats, and anything with a long list of unrecognizable chemicals on the label) will also be off the menu.
Scientists analyzed the diets of 22,659 people in Brazil and found that those with the highest intakes of UPF had a 30% higher risk of developing abdominal obesity than those with the lowest intakes.
Aerobic exercise plays an important role in reducing belly fat. Photo: iStock
A big mistake many men make is to abandon aerobic exercise (running, cycling, rowing, swimming, elliptical training, etc.) in favor of resistance training in the mistaken belief that they will get rid of abs quickly.
In fact, you should do both, and aerobic exercise plays an important role in reducing belly fat. Jeffrey Horowitz, a professor of exercise physiology in the University of Michigan’s Department of Kinesiology, analyzed abdominal fat and activity habits in a group of overweight people and showed that there are biological and structural differences in abdominal subcutaneous fat (visible fat stored just under the skin, which is healthier) in people who regularly engage in aerobic exercise for at least two years.
Fiona Skelly, lecturer in physical activity and exercise science at Shannon University of Technology, says every little thing helps.
“General public health physical activity guidelines for adults recommend a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week,” she says.
“About 22 minutes of moderate-intensity walking over the course of a week will slightly increase your heart rate and breathing rate, but walking for 30 minutes every day, or five days a week, is sufficient to maintain conversation.”
Stress increases cortisol levels, which promotes fat storage in the abdomen. This is why people who experience prolonged stress in their lives tend to have more abdominal fat. The journal showed.
Neuroscientist and health psychologist Sabina Brennan says managing stress through healthy lifestyle choices, such as regular sleep patterns, physical activity, and mindfulness techniques, is important to keeping your mind and body healthy.
“Remember that stress can also lead to overeating and unhealthy food choices,” she says. “Managing stress is critical to your waistline because if cortisol is left unmanaged, it can spike your appetite and desire to overeat.”
Studies have shown time and time again that core exercises alone have little effect on belly fat. In 2022, a review of 13 studies involving more than 1,000 people will be published in the journal We found that localized muscle training, including core muscle training, did not increase fat loss in the target area.
“Popular beliefs about spot reduction likely stem from wishful thinking and convenient marketing strategies,” the authors write.
“While core strength is important as part of your overall fitness regimen, it’s not the only solution to losing abdominal muscles,” says personal trainer Dalton Wong.
