You can no longer ignore it: you have a belly. But before you throw yourself into a weight loss journey, it is wise to look at the origin of your belly fat. Is it the dreaded beer belly or is stress the underlying reason for your belly?
The term belly fat says it all: the excess fat around your waist and abdomen. A thorn in the side of many men and women. How do you get rid of that stubborn belly?
We share four different ‘types’ of belly fat, and a number of tips to get a healthy body again.
What type of belly do you have?
You gain fat mass if you eat more calories than you burn in the long run. You see this not only in your belly fat, but as fat mass spread over your entire body. If we look specifically at that belly, four different types of belly fat can be distinguished.
1. Beer Belly
Regularly consuming alcohol causes a belly in many cases. This does not only apply to beer, but to all types of alcohol. Here you can read how drinking too much alcohol causes a beer belly.
In many cases we are dealing here with visceral fat, a type of fat that is mainly located around the organs. Some of this fat around the organs is needed because it protects the organs. But of the types of fat, visceral fat is also the most dangerous. An excess of this fat increases the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular disease and various types of cancer.
How do you get rid of it? The most important tip: drink less alcohol. Swap those beers for (sugar-free) drinks, eat less and exercise more.
The best diet for belly fat according to research
2. Bloated Belly
In the morning you are quite happy with your torso, but after dinner your belly looks more like a balloon than a washboard. Do you often feel bloated, especially after eating? That sounds like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Other IBS complaints are flatulence, cramps, fatigue and nausea. Do you recognize yourself in these complaints? Then it can’t hurt to pay a visit to your doctor, and possibly take further steps.
How do you get rid of it? If you suffer from IBS, it is important to investigate which foods cause a bloated stomach for you. For example, following the FODMAP diet can help. However, always do this under the guidance of a certified dietitian.
3. Tummy due to stress
Do you have a lot of stress on a daily basis? Perhaps things are not going well at work or you are in an unpleasant situation at home. Stress can also cause an increase in visceral fat, research shows. Due to a high stress level, your body produces a large amount of the hormone cortisol. This, in combination with poor sleep and little exercise, can lead to an increase in weight and fat.
How do you get rid of it? A balanced, healthy lifestyle helps. Get enough sleep, plan relaxing moments and eat healthy. Try to banish the stress from your life as much as possible.
4 simple routines that reduce the risk of stress
4. Swimming armbands
Does the fat collect less around your stomach, but on the hips, just above your pants? Then you probably have to deal with swimming rings. We also know them as love handles. Or the official name: subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is, as it were, between your skin and your muscles. And unfortunately: in practice it turns out to be quite difficult to get rid of this stubborn fat, but nothing is impossible.
How do you get rid of it? Here too the following applies: a healthy lifestyle is the most important. Exercise a little more, snack less, drink less alcohol and more water.
Need more tips? Read these 4 tips to get rid of your belly, and be careful with products that seem healthy, but are actually not.
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Body+Soul
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From beer belly to bloated belly: this is how you get rid of your belly