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Many people think that the waist can only be done with nutrition and exercise. That’s right, they can help lower your body fat percentage, but getting rid of fat in hard-to-reach areas is more difficult. The deposition of fat on the abdomen is formed for a number of reasons: the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer, the level of hormones, the ratio of alpha to beta receptors, and weak muscle tone. Let’s take a closer look at what leads to the accumulation of fat around the waist and how to get rid of it.
High percentage of subcutaneous fat
The main reason for a large belly is a high percentage of body fat. Reducing the percentage of subcutaneous fat, which is mainly due to a balanced diet in a calorie deficit, will help to solve the problem.
Your food should meet the following parameters:
- Adequate 15-20% calorie deficit;
- Comfortable ratio of BJU: 30/25/45 or 30/30/40 (see that your basic needs for proteins, fats, carbohydrates are covered);
- Adequate amount of water;
- Adequate fiber.
However, eating can help you shed those extra pounds from your entire body, not just your belly. An integrated approach is needed to the stomach (calorizer). Calorie deficit and BJU balance are the foundation. Without this, any attempt to reduce the size of the waist is doomed to failure.
Hormone levels
Certain hormones may be responsible for the deposition of fat in the waist area. In particular, cortisol is a stress hormone. If you live in constant stress, you are probably producing too much cortisol. The hormone stimulates lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that causes fat cells to store fat inside themselves. Abdominal fat is largely visceral and is home to glucocorticoid receptors. The more stress in your life, the more cortisol and belly fat. The body is reluctant to part with this fat and only if the psychoemotional state is normalized.
The antagonist of cortisol is testosterone – it interferes with lipoprotein lipase, but if there is too much stress in life, and too little testosterone, then it cannot interfere with fat deposition. If you are a man with a big belly, you need to normalize your diet, learn to control stress, and see an endocrinologist to check your testosterone levels.
In the female body, the antagonist of cortisol is estrogen. Therefore, in many women, fat is deposited mainly on the thighs. In women with low estrogen levels, fat is distributed throughout the body with an emphasis on the waist. If estrogen levels go down, then the belly grows. Therefore, the figure often takes on the shape of an “apple” after 30 years and with the onset of menopause. Many young girls bring themselves to hormonal disruption with low-calorie diets. They can face the problem of a large abdomen much earlier. If you have a bulging belly and an unstable menstrual cycle, you need to see an endocrinologist to check your sex hormone levels.
Accordingly, both sexes need to control stress, learn to relax and adequately respond to difficulties in order to get rid of belly fat.
Alpha and beta receptor content
The alpha and beta receptors of fat cells are found in different proportions in the body. Where there is a thin layer of fat, there are more beta receptors, and where there is more fat, there is alpha. Alpha receptors slow down the burning of fat, while beta receptors, conversely, speed it up. For example, you have already lost a lot of weight, but fat remains in problem areas, the reason for this lies here. The ratio of alpha and beta receptors has developed evolutionarily – it cannot be changed, but it is possible to increase the activity of beta receptors and reduce the activity of alpha.
Fasting high-intensity interval training will help. This can be HIIT on a cardio machine or body weight interval exercise. The workout should be within 20 minutes, where 30 seconds is the duration of the intense phase, and 60 seconds is the duration of the active rest phase. For example, you alternate 30 seconds sprinting and 60 seconds jogging or 30 seconds jumping jack and 60 seconds running in place. There are 7-10 such intervals.
Some sports supplements for weight loss, which contain one or more components: caffeine or guarana, green tea extract, berberine or yohimbine, which affect the metabolism of alpha and beta receptors, will give a good effect with this approach. But for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, supplements with caffeine and HIIT are contraindicated. You should consult your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
Note that the method is suitable for slender people. If you have a high percentage of fat, then start to reduce it using traditional methods, and if hormonal imbalance – correct it with an endocrinologist.
Core muscle tone
The job of the core muscles is to provide stability to the spine, hips, and pelvis. These are the rectus, oblique and transverse abdominal muscles, gluteal muscles, thigh muscles. A trained core avoids many back problems, improves posture, and helps support the abdomen. The simplest core exercises are plank, side plank, gluteal bridge. They do not require any special equipment.
To reduce the circumference of the waist, training the transverse muscles with a vacuum exercise will help.
Exercise “vacuum”
- Take a deep breath through your nose.
- Exhale through your mouth. As you exhale, try to get rid of all the air in your lungs.
- Pull in your stomach as much as possible so that it seems to go under the ribs.
- Hold this position for 10-20 seconds (as long as you can).
- Inhale, relaxing the muscles, and repeat the exercise 6-10 more times.
The vacuum technique is in many ways similar to body flex exercises. The exercise tightens the abdomen and reduces the waist (calorizator). You can do a vacuum while standing, sitting, lying on your back, standing on all fours. A position in which you manage to suck in your stomach completely is the most suitable for you.
Compliance with all the conditions will help you gain shape and get rid of belly fat.