What You Can Do To Treat Or Lose Stress Belly
Various factors, including age and genetics, influence where your body stores fat. But there are many things you can do to lose belly fat and maintain weight loss. Here are a few tips that you can follow:
What Is Belly Fat
Not all belly fat is created equal. The fat just under the skincalled subcutaneous fatis what causes that bulge over your waistband. You may not like the way it looks, but its less dangerous than visceral fat, which resides deep in the abdominal area and is associated with heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
It is metabolically active fat and secretes different hormones than other fat, says Dr. Kroll. Because of its location close to the portal vein, the main vein where everything that goes through our intestines is absorbed, it has a significant effect on our metabolism.
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People with higher levels of visceral fat are more likely to suffer from a variety of conditions, including high blood pressure and colorectal cancer. Abdominal fat can release more inflammatory cytokines into the bloodstream, so if someone with a lot of visceral fat were to have a heart attack or stroke, more damage could occur, says Dr. Kroll. In a pro-inflammatory state, theres also more chance for a blood clot to form as the result of a small injury, increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes.
Limit Added Sugar And High
Consuming too much added sugar is associated with excess weight thats likely to accumulate around your waist. Sugar-sweetened beverages and drinking too much fruit juice can be particularly harmful.
When we drink our calories, especially with soda or juice, we dont feel as full or satisfied compared to chewing those calories, notes Dr. Creel. For instance, you may eat three oranges for the same amount of calories as a large glass of orange juice and feel much fuller for a longer period of time.
Watch how much of these liquid calories you consume and try to cut back where you can.
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Eat Probiotic Foods Or Take A Probiotic Supplement
Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial for gut health. Theyve been shown to reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
You can get probiotics from fermented foods, such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi. You can also take them in supplement form. Look for a product that contains multiple strains of bacteria and that has been third-party tested.
Try Breathing Exercises For Stress Relief
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How To Get Rid Of Cortisol Fat
Cortisol can be your best friend or your sworn enemy. The steroid hormone, which is produced by your adrenal glands, plays a role in the fight-or-flight response — the physiological loop that gears your body up to fight against danger or run for your life. This is vital when faced with immediate danger, but increases in cortisol also occur in response to chronic, everyday stress. When cortisol is too high for too long, it can increase the amount of fat you hold in your belly — also called visceral fat. Because cortisol increases due to stress, you have to combine diet with stress management to reduce excess weight from cortisol, according to registered dietitian Dina Aronson.
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Increased Health Risks From Visceral Fat
According to Harvard Health, visceral fat may increase your risk for:
Genetics influences where your body stores fat. Hormones, age, and how many children a woman has given birth to also play a role.
Women tend to add more visceral fat after menopause, when estrogen levels drop.
Still, there are things you can do to lose belly fat.
First, avoid all those lose belly fat fast solutions, because theres no quick fix. Making lifestyle choices with a slow, steady mindset is your best option to help establish long-term positive results.
Here are some recommendations:
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What Causes Stress Belly
Belly fat can be attributed to a variety of factors. Genetics, aging, andeating habits can all play a part, but with stress belly specifically, excess belly fat is linked to an imbalance in cortisol, the stress hormone.
Cortisol is part of our bodys fight-or-flight response. This response occurs when the sympathetic nervous systemactivates in times of crisis, causing the adrenal cortex to release cortisol. The body also gets a surge of glucose, which is meant to give our muscles an immediate supply of energy.
Cortisol also helps control blood sugar and metabolism. It also helps us get motivated and focused: Cortisol is usually elevated in the morning, when many of us need to perform at our best. In addition, exercise and longer periods of acute stress also release cortisol and regulate energy.
In an ideal world, our stressors would be short-lived and our hormones would soon balance out. But in reality, many of our stressors stay persistent, leaving cortisol levels consistently high. As a result, the body may producestress belly fat in its wake. Thats because cortisol cues your body to store fat as a survival mechanism. Plus, studies have found that long periods of stress can make your body and brain feel depleted, causing you to crave sugary foods and potentially overeat.
Boost Your Fiber Intake
When youre stressed, you might experience tummy troubles like indigestion or constipation. Fiber can support healthy digestion, so make sure youre getting enough of it each day.
For women ages 31 to 50, the recommended daily fiber intake is 25.2 grams per day for men in the same age group, its 30.8 grams.
High-fiber foods like beans, bran cereal, and chia seeds can help you hit this goal.
If you dont normally eat a lot of fiber, ramping up your intake too dramatically may lead to gas or bloating, says dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman, R.D., who specializes in digestive health. So be sure to add it to your diet gradually.
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Identify Problem Habits When It Comes To Food
Dr. Mitchell shares, Its common knowledge that eating habits play a big role in overall health, but it can be difficult to change established patterns. A good first step is to take an honest inventory of when and how often you eat. Are you a late-night snacker? Do you eat a heavy meal right before bed? Are you cooking mainly home-cooked meals, or does your diet mainly consist of fast food or fried or smoked food? Once you have a better understanding of your eating habits, you can start to make changes that will improve your health. For example, if you find that youre eating most of your calories at night, try shifting some of your meals to earlier in the day. And if youre eating a lot of processed or fried foods, start by slowly replacing them with healthier options. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Be Mindful Of What You Eat
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How Chronic Stress Causes Stress Belly
Some levels of stress are normal and even healthy. Its your bodys natural signal that something is difficult or dangerous and needs extra attention. However, chronic stress can have negative implications. Increased levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is linked with abdominal obesity.
Yet the hormone, at regular levels, is key for metabolism and helps with blood sugar control. Cortisol is released at times of acute stress, like during exercise. It gives us motivation and focus.
Your body responds to stress in one main way, via the fight or flight response your bodys natural reaction to a situation that it sees as a crisis. When the body senses a threat, your adrenal glands produce cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones help slow any unnecessary body functions, which allows you to focus your energy on the threat. When the crisis is solved, your hormones return to normal levels.
We all experience the fight or flight response. In human history, threats were typically short-lived we see a predator, we fight or run, and the stress ends. But in the modern world, stressors remain constant. When we experience chronic stress, a state of ongoing stress, these hormone levels, as well as blood sugar and blood pressure, stay elevated.
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Chill Out And Lose Fat
We don’t want to stress you outbut did you know stress is making you fat? Unfortunately when we get stressed, our bodies produce cortisol, and this can lead to fat build up around the belly. What makes it even worse is the more fat there is around the abdomen, the more cortisol is produced, creating a terrible chicken-and-egg situation. “Since abdominal fat also tends to increase cortisol levels, this can lead to a vicious and unhealthy cycle, especially in women,” says the American Institute of Stress. “There is little doubt that increased stress and/or cortisol can cause increased abdominal fat and weight gain.” Want to learn how to deal with stress in a healthy way? Here are some scientifically proven methods of stress-relief.
How Do You Know If You Have Too Much Belly Fat
A good screening tool to see if you might have excess belly fat is waist circumference. It’s even better than BMI for this purpose.
Place the tape measure at belly button level, around your torso, and above the hip bones, while standing up. Make sure the tape is level to the ground. Exhale, pull the tape snug, but not pressing into skin. In general cardiovascular and metabolic risks go up with a waist size greater than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men, Dr. Hoaglin states.
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What Is A Stress Belly
Just like the name suggests, a stress belly is the excess of stomach fat that is caused by chronic stress. As weve discussed numerous times in my and my colleagues articles, proper rest is a key factor for your well-being. Its just as important as proper nutrition.
And though you may see excessive fat around this particular area for many reasons, we will discuss the cortisol-related one. Cortisol is a stress-related hormone, but it also takes part in aiding metabolism and regulating blood sugar levels. The study Ive mentioned in the beginning was conducted at Yale. It found that women with excessive abdominal fat were more influenced by negative moods and had greater stress levels. Elissa S. Epel, Ph.D., of the psychiatric department of the university mentions that
Greater exposure to life stress or psychological vulnerability to stress may explain their enhanced cortisol reactivity. In turn, their cortisol exposure may have led them to accumulate greater abdominal fat.
The study explains that increased cortisol causes fat to distribute around organs. As a response to stressful = dangerous situations, the body protects essential organs to save your life. So, in theory, all is good and our bodies make everything necessary for our survival. However, today, when the threat to life is significantly reduced and we stress about more mundane things, the cortisol pouch is not something women desire.
How To Get Rid Of Stress Belly
Need to know how to get rid of a stress belly? Here youll discover what causes a stress belly and what really works for getting rid of it. Most people wrongly assume that just losing more weight is going to lose their stress belly fat but it doesnt work like this.
Constant stress can wreak havoc on your body and fat-burning metabolism. So much so it can make it nearly impossible to lose your stomach fat. Its no secret getting rid of stubborn belly fat can be one of the most troublesome spots on the body. And one of the major reasons for this is stress.
Many people with a stressed-out belly might not have ever stored fat there before. Women with a natural pear-shaped body can find stomach fat building up there after having high-stress levels. This can make it confusing how to approach getting rid of the stress belly. Youd think just more to lose weight would be the answer but it rarely is.
If youre worried and self-conscious that your gut sticks out like youre pregnant then this is for you. Once you start doing the best ways to get rid of your abdominal fat then you can quickly start to get that flat stomach even if youve never had one before.
A potbelly from stress can be frustratingly hard to lose. But once youre able to correct your out-of-whack hormones and stress levels then you can start getting her results you want.
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Eat Fatty Fish At Least Once A Week
Fatty fish, like salmon, sardines and mackerel, are rich in high quality protein and are an abundant source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Not to mention that theres evidence to show that omega-3s can significantly reduce abdominal fat.
Aim for 23 servings of fatty fish per week or take an omega-3 supplement daily.
The Science Behind Belly Fat
Belly fat refers to “visceral fat” or “omental fat”the fat pad that surrounds your abdominal internal organs. Having an excess amount is thought to be linked to heart disease, and metabolic syndrome, which includes diabetes and obesity. Fat cells secrete chemicals that change our metabolism.
Compared to the fat on your thighs, for example, visceral fat cells are more highly active because they are a direct food source for the internal organs, Dr. Mike Hoaglin, MD, Medical Director for DrHouse, explains. They secrete more inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that make it more difficult to lose weight and lower blood sugar, especially when too much is present.
Because the belly is so close to the liver, it is constantly sending fat into the liver and then the bloodstream, which in turn can increase cholesterol and overall markers of body inflammation. A high quantity of visceral fat also blocks beneficial hormones like adiponectin that normally help increase fat-burning and lower blood sugar.
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