Regardless of your diet, belly fat is always the most stubborn. There is a reason why belly fat is so persistent.
When you ask people determined to diet about their most concerning area, belly fat consistently ranks high. This belly fat is not only a concern for overweight individuals. It is often the case that even those who appear thin have a protruding belly.
People start their diet to eliminate this belly fat, but it doesn’t shrink quickly. Belly fat takes longer to reduce compared to other areas. So why is it that belly fat is so easy to gain and so difficult to lose?
Generally, almost everyone loses fat in a similar order. The face, chest, and arms slim down before the belly fat decreases. The reason for this is the different distribution of fat breakdown receptors. The upper body mainly has beta receptors that break down fat, while the lower body has alpha-2 receptors that help synthesize body fat. This can lead to differences in the time it takes to lose fat.
In the case of middle-aged women, as menopause approaches and estrogen levels decrease, fat tends to accumulate in the abdomen. Estrogen, a female hormone, naturally accumulates fat around the buttocks and thighs more than in other areas. As women age and estrogen decreases, the fat that used to go to the buttocks and thighs starts to concentrate in the abdomen.
In the case of men, regardless of age, they are at a higher risk of belly fat. Men have larger and more numerous fat crystals called chylomicrons, which increases the likelihood of visceral fat accumulation compared to premenopausal women. This is why visceral fat, which is located in the abdomen, is more likely to accumulate in men than in other areas.
One reason belly fat is difficult to lose is that it contains much more fat than visible. The most noticeable areas, such as the face and chest, naturally have less fat. Therefore, even a slight reduction in these areas becomes very apparent. However, belly fat is different. It not only contains subcutaneous fat that is visible to our eyes and touch but also a significant amount of visceral fat. Due to the higher amount of fat compared to other areas, even if it decreases, the change may not be as dramatic.
However, belly fat is not permanent. Although it may take time, if you continue to diet, eventually, belly fat will be lost.
If you want to lose belly fat more efficiently, reducing alcohol consumption is essential. According to research by the IMIM Medical Research Institute (2007) and Yonsei University Graduate School of Public Health (2010), increased alcohol intake is associated with increased waist circumference. By reducing the main cause of belly fat, alcohol consumption, you can prevent your waistline from growing quickly.
Furthermore, although abdominal exercises are generally known to target overall body fat rather than specific areas, they can still have a slimming effect on the belly. When you engage in abdominal exercises, the tension in that area increases, pulling the belly fat towards the body’s center. As a result, the circumference decreases, and the shape becomes more toned.
By. Soo Jung Sin (soojungsin@inews24.com)
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