Did you know that women often struggle with belly fat more than the men do? It’s true! And it’s for good reason. Contrary to popular belief, carrying a little extra weight in the midsection does not necessarily mean that a woman is ‘fat’. What Causes Belly Fat in Females? Find out !
Contents
What is belly fat?
Belly fat, or visceral fat, is located around the organs and can cause health problems if it’s not monitored. Now, you may be wondering what causes belly fat. Well, some common causes include a sedentary lifestyle and stress. While this type of fat is less visible than other types of fat on your body like those found on your arms or thighs, it can still have a devastating effect on your health.
Women are more prone to storing fat on their stomach as opposed to their hips and thighs. The main culprit of this is hormones such estrogen and progesterone as because they affect where we store fat cells. Other factors include a sedentary lifestyle and stress. The next time you see an overweight woman, don’t assume she eats too much or has no self-control. You might be surprised by what you find out.
What Causes Belly Fat in Females
1.Calories consumed
If you are taking in more calories that you are burning through physical activity, you will likely gain weight. Women especially tend to gain weight around their waistline and hips.
2. Unhealthy diet
Eating foods high in sugar and trans fats, drinking too much alcohol, and not eating enough protein can suppress your ability to burn fat and lead to excess abdominal fat accumulation.
3.Genetics
For many women, growing more abdominal fat may be in their genes. Familial DNA can control gene receptors for hormones that regulate caloric intake and fat storage. Out of the three genes linked to a higher waist-to-hip ratio and greater amounts of abdominal fat, two are found only in women.
4.Sedentary lifestyle
Not moving enough throughout the day is one the biggest risk factors of an increase in both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat. Engaging in regular physical activity and limiting sitting for long periods of time can help prevent the storage of excess fat in your stomach.
5. Menopause
Gaining weight after menopause is common. During puberty, estrogen signals the body to begin storing fat on the hips and thighs in preparation for a potential pregnancy. However, estrogen levels drop as you approach menopause, causing fat to be stored around the abdomen instead of the hips and thighs
How to prevent What Causes Belly Fat in Females
If you’re a woman and you want to know how to prevent belly fat in females, then it can be broken down into three categories: lifestyle, diet, and exercise.
Lifestyle
One of the biggest habits you should consider changing is your sleep pattern. Studies show that people who get less than five hours of sleep per night have higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone). This causes their body to produce more insulin, which leads to weight gain.
A sedentary lifestyle can also cause belly fat in females. One study notes that those who sit for more than six hours each day were twice as likely to gain weight. To combat this, make an effort to stand up every 30 minutes or so and walk around for a few minutes.
Jogging is great, aim to get about 150 minutes of cardio every week, minimum. You can work your way up to that, though, you don’t have to start from there.
Stretch in the morning and night or at least before and after each workout. If you’re working out a specific area (such as legs) make sure to focus extra on stretching your legs.
Strength train three times a week, for around 30 minutes each time if you can. You can start with deadlifts and squats .There’s lots of workouts on tummy trimmers you can go along with, and you don’t need any equipment if you can’t afford it or don’t want to use any-your body weight is the most important thing.
Most important! The best exercise is the one you’ll actually do. Find something you enjoy and do that. If you find these Top 4 best Gym equipment For Core Strength fancy, be sure of rapid weight loss. Walking can be the perfect exercise if you take a walk once or twice every singe day.
If you find yourself drinking sodas on a daily basis, then stop! Studies show that drinking one soda per day will increase your risk for obesity by nearly 40 percent! Instead, drink water or green tea because these are healthy alternatives that won’t do any damage.
Diet
One area where women tend to go wrong is food choices. First off, don’t eat too many sweets! Sugary foods are not only bad for teeth but they also increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Secondly, decrease your consumption of fat sources such as margarine and butter because they contain high amounts of saturated fats which have been linked to increased belly fat in women. Lastly, cut back on processed foods and opt for organic food.
Oats
There is a lot of research available to show how Oats can help lose weight. The first study that was released showed that Oats led to a decrease in belly fat. In another study, they found that Oats resulted in a decrease in the number of calories needed to maintain their weight. Furthermore, they were able to notice small changes in their weight over time. when combined with exercise, oats are the recommended way to lose belly fat with a healthy diet.
Types of belly fat that women get
Female belly fat can be subcutaneous or visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the fat we can pinch immediately below the skin, while visceral fats are located inside the body, in the abdominal cavity. Visceral fats are much more dangerous and have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues.
How to combat belly fat in females
If you’re a woman and you have a little extra weight around your midsection, it might be time to take action. Don’t fret — there are many things that you can do to help combat belly fat in females. It all starts with a healthy diet. If you don’t already, it’s important to stay away from processed foods and anything that is high in sugar. You should also make sure that your diet includes lean protein and fiber. Once you eat these foods, they will fill up your stomach without adding too many calories or fat.
Regular exercise is an excellent way to burn calories and keep excess weight off of your stomach area as well. Even just 30 minutes of exercise can significantly boost weight loss efforts. However, if you don’t want to exercise for an hour every day, try picking up one of the many new fitness apps that are available on the market today. Most apps offer various workouts depending on what type of fitness level you’re at.
Something else you can do is sleep more because sleep deprivation can lead to decreased appetite control and increased cravings for sweets or salty snacks which can potentially lead to unwanted weight gain. Try setting a regular bedtime routine so that when the sun goes down, you know it’s time for bed!
Another thing that can help combat belly fat in females is stress-reduction methods such as meditation or deep breathing exercises . Studies have shown that people who practice these exercises regularly experience less
Female hormones that cause belly fat
Your weight is primarily influenced by the hormones that cause belly fat in females. The two most significant female hormones are estrogen and progesterone. They work to control whether you store fat in your hips, thighs and buttocks or on your stomach.
Estrogen is a hormone that women produce themselves and its responsible for many bodily changes like menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Progesterone is a hormone produced by the corpus luteum in ovaries during the first half of the menstrual cycle.
It’s important to understand that these two hormones are mainly responsible for where fat cells are stored but they also have an impact on metabolism, appetite, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels as well.
How do women typically store fat differently
Did you know that women often struggle with belly fat more than the men do? It’s true! And it’s for good reason. Contrary to popular belief, carrying a little extra weight in the midsection does not necessarily mean that a woman is ‘fat’. Women are more prone to storing fat on their stomach as opposed to their hips and thighs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do females struggle with belly fat more than males?
As mentioned before, hormones like estrogen and progesterone are the culprit for why women struggle with belly fat. These hormones affect where we store fat cells, often depositing them on the stomach–even if a woman has a healthy diet and exercises regularly.
Can stress lead to weight gain in females ?
Hormones also slow down your metabolism, so even if you’re working out more, you’re burning slower calories. Stress can also lead to belly fat in females because it increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is the hormone that tells your body it’s time to store fat and less of it should be burned off during workouts.
Conclusion
The only way to reduce your belly fat is to lose weight, either through diet and exercise or by adopting a healthier lifestyle. Diet and exercise can also help to reduce other types of fat, such as fat in the upper back, hips, and thighs.
It is important to create a healthy balance of diet and exercise to prevent storing excess fat. If you are struggling with your weight, or any other health issues, it is important to see a doctor for advice on the best solution for your individual needs.
