7 Main Reasons Why You Have Upper Abs But Lower Belly Fat

The lower ab fat is the most dreaded fat. The fat that bulges out from under your waistband, between your belly button and hips, and above your pelvic bone is called love handle or the lower ab fat.

This type of fat is more dangerous than any other fat in the body because it produces inflammatory cytokines, which are, in turn, linked to many chronic diseases. However, not all people have this problem when it comes to losing those ugly love handles.

Some people can actually see their upper abs but cannot see their lower ab fat! How is that even possible? Lower ab fat is a stubborn area for almost everyone; hence there are many effective ways to help you lose those fats.

Here are some reasons why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat.

1. You’re Not Measuring Correctly

One of the most common reasons why you have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you are measuring incorrectly. This could happen if you are using the tape measure technique to measure your body.

The tape measure technique is a method that uses the length of your torso to measure your fat, muscle, and body mass. This is inaccurate and could be the reason why you’re not seeing your lower ab fat at all! You can use this to correctly measure your body fat percentage.

If you have the patience, you could also use calipers to get a more precise reading. This is a better option because you get a more accurate reading and you can do it at home.

2. You Are Training Your Upper Abs, Not Your Lower Abs

Another reason why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you are training your upper abs and not your lower abs. When we exercise, we are targeting all the abdominal muscles located in our stomach, but just not the lower ab fat.

The upper abs are the ones that are more visible to other people, especially those looking at you from above. The lower abs, on the other hand, are the ones that are more visible to you. So it can be difficult to spot your lower abs unless you are looking at yourself in the mirror.

If you want your lower abs to be visible, you need to do specific exercises for them. You also need to perform exercises that put your body in a posture where your lower abs are being targeted.

Doing planks, for example, is a great exercise for your lower abs but not for your upper abs, as well as overall body strength.

3. Genetics May Be at Play Here

Your genetics may be the reason why you have upper abs but lower belly fat. According to scientific research, about 50% of your genetics are linked to your abdominal fat. So if you come from a family with a history of abdominal fat, you might have been cursed with it as well.

There’s also a possibility that you don’t possess the right genes to break down your fats. Some people are born with genes that help them break down fat and build lean muscle mass more efficiently. Others are not as lucky.

Genetics might also explain why some people build muscle faster than others. If you have been struggling to lose your abdominal fat and not seeing any progress, then perhaps you don’t possess the genes to break down your fats efficiently.

Genetics plays a role in the way your body breaks down fats and stores them as fat.

4. You Lack Lean Muscle Mass

Another reason why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you lack lean muscle mass. When you are building muscle mass, you are basically breaking down your muscles, rebuilding them, and making them stronger.

This process requires a lot of energy and also burns fat in the process. If you have more lean muscle mass, you will be able to burn fat more efficiently and also burn fat in the areas that you cannot see, such as your lower abs.

For example, if you have more lean muscle mass in your arms, your arms will look bigger even though you’re not gaining fat. The more lean muscle mass you have, the more fat you will be able to burn.

This is especially important if you want to lose fat in your lower abs because they’re located deep inside your body and they can only be seen if you look at yourself in the mirror.

5. You Are Not Eating Right

The main reason why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you’re not eating right. Eating the right type of food, in the right amount and at the right time is important for everyone, even for those who want to lose lower abdominal fat.

Eating healthy is important for targeted fat loss. To lose abdominal fat, you must be eating fewer calories than your body needs to sustain itself. If you’re eating less than what you need, your body will burn your fat stores (including those stored in your lower abs) and turn them into energy.

Eating healthy is important not only for losing lower abdominal fat but also for your overall health. You may want to lower your calories and eat fewer carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

You may also want to include supplements that aid in fat loss. Eating healthy can help you lose fat in all areas of your body, including your lower abs.

6. You Are Muscular and Have More Lean Body Mass

Another reason why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you are muscular and have more lean body mass. If you are lifting weights and have more lean body mass, you will be able to burn more fat from any area of your body, including your lower abs.

For example, if you have more lean body mass in your arms, your arms will look bigger even though you’re not gaining fat. The more lean body mass you have, the more fat you will be able to burn, even in the areas of your body that you don’t want fat in.

For example, if you have more lean body mass in your lower abs, they will look bigger even though you’re not gaining fat in that area. Having more lean body mass can help you burn more fat in the lower abs and other areas of your body.

7. You Are a Slow Metabolizer

Another reason why you may have upper abs but lower belly fat could be because you are a slow metabolizer. When you burn fat, your body converts them into energy. This process is called fat metabolism.

Some people are naturally fast metabolizers while others are slow metabolizers. Fast metabolizers are able to break down fats at a faster rate and store it in their muscles, whereas slow metabolizers store fats in the lower abs, hips, and legs.

If you are a slow metabolizer and you’re trying to lose your lower abdominal fat, it will be a lot harder for you. You have to eat less, exercise more, and take supplements to help you lose fat in your lower abs.

It will take longer for your body to break down the fats and store them as energy, which means it will take longer for you to see results.

How to Even Out Abdominal Muscles

In order to have a strong core and visible abs, you need to engage all the muscles of your core — not just the ones that happen to be on show whenever you sit or lie down.

To achieve even abdominal muscles and a flat stomach, it’s important to work all the muscles in your core, so they all grow stronger and more toned. But how do you even out your ab muscles?

1. Throw Fire at the Fat

The lower abdominal muscles are what you use when you sit, stand, and exercise. If you don’t use them, they don’t get toned. So the first step is to work those abs out.

How? Start with a wall sit or a sit against a wall that you can hold for as long as you can. Try and work your way up to doing sit-ups or crunches against the wall. You can also try doing sit-ups or crunches while holding something like a dumbbell or a weight plate.

2. A Balanced Routine

There’s a lot of focus on developing the abs, specifically the six-pack. Physical activity can help to reduce belly fat, and the right diet can help to keep it under control, but this can be hard to achieve if you focus on just the abs.

How? Include upper body movements that help to strengthen your core, like squats, bench presses, and overhead presses. These will help to even out your ab region and work your arms, shoulders, and back too. Add in some lower body exercises that build strength and stamina, like lunges and step-ups.

These exercises can also help to even out the lower abdomen and increase your heart rate, so you burn more calories and keep your body toned.

3. Your Posture

A lot of people blame their poor posture on the fact that they have a “dented” lower belly. However, if you don’t have a bad posture overall, but your lower belly protrudes more than your upper abs, it’s not actually your stomach that’s “dented.”

When you stand or sit, make sure you are looking down at your chest, not at your stomach. This will naturally help to keep your stomach pulled in and your upper abs lifted. When sitting or lying down, ensure your spine is in a neutral position, not curved or arched forward or backward. This will naturally keep your abs toned and your posture straight.

4. Help for Lower Belly Fat

If you have been doing crunches and sit-ups, it’s likely that you have done some twisting exercises too. However, these should be done with caution because if you do them incorrectly, they could put too much pressure on the lower back and cause pain.

When you do twisting exercises, try to get your torso as straight as possible.

Why Can I Only See the 2 Upper Abs in My Stomach and Not the Rest Even Though I’m Skinny?

You may not see your lower abs at all because they are hidden beneath your stomach. Your lower abs are the muscles located on the sides of your waist and sit just below your belly button.

The line that separates the upper and lower abs is a V-shaped muscle group, which can be seen when you look at yourself in a mirror from above.

The upper abs are made up of your rectus abdominis muscles, while the lower abs are made up of your transverse abdominis muscles.

To see your lower abs, you’ll need to do some core exercises, such as planks and crunches. You can also use a fitness app to track your abdominal measurements so you can monitor progress.

Why Are My Upper Abs More Defined Than the Middle and Lower?

Upper abs are typically more visible because they are closer to the surface. In addition, they are made of a denser layer of muscle that is well-built for resistance training.

At the same time, the middle and lower abs contain significantly fewer muscle fibers per unit area than the upper abs. As such, most people will have more difficulty building a six-pack if they focus solely on these two areas. To maximize results from all three regions of the ab muscles, it is important to train across all three levels in both volume and intensity.

In addition to training each region separately, it is also important to include core exercises in your routine. These exercises help to stabilize your body during everyday movements by engaging your midsection muscles directly.

Conclusion

Having upper abs but lower belly fat is a common problem among people who want to lose belly fat. If you want to get rid of your lower belly fat, it will be a lot harder than getting rid of your upper abs and chest fats. But that’s not to say it’s impossible.

You just have to know what’s causing the problem and how your body reacts to certain foods, exercises, and supplements. Once you figure out what’s causing the problem, you can then find ways how to get rid of it.

If you’re trying to get rid of your lower belly fat, the most important thing to remember is that it takes a lot longer than when you’re trying to lose fat in other parts of your body. It’s not impossible though.

Just make sure that you always follow the right diet and exercise plan. You should also consider taking supplements to help you burn fat faster.

If you have any questions or comments about how to get rid of lower belly fat, feel free to leave them below.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

• Inflammatory cytokine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammatory_cytokine
• How to Calculate Body Fat With a Tape Measure: https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Body-Fat-With-a-Tape-Measure
• Genetic Influences on Central Abdominal Fat: A Twin Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8856394/
• Lipid metabolism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_metabolism