Problem areas: why do they appear and how to deal with them?

Why do women's sides and belly grow?

In fact, there are quite a few reasons why girls get fat in the lower abdomen and sides. And if this happens to you, then it is important to determine why the process began. After all, some reasons why the stomach and sides grow in women are pathological and such ladies need treatment.

Stress. Many studies have been conducted that prove that in fact, most of our diseases are from nerves. The frantic pace of life, stress at work, dissatisfaction with one’s life - all this leads to emotional instability. And a woman’s psyche is a little more complex than a man’s, so a woman tolerates stressful situations externally more easily, but her body reacts much stronger. When faced with disturbances in the emotional sphere, he gives the order to increase the armor, and first of all, the organs important for life and procreation come under protection. And they are located in the lower part of the body.
Disturbance of normal sleep. During sleep, the body recovers from the day. And if this routine is violated, various malfunctions will begin. Including fat will begin to appear, even if you have sufficient physical activity.
Unbalanced or inadequate nutrition. Some foods contribute to the deposition of excess fat by the body. And if you consume a large amount of such harmful foods, you will notice extra centimeters on your stomach and sides.
Insufficient physical activity. Most of us work in sedentary jobs, commute by car or public transport, and on weekends prefer to relax on the couch in front of the TV. In such a situation, the body simply does not have time to spend the calories it receives from food and begins to store fat.
Endocrine disorders. Malfunctions of this system lead to the fact that some hormones are produced more, and others - less. And hormonal imbalances can greatly affect the increase in the waist and hips.
Bad habits. Smoking, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee or energy drinks disrupt normal metabolism in the body. The outflow of vitamins and nutrients increases, which leads to various malfunctions and disturbances in the functioning of organs and systems.
Gynecological and oncological diseases. For example, uterine fibroids provoke an enlargement of the abdomen. Fortunately, such diseases are not that common. However, when searching for the causes of an enlarged abdomen and sides, it is necessary to exclude the presence of these pathologies.

Obesity levels

Where do they come from?

Another name for problem areas is “fat traps,” places in which a layer of fat remains even after losing weight. Usually they are the last to “give up” - when the weight approaches a critical level that threatens health.

They lose fat, but not actively and willingly, like other places. Why does this happen? Let's first find out how fat is used by our body and by what principle it is deposited in these places. The following is an excerpt from the very cool book “Charming Intestines”.

Of all nutrients, fats (lipids) are the most valuable and effective substance. When fat molecules break, interatomic bonds release enormous amounts of energy. When splitting 1 g. Fat releases 2 times more energy compared to carbohydrates or proteins.

The body uses lipids to form sheaths around nerve fibers, much like insulation for wires. Thanks to the presence of such shells, we can quickly generate thoughts. Some important hormones are fatty in nature, and, after all, fat molecules are part of the membranes of our cells.

That’s why fat is protected in this way and is not used up at the first need. In the event of famine, which our body has experienced more than once during evolution, every gram of fat increases the chance of survival.

Hormones are different in different situations. When our body prepares for stress (fight or flight) it is adrenaline. When we are hungry and the blood sugar level is low - glucagon. When we are very, very hungry, and even endure heavy physical or psycho-emotional stress - cortisol. At night, growth hormone (somatotropin) is used to supply energy to construction processes. And so on.

This ability to command the breakdown of fats is called lipolytic ability. Although hormones with lipolytic abilities move throughout the body, fat will be lost unevenly in different places . This will depend on the blood supply to the tissues (their capillarization) and on the number and activity of cellular receptors.

Adipose tissue in places provided by evolution for storing fat (thighs, buttocks, abdomen) will store it more actively and dissolve more slowly . In places where it is not very convenient for the body to store and carry fat, less fat will be stored and it will be broken down faster.

In fact, fat cells are not evenly distributed throughout the body, but even slightly chaotically - there are more here, less here. There is, of course, a scientific explanation for this. In particular, our fat cells are not only inert “storage tanks” for excess energy. They are endocrine glands that send/receive signals from the rest of the body.

In other words, our fat cells “speak” to our body, and the body responds to them. This occurs through hormones and receptor systems.

To lose fat, you need to create a demand for energy and release special hormones that send a signal to fat cells. The latter receive this hormonal signal through special receptors, which will be discussed below.

In response to which the fat cell (which does not “break down” or “burn” anywhere - it remains so that later, when you eat more than you need, you can re-absorb the fat) releases fatty acids into the bloodstream .

The free fatty acids must then be transported to the working muscles where they are burned for energy. Here is such a seemingly simple scheme. In it, the very receptors that transmit the signal are extremely important to us.

They exist in two types: beta 1 and alpha 2 receptors:

Beta 1 is a receptor that activates the hormone sensitive lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fat, allowing it to be released into the bloodstream for subsequent combustion.
Alpha 2 - receptors that block fat-digesting enzymes in fat cells and promote the formation of fat in the body.

It has been proven that in the lower part of the body, women have 9 times more alpha-2 receptors (these are hips, legs, knees, buttocks) than beta-2 (well, of course, who would doubt it); men have the same problem with the abdominal area - therefore, many males have the so-called on their stomach. “lifebuoy” for fairly thin legs, shoulders, and arms.

The sensitivity of fat in different places, forgive the tautology, is different. Fat breakdown occurs more actively in adipose tissue located in the chin, neck, supraclavicular and subclavian fossae. The nastiest and most persistent fat is that found on the stomach and buttocks.

It has been established that fat cells in these places accumulate fat 6 times more and give off fat 6 times less when losing weight, which makes the fight against problem areas so exhausting. It happens that a person has already lost a lot of weight to the point of exhaustion of the upper body, but the conditional “fat knees” still remain.

Alas, the whole problem is that in this particular place the number of alpha-2 is greater than the number of beta-1 receptors, so the fat cells in this place are more willing to store fat and practically ignore your desire to part with it.

This is determined not only by gender, genetics also plays a role here (so these “oh, well, your hips look like your grandmother” are completely justified) and your individual special structure.

This is interesting: estrogen is a female sex hormone, the maximum concentration of which is observed during pregnancy. It stimulates the growth and division of fat cells. The appearance of flanks and fat deposits in the abdomen and thighs may indicate an increase in estrogen levels - get tested for hormones!

By the way, it is generally more difficult for women to lose weight - women’s metabolism, unlike men’s, is tuned to maintaining weight and protecting against fat loss. add to this nasty receptors and a smaller number of muscles and we get a classic woman who has been fighting with her sides or riding breeches for half her life.

Of course, some are lucky and their receptors are distributed in such a way that, for example, there is more alpha 2 in the buttocks and chest, and beta 1 in the stomach, riding breeches and legs. But what can you do, life is generally an unfair thing.

What foods make your belly grow?

Improper and unbalanced nutrition is a very common cause of increased waist size. What foods make women's bellies and sides grow? First of all, these are carbohydrates. They are found in almost all foods, and their share in the average person’s diet is approximately 50%. Therefore, it will not be possible to completely get rid of carbohydrates, but this is not necessary. Complex carbohydrates are beneficial for the body and therefore should remain in the diet. But the amount of simple carbohydrates should be significantly reduced, and ideally removed altogether.

A large percentage of simple carbohydrates are found in the following foods:

sugar,
bakery,
flour products,
potato,
bananas,
grape,
dates,
some types of pasta,
some cereals,
sweet carbonated drinks.

When these products enter the body, the carbohydrates contained in them are quickly broken down and enter the bloodstream. This spikes your blood sugar levels. At the same time, your sugar level will also drop quickly, and you will feel hungry again.

The second group of products that affect belly enlargement includes animal saturated fats. Their excess leads to disturbances in metabolic processes and increased levels of bad cholesterol. Over time, this leads to the appearance of cholesterol plaques and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

A high percentage of animal fats is contained:

in butter,
in fatty cheeses,
in fatty meats,
in lard.

But hudeem-bez-problem ru does not recommend completely giving up animal fats.

Simply replace foods in your diet, giving preference to lean fish and meats, eggs and seafood.

What else causes your belly to grow? These are salted and fried foods. Salt retains fluid in the body, and this slows down metabolic processes. Toxins and waste products begin to be eliminated from the body more slowly, and the process of losing weight slows down or stops altogether. Fried foods are much higher in calories than boiled or baked foods. Also, frying can produce carcinogens that are harmful to the human body.

WHY DO MEN HAVE SIDES?

Thanks to the achievements of scientific and technological progress, the work of most modern men has become more intellectual than physical. A huge number of professions today are inextricably linked with a computer and involve leading a sedentary lifestyle, which negatively affects physical activity and over time leads to the deposition of fat in a wide variety of places. Most often these are the sides or, as they are often called, side bolsters, and, of course, the stomach, especially if a man doesn’t mind drinking beer in the evening after work and lying on the couch.

In addition to sedentary work and almost complete lack of physical activity, poor nutrition aggravates the situation. During the day, it may consist of fast food, processed foods and carbonated drinks that are unhealthy for your figure and overall health, and in the evening - from fatty and high-calorie dishes.

The presence of bad habits, coupled with stress and lack of sleep, also have a detrimental effect on a man’s physical fitness and visual attractiveness. Consuming even conventionally acceptable amounts of alcohol, which contains “empty calories,” and various accompanying snacks, leads to the appearance of excess fat in the abdomen and sides, which is quite difficult to remove.

In some cases, as men age, there is a decrease in the production of the male sex hormone testosterone and an increase in the amount of estrogen in the body - the female sex hormone, which is the “best friend” of adipose tissue. If such changes have occurred in the body, then even men who do not drink beer may develop side effects and they can be removed only after the hormonal levels are normalized.

There is hardly anyone who wants to argue with the fact that fat deposits on the sides and a spherical, voluminous belly are not only an aesthetic problem, but also a real threat to health. For example, a waist whose volume in a man exceeds 94 cm can be a harbinger of the development of cardiovascular pathologies, type 2 diabetes mellitus and even oncology.

Therefore, both men and women of all ages should monitor their health and try to maintain excellent physical shape. And the first thing you need to do on the path to slimness and health is to normalize your diet.

Examination by a doctor

To get started, lose weight-without-problems.ru recommends visiting a therapist to get all the necessary tests and get referrals to other doctors, if necessary. If there are problems with the gynecological organs, you will be referred to a gynecologist, if there is a hormonal imbalance, to an endocrinologist, and so on. You may need to consult a nutritionist to find a suitable diet.

How to remove hormonal belly >>

Nutrition

Normalizing your diet and starting to lose weight is not as difficult as many people think. It is enough to follow a few simple rules in combination with physical activity.

Your diet should contain about 60% vegetables or fruits. You can eat them either fresh or boiled, stewed or baked.
About 30% of the diet should be low-fat protein foods. Once a week, you can replace animal protein with vegetable protein and eat dishes made from legumes.
Add variety to your diet. There is no need to focus on a small number of dishes, even if they are very healthy. Sometimes you can eat unhealthy foods, but in small quantities. This will make it easier for you psychologically, and there are beneficial substances in harmful foods.
Portions should be small and meals should be fractional.
Snacks must be made correctly: fruits, nuts, healthy cereal bars. It's best to carry this with you so you're not tempted to grab something harmful.
Try not to eat fried foods. Give preference to stewing, boiling or baking.
Try to eat soups more often. They have relatively few calories, but at the same time they saturate the body well.
Do not add too much salt to your food and do not buy highly salted foods.
The body also needs carbohydrates, but only complex ones. This is bread with bran, cereals that have undergone minimal processing, pasta made from durum wheat and similar things.
Eat foods that promote accelerated fat burning. These are green tea, grapefruits, kefir, and some spices.
In the evening after 6 pm, eat only light food that is quickly digested. And if you have the opportunity and willpower, then it is better to limit yourself to only a glass of kefir at this time.
You shouldn’t completely give up sweets, but try to greatly minimize their amount and consume them in the first half of the day.

Replace harmful foods with healthy ones - build your diet correctly

The right diet is a great success in the fight against fat deposits

Healthy food plays a very important role in creating correct body proportions. Meals should be balanced and moderate; you should not overeat, especially at night. You should eat chocolate, flour products and various sweets as little as possible or give them up completely for a while. In order for the diet for the sides and abdomen to be as beneficial as possible, eat small portions no more than four to five times a day; the calorie content of the daily diet should be less than 20 percent of your body’s energy expenditure.

Follow these rules while dieting:

give up harmful drinks. These are alcohol, soda and juices in bags from the store. Instead, it’s better to drink green tea, it will burn extra calories and cleanse your body;
do fasting days for the body. At this time, you need to drink at least two liters of yogurt and still mineral water. Herbal or green tea is also beneficial. Such days normalize weight and cleanse the body of harmful toxins;
give preference to healthy products. These are nuts and seeds in small quantities, unrefined vegetable oils, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, cereals - only not rice and semolina, fish and seafood, fruits, eggs, white poultry meat. Smoked meats, pickled and salted foods are completely excluded from the diet;
cook your meals properly. During a diet for the sides and abdomen, the method by which the dishes are prepared is very important. Steamed, boiled, stewed and grilled dishes are healthier;
give your liver a little rest. The liver also plays an important role in burning fat, so there is no need to stress it during the diet. Sugar, carbohydrates, caffeine, soda and trans fats are all very harmful to the normal functioning of the liver;
reduce your sugar intake. Insulin levels greatly influence the appearance of belly fat, so you should closely monitor your blood glucose levels. When choosing foods, you need to make sure that they have little sugar. Garlic, zinc and chromium will help regulate glucose levels.

Physical exercise

Even if you normalize your diet and get rid of stress, it will be very difficult to lose weight without feasible physical activity. Yes, you will not gain new excess weight, but the old one will go away very, very slowly.

Moreover, there is no need to perform any specific exercises or engage in extreme sports. In order to spend extra calories, it is enough to do morning exercises and walk about 5 km daily.

If you have a sedentary job in an office, doctors recommend taking a 5-minute break every hour and doing simple warm-up exercises to get the blood flowing and make your muscles work a little.

These are head turns, arm swings, bending, squats - everything that you can do in the office in your work clothes. And even this minimum will be enough to notice improvements in your condition after some time.

Sometimes a situation may arise when the belly appears due to incorrect posture. Due to the curvature of the spine, internal organs are displaced and the stomach protrudes. In this case, the woman’s weight may be normal. This pathology is diagnosed at an appointment with a therapist or orthopedist, and is more common in adolescents. But you will have to treat it with physical exercises, and here simple exercises will not do. It is necessary to pump up your back muscles, visit fables and exercise under the supervision of your doctor.

A set of exercises will help you lose weight - remove your stomach and sides

Regular exercise is the key to a beautiful figure

Physical education is useful at all times, and therefore regular physical exercise will not only make your figure beautiful, but will also improve your overall health and give you a great mood. Special exercises for the sides and abdomen will take a little time, but the benefits will be significant. Of course, there are many such exercises and you simply cannot include them all in your workouts. But you can choose a few and do them regularly. It is worth noting that you do not need to eat anything an hour before and after classes.

Below are a few exercises that will help make your sides and stomach beautiful:

exercise one. You need to lie on the floor, bend your legs at the knees. Hold a small towel between your knees. Begin to lift your torso, while at the same time strongly squeezing the towel with your knees. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds and repeat the above steps 10 times;
exercise two. It also needs to be done lying down, but this time your legs bent at the knees should be raised 60 degrees from the floor, keep your hands behind your head. Start lifting your torso and hold for a couple of seconds. It is worth noting that the longer you stay in this position, the more effective the fight against fat will be;
exercise three. This side abdominal exercise is performed in a standing position. Place your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, bend your knees slightly, and clasp your hands behind your head. Tilt your body a little forward and begin to alternately lean left and right. Try not to turn your body and do not bend backwards;
exercise four. Lie on your side with your feet together. Place your straight arm under your head, and rest your other hand on the floor in front of your body. Begin to slowly lift both legs off the floor, then return to the starting position. You need to repeat these steps 10 times on each side.

Make a daily training plan for yourself and the first results will be visible within a few weeks.

But the most important thing is to do the exercises regularly; if you do it occasionally, you shouldn’t be surprised that your figure has remained the same.

Now you know how to remove your belly and sides at home with the help of simple physical exercises. It will be just great if you start exercising using sports equipment - a hoop, dumbbells and fitball. Yoga classes will also help solve the unpleasant problem of fat deposits.