Belly Fat, Our Common Enemy: Part One – Men


Belly fat: Men

We have all experienced it at some time in our lives – belly fat. For some of you, it may have only been when you were an infant.  We can all agree that there is nothing quite as adorable as a little round baby belly protruding over a diaper with little chubby arms and legs to match. But, is that really the look we wish to sport as we grow older?

Belly fat is something that many people outgrow as they enter adolescence.  For some, it is a lifelong struggle. For others, they don’t struggle with it until their later years as they approach middle age when changes occur in their body that comes naturally with aging.

Men and women store and metabolize fat differently from each other.  Because of this, their body’s reasons for maintaining unwanted belly fat may be different.  Additionally, how they can get rid of their belly fat may differ.  Today, we are going to address men.  We will address women and their unique needs in the next blog.

Men tend to store fat in their upper bodies, often referred to as a “beer belly,” even though this weight may not have actually been gained by drinking beer.  Health experts agree that belly fat is not good for you and is indicative of potential health problems down the road, such as heart disease.

A diet high in protein that includes essential fats and healthy carbohydrates is a good start for attacking that belly fat.  Diet or exercise alone will not do the job.  They must work as a team to obtain optimal health and kiss that belly fat goodbye!  Doing only abdominal exercises is actually not enough to get rid of the unwanted belly fat.  You may be the “crunch king,” but those exercises are building the abdominal muscles that are hidden below the layers of belly fat.  If you ever want to see those abs that you are working on, you have to address that fat layer first.

So, in addition to the healthy diet, a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise is a good way to attack that belly fat.  High-intensity interval training is also helpful for men.  Core exercises, like “planks,” have multiple benefits such as improving overall strength and health while improving your posture, as well.

Remember that stress is the enemy of weight loss, so reduce your stress as much as possible.

Even doing a couple minutes of deep breathing exercises per day is helpful in reducing stress.  Getting enough sleep is also essential to weight loss and overall good health.

If you are interested in seeking professional guidance on your weight loss journey and live in the Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, or Merritt Island areas, look no further than Dr. Diego Velarde at Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute.  He can help you with your weight loss journey through a variety of strategies up to and including an array of weight loss surgeries.  Call Dr. Velarde today and begin your journey to greater health.