Exercise, nutrition, and advice from a doctor and a trainer to eliminate excess belly fat.
Why do men’s bellies grow?
The belly grows due to subcutaneous and visceral fat. Visceral (abdominal) fat makes up 10-15% of the total body fat. It is natural and usually is present in every healthy person. This fat protects internal organs from mechanical damage, but its excess harms the body.
Visceral fat contributes to liver steatosis and liver insulin resistance. Substances secreted by internal adipose tissue slow down metabolic processes and disrupt lipid metabolism. The main reasons for the appearance of excess fat in the abdominal area:
- Nutrition: Improper nutrition, abuse of flour, and sweet and fatty foods are the most obvious reasons for weight gain.
- Age: As you age, your metabolism slows down, and the distribution of fat in your body changes — it tends to accumulate around your waist.
- Digestive disorders, which impair the absorption of nutrients.
- Sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity. Excess weight gradually increases when you consume more calories than you spend. Excess calories accumulate as subcutaneous and visceral fat.
- Hormonal imbalance that contributes to increased appetite.
The belly can grow due to hormonal reasons. For example, in endocrinology, there are diseases accompanied by increased cortisol production by the adrenal cortex and the development of a certain symptom complex. Complaints in such patients are varied. The most common is weight gain with uneven fat deposition, mainly in the abdominal area, with thinner limbs.
However, fat deposition in the abdomen is often not associated with endocrine diseases and is typical for men—this is the so-called male-pattern obesity.
How a man can quickly remove belly fat: 5 tips
To eliminate belly fat, you need to build a deficit diet, which involves the correct selection of products and preparation methods.
Regular physical activity—interval, medium, and high intensity (work/rest)—creates most of the deficit. Functional and maximally energy-consuming exercises are selected, with work on the abdominal muscles (core).
1. Proper nutrition
Try to minimise the consumption of confectionery, added sugars, and fatty, fried foods. These products provoke the accumulation of fatty tissue. Add more vegetables to your daily menu: every additional 10 g of fibre they contain reduces the risk of gaining excess weight by 3.7%.
Complex carbohydrates in cereals help you feel full for a long time and give you energy. Protein helps normalise your metabolism and accelerate muscle growth. Be sure to drink enough water, not replacing it with juices, tea, and especially sweet carbonated drinks.
2. Giving up bad habits
Research has linked regular alcohol consumption with the risk of developing abdominal obesity. Visceral fat causes internal organs to become compressed, the body to function poorly, and activity to decrease, which is why frequent drinkers get into a vicious circle and belly fat increases.
Smoking is The second habit you can quit for your health and appearance. A 2024 study found it is associated with increased abdominal fat. Considering that alcohol consumption and smoking often go hand in hand (add to that the increased appetite after drinking alcohol), your belly will inevitably grow.
3. Strengthening muscles
Often, the waist circumference is formed not so much because of fat but because of the volume of the abdomen. The reason lies in the weak muscles of the abdominal wall, which do not hold it. In addition, if you eat large portions and do not work on strengthening the muscles, the latter stretch and lose tone. Choose exercises that emphasise the transverse muscle—it reduces the volume in the abdominal area. It supports the organs in the correct position, acting as a natural corset.
4. Training
Strength training helps build muscle, and cardio helps burn excess calories. Fitness clubs offer the opportunity to select an individual program consisting of the exercises that suit you best. You can alternate exercise machines with cardio, try functional training, and include general endurance exercises and strength training.
5. Sleep and rest regime
One study found that people who regularly sleep less than seven hours have a higher average body mass index and are more likely to be obese than those who sleep more. Sleep deprivation is associated with increased ghrelin levels, salt retention, inflammatory markers, decreased leptin levels, and insulin sensitivity. Lack of sleep increases hunger, which means you’ll end up eating more than you would if you’d had enough sleep. That’s why managing your daily routine and getting enough rest is especially important .
Exercises to help a man lose belly fat
Exercise to help men eliminate belly fat.
1. Burpee + Mountain Climber
Two movements that are combined into a motor complex. Burpee is a functional, high-intensity multi-joint exercise. It involves the muscles of the entire body and promotes high energy expenditure. “Mountain climber” is an exercise aimed at activating the abdominal muscles. The benefit of this complex is that it affects the accelerated energy expenditure in a short time interval while simultaneously working the target muscle group (core). The complex is performed in 45-60 seconds. Rest after – according to the 2:1 scheme (rest time is double the work time).
From a standing position, squat and place your hands on the floor. Then, throw your legs back and lie on your stomach. Push up and remain in the push-up position. Bend your legs alternately and bring your knees to the same elbow. Then, in the reverse order, return to the starting standing position.
2. Diagonal touch of the hand to the instep from the support
Functional high-intensity multi-joint exercise. Requires high concentration of attention on balance. Engages the muscles of the entire body. In essence, it is similar to the previous one. Still, the muscles work differently due to the change in the body’s position relative to the floor. The main movement involves the core muscles. They were completed in 45-60 seconds. Rest – 2:1 (rest time is double the work time).
The exercise is performed continuously. Take a sitting position. The pelvis is suspended but does not sag. Keep it high enough. StabilisingStabilising the body, reach for the left instep with your right hand. Then, alternate the work of the arms and legs.
3. V-shaped sit-ups
This is an exercise for the rectus abdominis muscle. It requires body stabilisation at the top point of the lift, which requires additional energy expenditure. When performing the exercise, the abdominal muscles are locally worked out, making them stronger and more functional and creating hypertrophy. Perform 20-30 repetitions. Rest—60 seconds.
Start from a prone position. Concentrate your effort and lift your legs and torso simultaneously. The lift should be uniform to maintain balance in the movement. At the top point, the angle in the hip joint is 90 degrees. The back and legs are straight. Return to the starting position in the reverse order.
4. “Russian Twist”
This is a local exercise for the oblique abdominal muscles. It requires high body stabilisation in sitting, creating additional energy expenditure. The target muscle group is the back’s oblique systems and lumbar region. The exercise is performed for 30 repetitions alternately in each direction. Rest—60 seconds.
Starting position: sitting on your buttocks. Legs are bent at the knees at an angle of 90 degrees. Back straight. Arms straight in front of the chest. Perform twists of the torso one by one at a moderate pace.
5. Raising the pelvis from a prone position by touching the foot
The exercise requires high control over the neutral pelvis position in the starting position. It affects the accelerated energy expenditure quickly and involves the core in volumetric functional work. The complex is performed continuously for 45-60 seconds. Rest—2:1 (rest time is double the work time).
Starting position: Lying down. The pelvis is in a neutral position. Bend your hip joints and lift your pelvis, straightening your back. It would help if you touched the instep with your hand diagonally. Return to the starting position. Do this with each hand in turn.
During the workout, you need to do two or three of the five sets of exercises described above. You can rest up to four minutes between sets. Work out thrice a week for quick results with a one—or two-day break.
