I’d like to point out that this article will be interesting for both girls and men.
Many years ago, when food was in short supply, a big belly was a sign of wealth. That is why in Russia the owners of the big belly were wealthy people (for example, merchants). Now we live in an era when there is no shortage of food. That is why now a large number of people are obese, that leads to concomitant diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes, metabolic disorders, etc.). In this article I will narrate the whole truth and lies about how to remove a big belly and make the waist narrow and fit.
Content
Local fat burning
Many people think that there are some ways to influence fat burning locally. For example, girls want to make only the waist and hips smaller. But it is impossible to locally affect on fat burning process in these places. Fat can only be burned all over the body simultaneously. The reason for this is that fat burning in the body is triggered by alpha and beta receptors. This response is triggered by stress hormones. These hormones travel through the bloodstream, and the blood, as you understand, walks throughout the body, and not only in certain places (waist or hips).
Accordingly, when the necessary conditions for losing weight are created (the lack of calories), the necessary stress hormones are thrown out, these hormones affect your entire body, and not certain parts of it. That is why it is impossible to impact the burning of fat in the abdomen in a targeted manner. Do not trust people who will convince you otherwise, this is all advertising.
You will never lose weight exactly at the waist, you can lose weight evenly throughout the body. But someone who has already lost weight at least once knows that in one place they are losing weight faster (for example, in their hands), and in another part more slowly (for example, in the hips). This is the same uniformity, it just goes faster in some parts of the body, and slower in some parts. This is explained by the different proportions of alpha and beta receptors. We have fewer alpha receptors and more beta receptors in our hands. Accordingly, in the hands we will lose weight faster. There are more alpha receptors in the thighs and abdomen. Accordingly, in the hips and abdomen, we will lose weight more slowly. It is impossible to change this proportion, it is created by nature. But all the same, the process of fat burning will take place evenly, just with different speeds. It is impossible to start this process at a particular part.
Mechanical effect on fat in the waist area
You’ve probably seen an advertisement for super exercise equipment that you need to wear on your stomach and supposedly they will burn fat and build your abs. Or various belts, wraps, massages or creams that help burn fat on a belly. You will never lose weight these ways. Fat burns in the body due to stress hormones, stress hormones are in the blood, blood is placed throughout the body, not just in the abdomen. Therefore, whatever you do with your belly and waist: smear with a cream, massage, wear a belt; it will not help. It will not lead to fat burning. Only the lack of calories leads to fat burning.
The lack of calories and fat burning
In order to start the process of fat burning, it is necessary to create an insufficient daily calorie intake. That is, you should eat less calories than you spend. Let’s say you spend 2500 kcal per day on active (work, exercise, walking) and passive (digestion, work of organs), to start losing weight you should eat less than 2500 kcal per day, for example 2000 kcal.
It is the lack of calories that will lead to the release of stress hormones, and therefore to the start of the process of fat burning. In more detail, about how to create the lack of calories in the body, see the article about losing weight.
Exercises to make the waist smaller
Many people think that abdominal exercises (different types of crunches) can help you burn fat. This is wrong. Fat burning is started, as already said, by the lack of calories. And no matter how many crunches you do, your belly will not become smaller. Moreover, it can only become larger, due to the fact that with exercises you will build your abdominal muscles and visually they will become even larger. You will have muscles, but they will be hidden under a layer of fat. Also, some abdominal exercises will only increase your waist. In general, all abdominal exercises can be divided into 3 categories according to the way they affect the waist.
Neutral waist exercises
These exercises include crunches (standart and reverse). Straight crunches are when you twist the body to the pelvis, the reverse ones are when you twist the pelvis to the body. These exercises, in terms of size, do not harm the waist. With these exercises, you will build your abdominal muscles. But if there is a lot of fat in the body, the muscles will be hidden under the fat layer. But when you are ripped, the trained abs muscles will look very impressive.
Negative waist exercises
These exercises include broomstick twists and dumbbell side bends. These exercises are not aimed at reducing the waist, but on the contrary, at increasing it. If we look at the anatomy of the abdominal muscles, then we can say that the abdominal muscles consist of: rectus abdominis muscle, oblique abdominal muscles, transverse abdominal muscles and internal abdominal muscles. Broomstick twists and dumbbell side bends are just aimed at building the transverse abdominal muscles, which are located on the sides of the body, in the waist area. Therefore, by doing these exercises, you will build these muscles, and your waist only gets bigger.
Positive waist exercises
These exercises include stomach vacuum exercise and such a recommendation as using an athletic belt when performing heavy exercises (barbell squat or deadlift).
Stomach vacuum is aimed at developing the internal muscles of the abdomen. The vacuum is the retraction of the abdomen. This is when you get rid of air in the abdominal region (powerful exhalation) and try to bring the navel as close to the spine as possible (pull the stomach inward). Then stay in this condition for 10-15 seconds, then relax, rest, and repeat the procedure. In this way, the internal muscles of the abdomen are trained.
These muscles, like any other muscles, weaken and sag with age if they are not exercised. Accordingly, while performing this exercise, the internal muscles of the abdomen will always be in good shape. They will prevent the abdomen from falling out forward (during breathing or other loads) and visually your waist will seem smaller.
As for the athletic belt, I can say that it helps to restrain the abdominal muscles from stretching, prevents the abdomen from falling out. During the performance of heavy basic exercises, a large intra-abdominal pressure is created. This pressure pushes your belly outward. In order to limit this, an athletic belt is used. In addition, most men do not breathe with their chest, but with their belly. And doing heavy sets only worsens the situation (in terms of increasing the waist). The athletic belt helps you breathe through your chest rather than your belly during an exercise. I’d like to point out that the belt should only be used during a hard set and should be unfastened immediately after the set.