Belly Fat, Our Common Enemy: Part Two – Women
In our previous post, we looked at men’s battles to get rid of unwanted belly fat. In this blog, we will be addressing the women. As mentioned in the previous blog, men and women store and metabolize fat differently. That is why we felt that addressing men and women separately to talk about their unique needs would be beneficial. We hope you agree.
Belly fat for women is a bad news/good news situation. Bad news for the ladies…you store fat better than men. That isn’t something you want to be better at, is it? Unfortunately, that’s how our bodies are designed. Women also store fat in different places than men. Women tend to store fat in the hips, buttocks, and legs. Men tend to have “beer bellies.” The one bit of good news for women is that your bodies tend to respond better to exercise than men in relation to burning fat.
Much of a woman’s “ability” to store fat is because her body is at the ready to sustain another life should she get pregnant. Those fat stores actually serve a purpose. But, not all women want children or can have children. Some women choose adoption over pregnancy, as well. And, those women who have had children stop having them at some point. So, where does that leave women when children aren’t the issue and the belly fat remains?
As with men, it requires a combination of diet and exercise. Women’s bodies respond better to different things than men’s which is why we are addressing them separately. According to “Women’s Health” magazine, one study showed that during an eight-week period obese women who followed a diet of 30 percent protein, 40 percent carbs, and 30 percent fat lost significantly more fat than the women who followed a diet of 16 percent protein, 55 percent carbs, and 26 percent fat. Notice that even though the second group of women was consuming less fat in their diet, they didn’t lose as much fat as the other women. The key, in this case, ladies, is more protein, fewer carbs.
Women, your exercise routine should include some strength training and more aerobic activity than men. Your bodies respond well to it for fat-burning purposes. Yoga and pilates are also helpful. They work your core muscles which provide overall health and strength while burning fat. While it’s important to like how you look, it isn’t the most important reason for getting rid of belly fat…your health is!
If you know someone who is struggling with belly fat, maybe you can embark on this journey together. Hold each other accountable with your eating and work out together! It can be really helpful to have someone alongside you to offer encouragement, and it feels really good (literally releasing positive, healthy, “happy” endorphins into your body) when you are encouraging to someone else.
Stress is the best friend of belly fat. Stress produces cortisol which likes to hang out in your belly region. If there are stressors in your life that you can remove, do it! You don’t need to be president of every committee at your children’s school or the project manager of every project at work. Just like men, it is essential to do your best to combat stress by doing calming activities and getting plenty of sleep.
Losing any weight can be a challenge. Belly fat tends to be an especially tough challenge for women. If you would like some professional help along the journey or perhaps are interested in getting some surgical help in reducing your belly fat, then please call Dr. Diego Velarde at Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute. We offer a range of weight loss solutions in Melbourne, FL. With the newest technology and most up-to-date knowledge in his field, Dr. Velarde can make your journey an exciting and successful one!