How to get rid of belly fat

Getting rid of stubborn belly fat is a common weight-loss goal.

As people hit midlife, any extra pounds tend to settle around the midsection, with this particular fat accumulation commonly referred to as ‘the middle age spread’. Although this can affect both sexes, women tend to find that they gain more weight around the middle during this stage of life.

Abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat, is linked to serious health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer in women. So it is important that we get rid of belly fat to improve our overall health.

However sometimes getting rid of stubborn belly fat can be easier said than done. Here we will explore how to get rid of belly fat and keep it from coming back.

Diet

A balanced diet is at the foundation of good health. By following a healthy, calorie-controlled diet, you will soon find that your excess fat will start to melt away from various parts of your body, including around the abdomen. 

A great place to start is by eliminating sweetened and sugary foods from your diet. Various studies have shown that excess sugar can lead to fat building up around the abdomen and liver. By cutting out sugary foods and sweet treats you can effectively reduce the amount of belly fat. But don’t forget fizzy drinks, fruit juices and some sports drinks also contain high levels of sugar so you will need to cut down on these too. Cutting alcohol consumption will also have an impact on your waistline.

You should also consider cutting your intake of carbohydrates, which will prompt your body to burn through fat stores, including harmful abdominal fat. Up your intake of protein and fibre-rich foods to help your body shed unwelcome belly fat. And above all, make sure you follow a calorie controlled diet in order to avoid overeating. Dieticians typically recommend cutting between 500 and 750 calories from your daily intake to kick start weight loss.

Exercise

Alongside eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly is one of the best things that you can do to improve your overall health. 

Ideally, you should be doing a mixture of cardiovascular exercise and strength training to lose weight from all areas of the body. Aerobic exercise, which is particularly good for all-round weight loss, includes running and swimming. The NHS recommends that we do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. Ideally this should be spread evenly over four or five days.

Once you start exercising, it is important that you carry on doing it, otherwise you run the risk of putting some or all of the excess weight back on, undoing all your good work.

However belly fat can prove very stubborn and it is not always easy to lose weight from one specific area of the body. If you find yourself unable to lose stubborn fat from your abdomen, there are other options to help you banish the belly for good.

Liposuction

If you have stubborn fatty deposits around the abdomen, or anywhere else on the body, which are proving impossible to lose through diet and exercise alone, then you may wish to consider liposuction. Stomach liposuction is an invasive cosmetic procedure in which a qualified surgeon will remove these fat cells using a special suction tool, leaving the stomach looking flatter, more contoured and more in proportion with other parts of the body. 

A cannula is placed into the treatment area and the fat is loosened and broken up before being sucked out of the body. Once removed, fat cells cannot grow back. But liposuction should not be viewed as a weight loss method or a substitute for exercise and a healthy diet. You can still gain weight in the treated areas as your remaining fat cells will grow larger. But by following a healthy lifestyle, you can enjoy the results of your liposuction for many years to come.

Stomach liposuction is also a great way to get rid of a ‘muffin top’ - a roll of fat which is visible over the waistband of tight trousers.

Weight loss surgery

If you are struggling to lose weight via diet and exercise, then you may be suitable for weight loss surgery.

This particular weight loss method is best suited for a person who is obese and requires timely intervention in order to prevent or manage other weight-related conditions such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes. Weight loss surgery is aimed at patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or a BMI between 35 and 40. Before any weight loss surgery, a person must be prepared to commit to making healthy lifestyle changes after surgery.

There are four different procedures which come under the umbrella of weight loss surgery. Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery involve making permanent changes to the stomach by either shrinking the size of the stomach or altering the route through the digestive system. A gastric band reduces the size of the stomach, but can be reversed if required.

A gastric balloon is a temporary weight loss procedure which involves placing a saline-filled balloon into the stomach to make a person feel fuller, meaning they eat less and lose weight as a result. 

Weight loss surgery can result in dramatic weight loss, including belly fat. But gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery are major operations and cannot be reversed. It is important that you thoroughly explore the pros and cons of weight loss surgery before deciding whether to pursue this surgical solution.

Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we offer liposuction and weight loss surgeries. Our surgeons are experts in their field, so you can rest assured that you are in the very best hands. 

Book an appointment with one of our world-class experts today to discuss how we can help you get rid of belly fat and achieve your body goals.