Belly Fat in Women: How to Lose It and Keep It Off

An growing waistline is sometimes viewed as a cost of becoming older. For women, this is especially true because body fat tends to move to the belly after menopause.

However, excess belly fat does more than just make it difficult to zip up a favorite pair of trousers. Research indicates that abdominal fat poses significant health hazards. However, the risks presented by abdominal obesity can be reduced.

Calories consumed each day.

Calories burned every day.

Age.

Genetics.

Eating and drinking more calories than you expend per day causes weight growth, especially belly fat.

Getting older also has an impact. Muscle mass declines with age. Muscle atrophy is accelerated by a lack of physical activity. Loss of muscular mass reduces the body's calorie burn rate. This makes it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

Many women experience an increase in belly fat as they age, even if they do not gain weight. This is most likely related to a reduced quantity of estrogen, as estrogen appears to influence fat distribution throughout the body.

Your genes can also influence your risk of being overweight or obese. They also influence where the body stores fat.

Drinking beer and smoking cigarets both increase abdominal fat.

The problem with belly fat is that it extends beyond the padding just beneath the skin. That's known as subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is part of belly fat. And that is located deep within the abdomen and surrounds the internal organs.

Regardless of a person's overall weight, having a significant quantity of belly fat increases the risk of:

High blood pressure.

An abnormal level of fat in the blood.

Sleep Apnea.

Heart illness.

High blood sugar and diabetes.

Certain cancers.

Stroke.

Fatty liver.

Early death due to any cause.

Subcutaneous fat is belly fat that can be felt by pinching the extra skin and tissue surrounding your midsection. Visceral fat is fat that accumulates deep within the abdomen in the region around the organs. Excess visceral fat is significantly associated with an increased risk of serious health problems.

To determine if belly fat is an issue, measure your waist:

Stand and wrap a tape measure around your bare tummy, right above your hipbone.

Pull the tape measure so that it fits tightly but does not push into the skin. Make sure the tape measure is level all around.

Relax, exhale, and measure your waistline. Don't suck in your stomach when measuring.

For women, a waist measurement more than 35 inches (89 cm) indicates extra belly fat and an increased risk of health problems. In general, the larger the waist circumference, the bigger the health concerns.

Crunches and other belly-focused exercises can help to build and tone your abdominal muscles. However, completing these workouts alone will not help you lose belly fat. The good news is that visceral fat responds to the same diet and exercise programs that can help you lose excess weight and reduce total body fat. Try these tips:

Concentrating on plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Choose lean protein sources like fish and low-fat dairy products.

Limit processed meats, as well as the saturated fat found in meat and high-fat dairy products like butter.

Choose reasonable levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They're found in fish, nuts, and some vegetable oils.

Choose your portion sizes appropriately. Even when you make healthy choices, calories accumulate. At home, reduce your portion amounts. In restaurants, share meals. Alternatively, eat half a meal and take the remainder home.

Replace sugary beverages. Drink water or other sugar-free beverages instead.

Get active. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that most individuals engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes of strenuous aerobic activity, such as jogging, every week. 

Strength training activities should be performed at least twice per week. If you want to lose weight or achieve certain fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. There is evidence that both high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training can help reduce belly fat.

Losing belly fat requires effort and patience. To reduce excess fat and keep it off, aim for slow and consistent weight loss. Consult your healthcare provider for assistance getting started and remaining on track.