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Why is my upper belly so big?

Why is my upper stomach bigger than my lower stomach? Upper belly fat is usually the result of the accumulation of visceral fat around your abdomen area. Stress, unhealthy lifestyle, and lack of sleep make your upper stomach bigger than your lower stomach.

stylecraze.com - How To Lose Upper Belly Fat At Home – Causes And Solutions - Stylecraze
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If you are wondering how to lose your upper belly fat, you are not alone. This condition is called central obesity in medical terms, and it affects both women and men as they become older. Obesity rates are highest in between ages of 50 and 70. (1). The visceral adipose tissue (VAT) surrounding the intra-abdominal organs is more commonly known as upper belly fat. Upper belly obesity is caused by genetics, poor eating habits, and an unhealthy lifestyle. For reducing upper abdominal fat, spot reduction is not a long-term solution. Instead, exercise, a balanced diet, and lifestyle modifications are the only ways to reduce it in a healthy way. Scroll down for more information.C

Steps To Reduce Upper Belly Fat

Losing weight from the upper abdomen requires a holistic approach – exercise, healthy diet, and focus on lifestyle changes. Before starting this process, calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC) to know your status better.

1. Exercises To Lose Upper Body Fat

These exercises do not focus on spot reduction but help strengthen your core, aid inch loss, and tone your body.

a. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

This is an excellent exercise for the entire body. It is not only effective for weight management and preventing obesity, but it also improves your cardiorespiratory health (2). There are 12 poses in Sun Salutation.

Target: Whole body

Steps

Stand at the end of the mat, keeping your feet together and your spine straight. Puff your chest out and roll your shoulders to relax them. Breathe in, lift your hands to your sides, and join your palms in front of your chest in a prayer pose while exhaling. Inhale, lift your arms, and stretch them back completely. Make sure that your biceps touch your ears. Exhale and bend forward from the waist while keeping your spine straight. Try to touch your head to your knees and place both palms on the ground beside your feet. Try to keep your knees straight. Breathe out and push your right leg back as far as possible, touching your knee to the floor. Bend your head back and lookup. Your left leg should be between your palms, folding at the knee and perpendicular to the floor. Breathe in and push your left leg back and align your whole body. Slowly press your knees together, breathe out, push your hips back slightly, and rest your chin and chest on the floor. Slide forward until your chest and chin are up in a cobra pose and your elbows are bent. Your shoulders should be away from your ears. Hold this posture for 5 seconds. Breathe out and lift your hips and tailbone up to form an inverted-V position. Both your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should be straight. Try to look at your navel while in this position. Breathe in and pull your right leg between your palms. Your left leg should be touching the floor. Keep your hips down and lookup. Bring your left leg between your palms. Your palms should be touching the floor and your head should be at your knees. Breathe in, pull your hands up, and bend backward. Push your hips out a bit. Breathe out and bring down your arms. Straighten your body and relax and feel the stretch in all parts of your body.

b. Plank Hold

Target: Upper belly, thighs, and arms.

Steps

Lie down on your stomach with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Bend your elbows and place your forearms on the ground. Align your elbows with your shoulders. Align your feet with your hips. Tighten your core and glute muscles. Lift your abs and hips off the ground. They should be aligned with your shoulders. Flex your hips forward and hold this position for 30 seconds. Practice these 3 rounds with 30 seconds of hold.

c. Bicycle Crunches

via GIPHY

Target: Abdomen, hips, and obliques.

Steps

Lie down on your back. Relax your entire body. Place your hands behind your head. Interlock them just above your neck. Bend both the knees and bring them close to your belly. Lift your shoulders and head. Straighten your left leg and bring your left elbow close to your right knee. Bring your left leg back to your belly. Simultaneously, straighten your right leg and bring your right elbow close to your left knee. Bring your right knee back to your belly. This completes one set Do 2 sets of 20 reps each. Stylecraze Says If you are not able to make your elbows touch your knees, go only as far as you can. Do not strain or pull your head forward. It may cause muscle injuries.

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d. Russian Twist

Target: Core, obliques, and spine.

Steps

Sit on a yoga mat with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Tighten your core, lean back, and lift both your legs at a 45° angle with the floor while bending the knees slightly. Lift your hands in the front and slowly twist your upper body to one side. Your legs should be fixed at the 45° angle. Twist to the other side. You can cross your ankles to maintain your balance. This completes one rep. Do 3 sets of 12 reps each. Stylecraze Says While doing Russian twists, focus on breathing steadily. Exhale when you rotate, and inhale when you return to the center to stretch the intercostal muscles for better results.

e. Leg Raise

Target: Abdomen and core.

Steps

Lie down on your back. Place both your hands – palms facing down – on the ground beside your body. Your legs should be straight. Lift both your legs straight towards the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor. You can support your butt by placing your palms beneath it. Lower your legs slowly but do not touch the ground completely. Do 3 sets of 20 reps each.

2. Eat Your Way To A Slimmer You

Diet is also a major factor that can help you get back in shape. A proper diet can go a long way in keeping you slim and healthy. Eat frequently, but consume smaller meals rather than eating large meals and burdening your digestive system. A study conducted at the Medical University Vienna on 20 obese women proved that following a calorie-deficit diet along with aerobic exercises can reduce body fat (3). Jesse Feder, RDN, says, “In order to create a caloric deficit, I highly recommend you make changes in both your diet and activity level. I would start off by making a very simple diet change of reducing the portion sizes of your meals. This is typically the easiest change to make for people since they can eat the same foods but just less of them throughout the day.” Here are some changes you can make in your diet to lose upper belly bulge: Include protein-rich foods in every meal. Your snacks should be rich in good-quality protein to curb binging.

Replace grains with whole grains at least 1-2 times a day.

Include healthy fats in your diet, like nuts, seeds, and clarified butter.

Bulk up on fiber-rich foods and have 1-2 servings of fruits on a daily basis. Replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods that are healthy and energize your body. Avoid oily and junk food like chips, baked products, cookies, and sweets. Replace them with salads made of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Reduce salt intake.

Water is the best beverage. Instead of reaching for aerated sodas or energy drinks, drink plain water. Water cleanses your body and flushes out all the toxins, keeping you slim and hydrated.

3. Change Your Lifestyle

When it comes to reducing upper belly fat and managing your weight, a few lifestyle changes can go a long way in making a difference. According to Jesse Feder, RDN, “Increasing your daily activity level can burn extra calories and help get you into that caloric deficit. I always recommend to my clients/patients to go on daily 30-45 minute walks. Unfortunately, you cannot specifically target which area you lose fat from. Everyone loses fat from different areas first. You will still notice a difference and be able to lose that upper belly fat if you stay consistent with these changes.”

Here are a few changes that you can incorporate:

a. Cope With Stress: Stress leads to cravings for salt and sugar. A study on rats proved that fatty foods (lard) reduce stress by regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses (4). This explains the aforementioned cravings and the weight gain they lead to. Learning how to deal with anxiety and stress can cut off these triggers and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat foods that are rich in tryptophan like chicken, soya bean, nuts, bananas. Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin (a feel-good hormone). Thus, eating tryptophan-rich foods can help improve your mood (5). You can also practice deep breathing exercises, meditate, and walk for 30 minutes daily to cut back your stress.

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b. Sleep At Least 7 Hours In A Day

Peaceful sleep is an important modulator of metabolism and neuroendocrine function. Inadequate sleep has been found to be associated with increased hunger, appetite, and craving for calorie-dense, high-carbohydrate content food (6). Hence, aim to sleep at least 7 hours a day. Upper belly fat is not only unhealthy but can also affect your self-image and mental health. If you are wondering what causes upper belly fat, check out the next section.

Causes Of Upper Abdominal Weight Gain

There could be multiple reasons for putting on weight in the upper belly region. The most common causes are:

Unhealthy eating habits

A sedentary lifestyle with no physical exercise

Lack of sleep

Leading a stressful lifestyle that is high on both physical and mental stress Infographic: Boat Pose To Lose Upper Belly Fat The boat pose is a seated asana and one of the best ways to strengthen your core. It works great on the abdominal muscles and deep hip flexors as well. Raising the legs kicks the abdominal muscles into action and strengthens them by burning belly fat. Click on the infographic below to learn how to perform the boat pose to lose upper belly fat. If you want to shed your stubborn upper belly fat, you must establish realistic goals and work hard to achieve them. Spend a few hours daily working on your upper abs. When it comes to losing upper body fat, the cardinal rule is 80% diet and 20% exercise. All you need to do is focus on simple lifestyle modifications like following healthy eating habits and tweaking your sedentary lifestyle. Work toward your health and fitness goals efficiently under the guidance of a healthcare professional and a nutritionist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my upper stomach bigger than my lower stomach?

Upper belly fat is usually the result of the accumulation of visceral fat around your abdomen area. Stress, unhealthy lifestyle, and lack of sleep make your upper stomach bigger than your lower stomach.

What is the best exercise for the upper abdomen?

There is no particular exercise for spot reduction. To reduce your upper abdomen, you need to focus on whole-body and core exercises like sun salutations, plank hols, bicycle crunches, side crunches, and twist crunches.

Why is my upper belly so big and hard?

If your stomach feels big and hard often, it could be due to gas, a food intolerance, or inflammatory bowel disease. Sources Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Check out our editorial policy for further details. Definitions, Classification, and Epidemiology of Obesity, Endotext, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279167/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279167/ Acute effects of Surya Namaskar on the cardiovascular & metabolic system, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21665111

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21665111 Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025815

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025815 Choice of lard, but not total lard calories, damps adrenocorticotropin responses to restraint, Endocrinology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15705773/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15705773/ Food-derived serotonergic modulators: effects on mood and cognition, Nutrition Research Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24134856

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24134856 Brief communication: Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite, Annals of Internal Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15583226

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