How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat Men In 2023? : Causes & Strategies

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Reviewed by Elizabeth Gonzalez Cueto, MD

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How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat Men
Losing belly fat takes effort and patience. Photo: Shutterstock

Men’s stomachs tend to enlarge more easily than those of women. There have undoubtedly been leaner periods, but please do not interpret this as an endorsement of a life of fat. There are dozens of ways to reduce belly fat. So how to get rid of belly fat for men and lose weight?

The reality is that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for weight loss; rather, it requires an individualized plan based on genetics, metabolism, willpower, etc. Your friend’s tried-and-true approach may not be the best option for you. We have listed numerous tips to assist you in accelerating your metabolism, eliminating abdominal fat, and exposing your abs. Experimentation is required to determine which method is most beneficial for you. However, if you put in the effort (i.e., implement some of these tips each week), you will notice a drop in your waist circumference soon.

How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat Men 2023?

  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Reduce your alcohol intake
  • Start exercising
  • Get out into the sun
  • Reduce your stress levels
  • Improve your sleep quality
  • Quit smoking

How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat Men 2023?

Here are some effective ways to eliminate stubborn belly fat and keep it off:

Eat A Healthy Diet

A nutritious, well-balanced diet can aid in weight loss and improve a person’s health in general. You should probably avoid foods high in sugar, fat, and processed carbs. Alternatively, eat foods rich in fiber, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grain foods, healthy fats. 

Reduce Your Alcohol Intake

People who want to lose weight can control their drinking by limiting the number of drinks they have each day. The extra sugar in many alcoholic beverages might lead to weight gain.

Start Exercising

An increase in body fat is just one of the numerous negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Individuals who wish to shed extra pounds would do well to incorporate regular physical activity into their schedules. 

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that most healthy adults engage in regular aerobic training, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes per week, or strenuous aerobic workouts, such as running, for a minimum of 75 minutes per week. Adopting an exercise routine incorporating aerobic exercise and strength training effectively reduces abdominal fat and builds lean muscle mass.

Get Out Into The Sun

According to a paper published in 2016, animals exposed to sunshine may experience lower body weight and metabolic abnormalities. However, the analysis also emphasizes the need for more research because so few studies have examined the effect of sunshine on humans in terms of weight gain.

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Your weight may increase as a result of stress. The stress hormone cortisol affects a person’s appetite, which may lead to overeating. Methods for alleviating stress include:

  • Being more present in the moment.
  • Practicing meditation.
  • Doing a light physical activity, such as yoga.

Improve Your Sleep Quality

Good health depends greatly on the quality of your sleep. While relaxation and recovery are sleep’s principal functions, the amount of time spent in bed each night may also impact a person’s waistline. Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial when trying to lose body fat percentage, especially belly fat.

Quit Smoking

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of belly fat and other major health problems. Quitting can improve general health and greatly lessen the dangers associated with being overweight or obese.

The Different Types Of Belly Fat Man

Your belly only has a tiny amount of fat compared to the other body parts. The two primary forms of belly fat are located beneath your skin, inside your abdomen, and around your internal organs.

Subcutaneous Belly Fat

The fat below the skin is called subcutaneous fat or subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Subcutaneous fat is the squishy fat that causes the abdomen to “jiggle.” Men often have less subcutaneous fat than women.[1] Subcutaneous fat isn’t as closely linked to higher illness risk as fat in the abdominal cavity.

However, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and various malignancies have been linked to excess body fat, including total belly fat. On the other hand, research suggests that keeping your belly fat and body fat percentages where they should be can lower your chance of acquiring a chronic illness.

Visceral Fat

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT), often known as visceral belly fat, is located considerably deeper in the abdomen than subcutaneous fat because it covers internal organs like the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. This is the kind of belly fat that gets called “harmful.”

In contrast to subcutaneous fat, visceral fat has a substantially higher metabolic rate. Here you’ll find a greater concentration of nerves, blood vessels, and cells than in subcutaneous fat.

Increased resistance to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin has been linked to the presence of visceral fat. High blood sugar levels and the eventual onset of type 2 diabetes have been linked to insulin resistance.

Increased systemic inflammation due to visceral fat may also increase the likelihood of illness.

Men are predisposed to putting on belly fat because they have a higher propensity to gain visceral fat than women. However, women are more likely to gain weight around their hips and thighs, giving them a “pear” form.

Fat moves around in the body in interesting ways as people age. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of metabolic disease, and while premenopausal women tend to have larger amounts of subcutaneous belly fat, post-menopausal women tend to have higher levels of visceral fat. Additionally, Europeans have more visceral fat than those of other nationalities.

What Causes Belly Fat In Males?

What Causes Belly Fat In Males?
Eating processed, fast, and fried foods can cause belly fat. Photo: Shutterstock

Eating Trans Fat 

Processed foods, fast foods, and fried food can:

Diets low in protein, carbs, and saturated fat may also affect body composition and increase belly fat. People who don’t eat enough lean protein tend to eat more frequently throughout the day since they don’t feel full as quickly.

Inflammation and perhaps obesity are two effects of trans fats in particular. In addition to fast food, numerous baked items like muffins and crackers also contain trans fats. The American Heart Association suggests switching to healthier alternatives, including whole grains, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats instead of trans fats. One way to determine if a product contains trans fats is to read the label to control fat intake

Genetics

Some research suggests that genetics have a role in determining whether or not a person gains excess weight. Researchers believe genes play a role in determining personality, metabolic rate, and predisposition to obesity-related illnesses. The risk of obesity is affected by genetics, lifestyle, and the surrounding environment.

Seriously Stressed

The steroid hormone cortisol aids in stress management and regulation. The stress hormone cortisol slows the metabolic rate when an individual is confronted with threats or extreme pressure. When under pressure, many people seek solace in their favorite foods. The stress hormone cortisol ensures that any food you eat in excess will be stored fat in your midsection and elsewhere.

Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can be one of the reasons you gain weight. Photo: Shutterstock

Liver damage and inflammation are only two health issues that excessive alcohol consumption can bring. Studies on women have shown mixed results, while a 2015 research[2] on alcohol and obesity indicated that heavy drinking is associated with belly fat in men.

A beer belly results from excessive alcohol consumption rather than beer itself. Because of the caloric nature of alcohol, excessive consumption can cause an increase in abdominal fat. Consume alcoholic beverages cautiously, if at all.

Men younger than 65 can safely have up to two drinks per day. This equates to no more than one alcoholic beverage per day for men over 65. If you reduce your alcohol consumption, you’ll save money and reduce your risk of gaining belly fat.

Lack Of Exercise

A person will gain weight if their caloric intake exceeds their energy expenditure. Inactivity makes it difficult to lose weight, particularly abdominal fat.

Got Too Much Of The Wrong Gut Bacteria

Appetite-regulating hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and peptide YY are all made by your body (PYY). Certain research findings have shown that the types of bacteria in one’s gut can affect the levels of these hormones and one’s perception of satiety.

Some gut microbes break down fiber into chemicals called short-chain fatty acids. Propionate is the name of one of these compounds. A 24-week propionate treatment significantly raised levels of the hunger-regulating hormones PYY and GLP-1 in 60 overweight adults.

Consumption of food and weight gain were both reduced in propionate users. According to other research, prebiotics supplements, which include compounds fermented by gut bacteria, have also been shown to have a satiating effect on appetite. 

Hydrogen levels in the breath of people who consumed 16 grams of prebiotics daily for two weeks increased. Lower hunger and increased amounts of the satiety hormones GLP-1 and PYY point to bacterial fermentation in the gut. 

Not Enough Sleep

Poor sleep quality may contribute to weight growth and an unhealthy distribution of fat, according to research published in 2013.[3] Unfortunately, this study does not provide enough evidence to conclude causation.

Lack of sleep has been related to binge eating, which may contribute to fat accumulation around the midsection. If you’re not getting adequate sleep, you may also be more prone to engaging in harmful practices with food, such as binge eating due to stress.

Smoking

While scientists are divided on whether or not smoking causes excess belly fat or stored fat, they agree that it’s a risk factor. Despite having similar body fat levels, smokers had more abdominal and visceral fat than nonsmokers, according to research in the journal PloS One in 2012.[4]

Why Weight Loss Matters?

The problem with belly fat is that it extends beyond the subcutaneous fat layer. Also included is the visceral fat that forms a protective sheath around your internal organs and circulates at a low metabolic rate deep within your abdomen.

A large volume of abdominal fat raises your risk of developing:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Symptomatic osteoarthritis
  • Cholelithiasis
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Depression 
  • Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Sleep apnea
  • Premature death from any cause
  • High blood pressure

Inheriting a propensity to put on abdominal fat and getting older are two possible causes of belly fat.

Three main factors will influence your weight:

  • Your daily caloric intake
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • The amount of energy expended in a typical day of exercise.
  • Secondary causes like neuroendocrine diseases, iatrogenic, and dysmorphic. etc

It’s easy to gain weight, especially around the middle, if you eat too much and don’t move around enough. There is also the factor of aging. Muscle is one of the first things to go as you age, especially if you don’t do anything to keep it from wasting away. Muscle loss slows down your body’s ability to burn calories, making it more difficult to keep your weight in check. Men in their fifties need about 200 fewer calories per day than those in their thirties due to this muscle loss, as stated by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The tendency to gain weight in certain areas and the distribution of fat are both influenced by genetics. Regardless of your age or genetics, it is possible to avoid weight gain by maintaining a caloric deficit and increasing your physical activity.

Measuring Your Belly

In that case, how can you evaluate whether or not your belly is too fat? Here’s how to check your waist size:

  • While standing, wrap the measuring tape around your flat stomach, just above your hips.
  • Gently snug the tape measure around your body without pressing against your skin as you do so. Check that the tape is level in every direction.
  • Hold your breath and take a deep breath while you measure your waist.

Men with a waist size of more than 40 inches (102 centimeters) have an unhealthy amount of fat stored in their abdominal region, putting their health at risk.

Conclusion

A person with excess belly fat is more likely to experience several health problems. Poor eating habits, a lack of physical activity, and sleep deprivation are some of the causes of belly fat.

You can reduce excess belly fat and the risk of associated issues by eating well and leading an active lifestyle. It requires effort and persistence to lose belly fat. Aim for modest and consistent weight loss to eliminate extra fat and prevent it from returning. For assistance getting started and maintaining a plan, speak with your doctor. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible for men to lose belly fat?

Yes. It is possible for men to lose belly fat. All you need to do is make lifestyle changes, especially in diet and exercise.

Can genetics cause belly fat?

Yes. Genetics can play a role in one’s tendency to have belly fat.

Do alcoholic beverages contain sugar?

Yes. Alcohol beverages contain a considerable amount of sugar. This can lead to excess weight gain if consumed regularly in large quantities.

What are the different types of belly fat?

The two types of belly fat are subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.

Which type of belly fat is considered harmful?

Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds some vital organs in the body such as the kidney, pancreas, and liver. Visceral fat is linked to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Are men more likely to have visceral fat?

Yes. Men are more likely to have more visceral fat than women.

Can exercise help me to lose belly fat?

Yes. Cardiovascular exercises, also known as aerobics or cardio, are effective in burning fat, especially visceral fat.

How can I lose belly fat and keep it off?

There are many ways to lose belly fat and keep it off. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, quitting smoking, and reducing your alcohol intake can help you eliminate belly fat.

+ 4 sources

MIDSS adheres to strict procurement guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutes, and medical associations. We work mainly with peer-reviewed studies to ensure the accuracy of the information. We avoid the use of tertiary references. You can read about how we ensure the accuracy and timeliness of our content in our editorial process.

  1. Nauli, A.M. and Matin, S. (2019). Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Frontiers in Physiology, [online] 10. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.01486.
  2. Traversy, G. and Chaput, J.-P. (2015). Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: An Update. Current obesity reports, [online] 4(1), pp.122–130. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-014-0129-4.
  3. Marie-Pierre St-Onge (2013). The Role of Sleep Duration in the Regulation of Energy Balance: Effects on Energy Intakes and Expenditure. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, [online] 09(01), pp.73–80. doi:https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.2348.
  4. Kim, J., Kyung Won Shim, Yeong Sook Yoon, Sang Yeoup Lee, Sung Soo Kim and Sang Woo Oh (2012). Cigarette Smoking Increases Abdominal and Visceral Obesity but Not Overall Fatness: An Observational Study. PLOS ONE, [online] 7(9), pp.e45815–e45815. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045815.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Madison Clarke, MBAHM
MBA in Healthcare Management
She is a professional blog post, article, researcher, and health writer. She has mastered the art of content writing by practicing for years and constantly learning. She is always ready and well equipped to write. It is always a pleasure to bring her skills to use and play her part in helping others achieve their objectives. She has 6 years of experience conducting research in Fitness and health care. She is MBA qualified and has written health content for 8+ years.

ABOUT MEDICAL REVIEWER

Elizabeth Gonzalez Cueto, MD
Medical Doctor & Medical Writer
My name is Elizabeth and I am a Medical Doctor (MBBS) with experience as a medical and research article writer, reviewer and proofreader. I have worked for the American Journal of Case Reports, the Medical Science Monitor, and Pacific Medical Training as a medical article reviewer and writer. Besides, I have worked as a medical interpreter and translator for Angel City research and SC3 Research group as a medical research assistant for several clinical trials. My academic background includes many international scientific environments like Oxford University, United Kingdom. Hannover Medical School, the University of Tours, France. the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico.
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