Why do stomachs stick out

How to fix it: Practice proper sitting posture — avoid slouching while sitting. And use exercises that correct poor posture. How to fix it: Do exercises that strengthen the transversus abdominis muscles. These exercises include the stomach vacuum, elbow plank, and side plank. Additionally, research shows that gut flora influences where fat is stored in the body.

How to fix it: To improve gut health you need to avoid inflammatory foods, eat high-fiber foods , and eat more omega 3s and fermented foods.

You may have small amounts of subcutaneous fat but a lot of visceral fat. Research has linked visceral fat to insulin resistance, high blood pressure, heart disease, and type II diabetes. How to fix it: Do high-intensity exercises, reduce alcohol intake, avoid trans fats, and eat low-calorie foods. Women usually store fat in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. But their body shape changes after menopause. You see, when women hit menopause, estrogen levels drop.

And these hormonal change forces fat to settle around the belly. How to fix it: Start doing full-body workouts , increase intake of healthy fats , get enough sleep and manage stress. In fact, it is essential for survival. But high cortisol levels can increase stress and expand your waistline. You probably know that stress triggers overeating. Yoga and breathing exercises can also be helpful. Try this gentle yoga routine for weight loss.

With yoga and breathing, you really work with your ab muscles, and then they'll strengthen and come back together over time," says Murphy. If all else fails, you may need an abdominoplasty tummy tuck to repair the rift. If so, you might need a drug called metformin. If lots of women in your family have big bellies rather than big hips or big butts , your DNA may be stacked against you.

But what you can do is modify their expression. Here's what a perfect day of eating enough protein looks like. When you do eat carbs, choose whole grains, which are high in filling fiber so you'll eat less.

Plenty of cardio helps, too. Chrissy Barth, RDN, a registered dietitian, yoga coach, and CEO of a nutrition consulting practice in Phoenix, urges clients not to harp on their family history too much. And if you stress over it, it can cause cortisol to spike, and that will cause you to gain weight. The problem here is really gas or fluid retention rather than fat, and your diet is the likely cause , says Barth.

It's different for everyone. Some people are just bothered by certain foods. Others may have a food allergy or a condition such as irritable bowel syndrome. Barth often urges clients to limit their intake of animal protein while getting more fruits and vegetables, but it's important to make the swap slowly and drink plenty of water ; otherwise, the increase in fiber could temporarily cause you to become even more bloated. Your body goes through a number of changes during pregnancy , and a growing belly is the most obvious one.

Your belly bulge may also be the result of fluid retention or abdominal separation diastasis recti. Abdominal separation may occur during or after pregnancy. It happens when your growing uterus causes the two long muscles that run parallel in your abdomen to separate from each other. Weight gain is a common effect of menopause. The hormonal changes that contribute to weight gain actually begin during perimenopause , a few years before menopause.

Menopausal weight gain primarily affects the abdomen. Factors that contribute to belly fat at this stage of life include:. The more you drink, the more calories you consume, which could contribute to weight gain. Beer is made with hops, and hops contain phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that have similar effects to the female sex hormone estrogen.

Food intolerance, which is not to be confused with food allergy, is difficulty in digesting certain foods. It is also called food sensitivity. Food intolerance can cause bloating after you eat certain foods. Along with the sensation of bloating and a distended abdomen, you might have other symptoms like gas, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Dairy, gluten, and caffeine are common food intolerances. Though weight gain can be spread throughout your body, some people are more prone to gaining belly weight than others.

Weight gain is usually the result of consuming more calories than you burn through regular bodily functions and physical activity. Increasing your activity level and eating healthier foods and fewer calories can help you lose overall weight. Finding ways to relieve stress can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. Getting enough sleep can help you keep your weight down and manage stress.

Aim for seven to eight hours per night whenever possible.