Weight gain is fairly easy to understand where a hormonal or genetic condition isn’t at the root of it. It can be caused by increased muscle mass. But if you don’t engage in physical activities designed to build muscle, could relate to your calorie intake. But is this the same for all body parts’ fat gain? What causes you to gain belly fat?
Though this fat can prove stubborn, solutions do exist. Dr. Brent offers a top-quality option for the best kind of tummy tuck Beverly Hills has available. Schedule your consultation to learn more or continue reading. For the best plastic surgery Beverly Hills can offer, visit the practice of Dr. Brent.
What Causes You to Gain Belly Fat
All of the food and drinks we consume contain calories, which are essentially units of energy. To maintain your weight, you have to use all of the calories you consume each day by either eating fewer calories or performing more strenuous activities.
Your body stores any excess energy as fat. Your body is essentially saving for a rainy day just in case there’s ever a shortage of food. It was once a necessary survival technique for our species. Now it mostly only causes trouble for people who never have any real shortage of calories. However, fat isn’t distributed the same way in everyone.
Men and postmenopausal women are more likely to gain weight at the mid-section due to hormonal differences. Certain body types allocate some fat differently. Beyond that, if your excess weight seems to center around your middle, then it’s most likely down to diet. Current scientific research about weight gain largely agrees that high sugar, low protein diets helped along by inactivity are the most at-risk for excessive belly fat, but why?
Sugar
Sugar, especially the fructose contained in both natural sugar and high fructose corn syrup, can cause widespread problems in your body. Decreased insulin sensitivity, a slower metabolic rate, and increased allocation of fat to the mid-rift all have negative effects on your health. It is made worse because many of us encounter fructose in liquid form, which our brains don’t seem to process in the same way. The result is that we often consume more and don’t feel full despite the number of calories we’ve actually taken in.
Low Protein
Your body needs protein and fiber to feel full. Protein sources, such as meat and beans, provide essential vitamins and minerals that we need to function. Unfortunately, much of American society consumes a diet that is much higher in sugar, fat, and carbohydrates. This spurs them to eat more even when the calorie intake is sufficient. If that wasn’t bad enough, low protein diets also appear increase the production of a hormone known as neuropeptide. The scientists studying neuropeptide found that the hormone actually increases appetite and the likelihood that excess fat will be stored in the abdomen.
Inactivity
Exercising regularly isn’t just about the calories you burn while you’re at the gym. It’s about everything that happens in between your visits. As your build muscle, even lean muscle, due to cardiovascular workouts, you are effectively increasing your metabolism. Muscle cells require a lot of energy just to maintain. When you add in the regular repair needed due to continued exercise, your muscular tissue burns far more energy than fat. This is one of the reasons why inactivity can be so damaging. A person could legitimately eat a relatively healthy diet with reasonable portion sizes and still gain weight if their metabolic rate has dropped far enough.
Beating Belly Fat
The truth is that belly fat is stubborn and hard to get rid of. Your body desperately wants to keep a little rainy day package just in case you’re suddenly thrown into a situation where food becomes scarce. You can exercise and watch your diet, and still have little pockets of fat above the pubic bone and along the hips. This is where your local board-certified plastic surgeon comes in.
If you’re close to your ideal weight and considered fit for surgery, then a tummy tuck may be the right choice for you. The procedure works by removing pockets of fat, re contouring the abdomen and hips for aesthetic effect, and removing any excess skin to give you the figure you’ve always wanted but couldn’t achieve all by yourself.
