A combination of diet and exercise may help symptoms. A person can perform exercises that burn fat, such as running, walking, and other aerobic activity. Reducing the calories a person consumes can also help.
Hormonal belly fat can be the hardest to lose. But before you beat yourself up over not doing enough crunches at the gym, consider this: As we get older, even a slight disruption in our hormone levels can cause stubborn belly fat to stick.
“It is possible to overcome hormonal changes, particularly in women with perimenopausal belly fat or menopausal weight gain,” explains Registered Dietician, Lon Ben-Asher from the Pritikin Center.
There are several hormone-related conditions that can cause weight gain around your abdomen. This includes an underactive thyroid, PCOs, or even menopause. Other hormonal imbalances could happen due to obesity, environmental triggers and toxins, excessive stress or even some medications.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.
As previously stated, the shape of a PCOS belly differs from other types of weight gain. It often appears large and bloated but can also be small and round, depending on genetics and other factors. The PCOS belly involves the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen and typically feels firm to the touch.
Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats. Choose healthier fats in things like fish, nuts, and avocados. Even a moderate cutback on carbs (grains, pasta, sugars) can help, too.
High levels of the hormone leptin are also associated with increased weight gain in the lower belly. Fat cells release leptin, which sends signals to your brain that trigger a feeling of fullness after eating, signaling that your body has stored enough fat.
An alcohol belly is caused by drinking too much alcohol and consuming alcoholic beverages with too many calories. On the other hand, a hormonal belly is a lower abdominal weight gain that's caused by a hormonal imbalance with hormones either being too high or too low.
What does hormonal weight gain look like? Hormonal weight gain looks like any type of excess weight. Factors such as age, sex, body type, and cause of weight gain may make you gain weight differently. However, it's not possible to know that hormones are causing your weight gain by the way it looks.
The OVARY body type or ovary belly is a female-only problem and is where weight is gained in the thigh and lower belly areas. The ovary belly type is also caused by an excess of the oestrogen hormone, and it's often more present during hormonal changes that take place during menstruation and after giving birth.
One reason belly fat is so hard to lose is that it's considered an “active fat.” Unlike some fatty tissue that simply sits “dormant,” belly fat releases hormones that can have an impact on your health — and your ability to lose weight, especially in the waist and abdomen areas.
Some evidence suggests that estrogen hormone therapy increases a woman's resting metabolic rate. This might help slow weight gain. Lack of estrogen may also cause the body to use starches and blood sugar less effectively, which would increase fat storage and make it harder to lose weight.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
Additionally, improving dietary choices, increasing physical activity, getting more sleep, managing stress levels effectively, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol are all ways to decrease and avoid hormonal weight gain.
What is a Hormonal Belly? A number of hormone-related diseases can cause weight gain around the abdomen. Menopause, low T, an underactive thyroid, and PCOs are examples of this. Obesity, environmental triggers including excessive stress, chemicals, and even some drugs can cause hormonal abnormalities.
Alcohol withdrawal can cause stomach cramps. This is because the stomach produces an acid that causes gastritis when you stop drinking. This inflammation of your stomach lining triggers symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, , cramps and even bleeding.
Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', meaning they have little nutritional benefit. So consuming extra calories through drinking can lead to weight gain. Typically, men tend to show weight gain around their middle3,4, which is how the term 'beer belly' came about.