If you eat too much and exercise too little, you're likely to pack on excess pounds — including belly fat. Getting older plays a role too. As you age, you lose muscle — especially if you're not physically active.
The hard belly is caused by the build-up of visceral fat, a soft belly is caused by subcutaneous fat, which is located near to your skin. Subcutaneous fat makes your belly jiggly, unlike the visceral fat. One cause behind the build-up of visceral fat could be your genetics.
Aging and Hormones Make a Fat Belly
As men age, they're more likely to develop big bellies. After age 40, the natural reduction in testosterone means excess calories are often stored as visceral fat. Aging also makes you naturally lose muscle mass.
Functional reasons for a distended abdomen tend to involve digestive problems that cause gas and/or digestive contents to accumulate. Causes might include: Gas from functional indigestion, food intolerances or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Constipation causing a build-up of feces and back-up of digestive contents.
When the tissue loses its elasticity from being overstretched, the gap in the abdominals will not close as much as it should. This is diastasis recti. If you have diastasis, your belly may appear to stick out just above or below the belly button, making you appear pregnant months or years after giving birth.
Symptoms of Diastasis Recti in Men
A diastasis recti looks like a ridge, running from the bottom of breastbone to the belly button, which could be as long as 2.7 cm. Other symptoms of diastasis recti among men and women include: constipation, leaking of urine, and back pain in the lower portion.
A hiatal hernia occurs when weakened muscle tissue allows your stomach to bulge up through your diaphragm. It's not always clear why this happens. But a hiatal hernia might be caused by: Age-related changes in your diaphragm.
For most people, diastasis recti is not an inherently dangerous or harmful condition. However, many men and women experience frustrating side effects of diastasis recti, which can be cosmetic, functional, or both. Some of the most frequently occurring complications and signs of diastasis recti include: Belly pooch.
As many men age their testosterone levels tend to decrease and they tend to gain more belly fat. Body fat has an enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone into estrogens. When someone has higher estrogen levels in their body, their hormonal system tells the body to slow down its production of testosterone.
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.
Cardio such as swimming, aerobics, running or dancing will burn this excess fat store. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is the fastest way to trim down stomach fat.
It can be an early sign of so-called "diabetic belly," a build-up of visceral fat in your abdomen which may be a symptom of type 2 diabetes and can increase your chances of developing other serious medical conditions.
If your stomach sticks out even if you are skinny, you may need to change certain habits to try to get rid of it. In order to do so, first you need to figure out what causes your protruded belly. It may be the regular consumption of alcohol, stress, hormones, bad posture, recent pregnancy, bloating, or others.
The most common reason for bloating is having a lot of gas in your gut. This can be caused by some food and drinks, such as some vegetables and fizzy drinks, or by swallowing air when you eat. It can also be caused by a problem with your digestion, such as: constipation.
“In cases where the stomach cancer spreads to the lining of the abdomen, it can cause an accumulation of fluid within your abdominal cavity.” It can lead to excessive bloating to the point where you might look like you're nine months pregnant.
Certain types of cancer can cause weight gain. Ovarian and colorectal cancer, for example, may cause fluid buildup in the legs or abdomen. This type of edema is called ascites.
Abdominal Swelling
A swollen abdomen can point to a condition called ascites, in which liver malfunction leads to an imbalance of proteins and other compounds, and fluid builds up in the tissues. The main symptom, potbelly, often signals cirrhosis.
As long as your symptoms eventually go away, they probably aren't serious. But if your bloated stomach doesn't go away or gets worse, or if you have other symptoms of serious illness, such as fever or vomiting, you should seek medical attention to rule out other medical causes.
In the event, that exercise and lifestyle modifications do not yield desired effects, diastasis recti in men can be repaired with a non-invasive treatment like Emsculpt or surgical procedure known as abdominoplasty.
Is Diastasis Recti a Hernia? While diastasis recti and abdominal hernias may look similar, they are not the same. Diastasis recti is not a protrusion of intestines or abdominal tissues like a hernia; it is a bulge of muscle due to the stretched connective tissue.
Excess belly fat can be dangerous because it surrounds internal organs and puts you at greater risk for developing several kinds of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and liver problems.