Weight gain is a simple explanation for a belly bulge, but there may be other causes. Some people carry a belly bulge for life while others notice growth over time.

In this article, we examine the different causes of belly bulge and their treatment or prevention. We also assess when to see a doctor.

Whether a person has a moderate weight or obesity, their body fat can distribute in several ways.

Subcutaneous fat makes up the majority of belly fat. This sits just below the skin, and is pinchable.

However, visceral fat is another type of belly fat that lies inside the abdominal cavity between the organs. Research suggests it has links with several diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

While visceral body fat mechanisms are unknown, one study reports that genetics play a significant factor.

Weight gain is a serious problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that 42.4% of U.S. adults had overweight in 20172018.

A small amount of belly fat is relatively harmless. However, the larger the bulge, the higher the chance of serious illness.

Several factors can cause a belly bulge.

A persons body composition changes as they age, which can lead to a belly bulge.

For females, the decrease in the hormone estrogen during menopause triggers an accumulation of body fat. Fat tissues produce estrogen, so more is produced after menopause to create a balance.

Levels of the hormone progesterone also decrease, which can lead to water weight gain and bloating.

The accumulation of belly fat is a natural result of these hormonal and metabolic changes.

For males and females, muscle tissue, muscle mass, and the capacity to burn calories decrease with age.

Therefore, if a person keeps consuming the same number of calories every day, fat naturally increases.

In the modern world, day-to-day stress majorly impacts on peoples health and well-being. It not only affects the body psychologically it also interferes with its ability to function normally.

The American Institute of Stress report that 77% of people regularly experience physical symptoms of stress.

Possible physical side effects include unwanted belly fat. This relates to the stress hormone cortisol, which is created in the bodys adrenal glands. Cortisol affects fat storage around the lower abdomen, while its receptors are found deep within visceral fat.

This hormone provides a physical boost during exercise. However, it also induces acute stress. While working in the brain, it helps control mood and motivation.

Cortisol also manages how the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It regulates blood pressure and can increase blood sugar levels. If a person is stressed, cortisol increases their need to consume sweet or comforting foods and drinks.

Research shows that chronically stressed individuals are more vulnerable to a high-fat, high-sugar diet.

Also called distension, bloating occurs for many reasons. These include:

The feeling of pressure or swelling in the stomach from bloating should not usually be a cause for concern. It could relate to something a person has eaten. Therefore, it should pass relatively quickly.

However, if bloating continues for an extended period, people may consider speaking with a medical health professional.

A belly bulge is natural in people during postpartum recovery in the weeks and months after giving birth. The uterus takes 68 weeks to return to its normal size.

A person with concerns about a belly bulge may consider consulting their doctor about an appropriate diet and exercise regime.

A belly bulge may also be a symptom of diastasis recti, a condition that affects pregnant and postpartum people. This is a separation of the rectus abdominis muscles, in which connective tissue weakens and stretches sideways. This leads to a forward bulge where the muscles separate.

Research shows that deep core stability exercises can help people reduce the effects of diastasis recti.

As with many things we consume, moderation is key, especially with alcohol.

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to a belly bulge due to increased calorie intake. An average beer has around 150 calories.

Alcohol also hinders fat burning because the liver prioritizes burning off alcohol.

Consuming too much alcohol also destroys liver tissue over the long term. When liver tissue is damaged in this way, new tissue grows in its place. However, the replacement tissue does not work as well. It does not produce the right enzymes and does not remove toxins and waste as a healthy liver does.

A regular feeling of bloating or stomach swelling over a long period could be due to food intolerance.

Research shows that food intolerances may affect up to 20% of the population. Common food allergies and sensitivities include:

People can consult a medical professional for advice on food intolerance. They may refer them to a nutritionist who can recommend interventions, such as keeping a diet diary and using trial and error to eliminate the problem.

With so many triggers for belly bulge, the key is to identify individual triggers.

If apparent issues, such as food sensitivity or intolerance, cause the belly bulge, a person can directly address it.

Other basic treatments include the following:

Eating a healthful diet is crucial to losing weight.

People should cut out junk food and high sugar products, while concentrating on portion control. Eating a variety of healthful foods in small amounts is key.

Lean meats, eggs, and fish offer protein, while whole grains, potatoes, and fruit provide healthful carbohydrates. People can also consume fibrous vegetables, as these aid digestion.

Cutting down alcohol intake will also help reduce a belly bulge.

People can combine regular exercise with a healthful diet for maximum impact.

A person who is starting from a sedentary lifestyle can take a few walks during the week.

However, people should discuss any new exercise regime with a healthcare professional first. This is especially important for someone returning to the gym after being away for a long time.

Other helpful steps include:

If strenuous exercise is too difficult, people can try gentle swimming, yoga, tai chi, or pilates.

People should aim to consume around 2 liters of water every day. Water helps with digestion and calorie burning.

Dehydration also leads to higher cortisol levels and additional stress. Keeping the body and mind in balance helps maintain a routine and good habits.

A lack of sleep means the body cannot work efficiently, which could lead to additional weight gain.

As with exercise and diet, following a routine is important. People should aim to get eight hours of sleep every night.

As a person ages and their body changes, keeping weight off the belly becomes more and more difficult. However, a healthful routine of diet and exercise can often deliver results in a matter of months.

If a person has put on a significant amount of weight, they should immediately talk to a healthcare professional. The quicker the problem is assessed, the better.

It is important not to ignore a growing belly bulge. A healthy and functioning abdomen and stomach area are crucial to a persons well-being.

To address a belly bulge, a person should exercise and eat a healthful diet They should also consider consulting a medical professional about any concerns.

Read more from the original source:
Belly bulge: Causes and treatments - Medical News Today

Created for Greatist by the experts at Healthline. Read more

Everyone knows youre supposed to exercise to stay healthy. But how often do you really need to head to kickboxing class, roll out your yoga mat, or get a good home workout in?

There are lots of reasons to work out more that have nothing to do with the way you look. Regular exercise can boost your mood, reduce stress, stave off illness, and contribute to an overall sense of well-being. But if your goal is muscle gain or weight loss, weve got you.

Grab your calendar and listen up: Heres how often you should work out no matter your goals and how to create your optimal fitness routine.

If you want to work out just to maintain your physical health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

Moderate aerobic activity (aka moderate intensity cardio) means youre moving fast enough to talk but not to sing that new Tay Swift song. Vigorous aerobic activity means youre breathing hard and fast too fast even to chat.

Split up your minutes however you like you do you. If your goal is to maintain basic health, even brisk walking for 30 minutes 5 days a week (remember to break a sweat!) will get the job done.

Hold up Do you have to work out on the daily?

When it comes to general health, theres no need to bust your butt every day of the week. In fact, theres such a thing as too much exercise. If you dont get enough rest, your muscles wont have time to recover.

That doesnt mean you cant take a stroll, bike to work, or take the stairs instead of the elevator every day, though. Its healthy to move your body consistently.

That depends on how quickly you want to see results. If your first thought is right now, duh, then experts say to hold up a minute : Dropping pounds super fast isnt sustainable or healthy.

According to the CDC, healthy weight loss means losing 1 to 2 pounds per week. Losing weight faster than that can set you up for vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, or other complications.

Basically, to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. So while your diet plays a major role in dropping pounds, exercise can help too.

In general, try to exercise at least 4 or 5 days a week if you want to see weight loss results in both the short and long term.

To max out results, plan on incorporating both cardiovascular and strength training exercises into your regular routine. Your workouts should have a combo of:

Not digging 4 to 5 days of exercise? Build up gradually!

You dont have to go that hard from the start. Lets say you dont exercise at all right now (no judgment!). In that case, even starting with 2 days a week can lead to steady weight loss. As you get used to hitting the gym or working out at home, you can build up to 4 or 5 days.

Mixing cardio and strength training is key for a healthy weight loss plan.

When you lift weights, you build vital lean muscle mass. If youre thinking, Wait, I dont want to bulk up, hold on just a minute. Building lean muscle mass can actually help you burn fat. It increases your metabolism and helps you burn calories at a higher rate even when youre just lying on the couch watching Netflix.

Cardio, meanwhile, is good for your heart and your whole bod. It can also help you burn calories, boost your mood, and ease stress.

At a glance, your weekly weight loss workout routine could look something like this:

Whether its swimming, biking, running, or hiking, choose a cardio activity that works best for you.

According to the CDC, aim to do either 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio at least 5 days a week (150 minutes total per week) or at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity 3 days a week (75 minutes total per week).

But thats just for basic health. If you want to lose weight, consider a combo of at least 2 days of moderate activity and 2 days of vigorous activity.

Shoot for 2 to 3 days a week of strength training. For best results, include full-body workouts that use compound exercises (those that work multiple muscles at once). Some ideas:

Dont worry if you dont have any equipment or dont know all the moves your own body weight and anything you remember from high school gym class can help you get fit. Here are some more basic exercises to try:

No matter how stoked you are about your #fitness goals, your bod needs a break now and then. Give your muscles time to recover at least 2 days a week.

To max out your weight loss routine, keep these tips in mind:

If you want to get stronger and build muscle, you need the right balance of cardio and strength training. If you do too much, you risk overtraining and (*gasp*) losing your hard-earned brawn. But if you dont push intensity and put in the time, your muscle gains will be #weak.

Diet is also important when it comes to building muscle. In general, youll want to follow the same practices as you would for weight loss, including:

Heres how to make your workouts work for you.

Your unique schedule will depend on your current fitness level, lifestyle, and needs. Heres what that might look like:

Plan to do cardio 2 or 3 days a week. Focus on short, high intensity sessions (think 25 minutes of HIIT).

To max out muscle gains, youll need to whip out the weights at least 3 days a week. According to a 2016 study, maxing out muscle growth requires at least 2 days per week of strength training.

After a while, your body may get used to the routine. When that happens, your progress can stagnate. To prevent your bod from reaching a muscle-building plateau, either make your routine harder or mix it up by adding weight or changing up the sets/reps.

If youre not sure whats right for you, chat with a personal trainer.

It might sound counterintuitive, but resting up can lead to major gains in your fitness routine. Doing the same exercises day after day can suppress recovery and cause you to actually lose muscle over time.

If you still want to get in some movement on rest days (more power to you), consider devoting them to stretching or gentle yoga. Your bod will thank you.

You may also want to consider splitting up your routine into segments of your body to help your muscle gains. Heres what working out 4 days per week with cardio and strength training might look like:

When your fitness routines in full swing, your butt and legs should get some attention at least 2 days a week.

Here are some exercises to try that target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings:

Your abs, back, shoulders, arms, and chest need some muscle-building action at least 2 days a week too. To work on your biceps, triceps, deltoids, pecs, and abs, consider busting out the following moves:

Both cardio and strength training are key for meeting your weight loss or muscle growth #goals. Whats right for you will depend on your unique body, lifestyle, and needs. If youre not sure where to start, chat with a personal trainer.

If you just want to maintain basic health, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

Originally posted here:
How Often Should You Work Out? For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain - Greatist

Nate Brennan was in for a shock shortly before his senior year started: he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. But Brennan, a three-sport athlete, refused to let his condition take anything away from him. He adjusted his diet, stayed positive and kept moving forward to get back into football shape in time for this season. In addition to football, Brennan is a member of Durants hockey and track and field teams and he has a 4.12 GPA.

Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline atjkline@plantcityobserver.comby the Friday before the next issue.

What led to your diagnosis?

For about four months, over the summer when quarantine started off, I started losing a lot of weight. Before quarantine, I was 215 pounds. In four months, I went to 165 and was feeling horrible all the time. I was still going to practice and working out, trying to push through it, but it wasnt working out, so I told my parents I wanted to get checked out. I went to the hospital for four days and thats when I was diagnosed. I have type 1 diabetes, so I have to inject insulin because my pancreas doesnt produce it.

You clearly didnt want to let diabetes affect your athletic career. How did you stay motivated and what adjustments did you have to make to your life?

I just have a strong mindset to stay positive all the time, no matter what. I try to always think about the positives. Ive been doing the same things its only little changes in my diet and how I prepare for games. Depending how high or low I am can affect how I play, so I have to make sure Im well-nourished, hydrated and ready to go at all times. The main thing is the carbs. I cant break down the sugars, so my diets gotten better. I used to have a good amount of junk food even though I was working out, but I dont take in as much carbs. Ive leaned out but still maintain mass and size. Im already back up to 205 pounds. The first week out of the hospital, I went in at 168 and I came out at around 182. That was mostly because of water weight. I lost a lot of water weight and I drank a lot, like an unhealthy amount. I drank about two gallons and it would go straight out.

What are some signs people your age who may have diabetes be on the lookout for, assuming they have it but may not know it yet?

How you feel, how your mindset is. If you feel different, like having different thoughts or you feel weird, or if you feel unhealthy, that could be a sign.

Now that were halfway through football season, how do you feel about how things have played out for you and the Cougars?

Every team has gone though the same things we have, so were not set back because of all of that. Everyone has had the same amount of practice. It comes down to mindset and teamwork. I think we had a great summer session. We have 19 seniors and weve all bought in. Most have been here four years. Were a pretty well put-together group.

What are your goals for the rest of the year?

I want to better myself, be a better person. I have type 1 diabetes, so I feel like I have to help others who have T1D. Maybe talk to them. I know this could be hard for younger kids. Im older and I have a pretty good mindset, Id say, and Ive been able to take it on. I want to get bigger, stronger and faster for football and always study hard in school.

Whats your favorite thing about being a Cougar?

Big wins at home are always great. Homecoming games every kid wants to be there, especially now. The students really make us ready to go on Friday nights. Theyre like our voice. They speak for us, I feel.

Do you have a preference between football and hockey and track?

I love them all, but football is number one.

What will you miss most about playing high school sports?

All the friends and memories.

Do you have any college plans?

I do have one offer but am talking to a bunch of different schools. Ive had five or six contact me in the past week or two. Im trying to keep my options open and take thing day by day. Id like to study physical science.

What advice would you give to the next generation of Cougars, the athletes who will join the football and hockey teams after you and your senior teammates graduate?

Just keep working hard, focus on whats important, dont get caught up in other things focus on what you need to do to make yourself the best you can be.

Related Stories

See the original post here:
Athlete of the Week: Nate Brennan - Plant City Observer

TEHRAN - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has called on countries around the world to deal with the widespread effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic through promoting climate-smart and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, such as agro-ecology, that preserve the Earths natural resources.

In this regard, FAO urges all involved stakeholders across the world to link arms to urgently address the nutritional and livelihood gaps that have engulfed the most vulnerable groups of populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, on the occasion of the World Food Day, October 16.

Recent estimates released by the Organization indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and its collateral economic consequences may add between 83 to 132 million individuals to the total number of undernourished people in the world in 2020; the nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to further deteriorate due to the health and socio-economic impacts of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 response is an opportunity to build back better by making food systems more resilient to shocks and more sustainable through agricultural practices that work with nature, according to a press release published by the FAO office in Iran.

Iran also called on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to move forward to collective policies and response programs for member countries in the region to place food and agriculture at the center of the COVID-19 socio-economic response, at the 35th FAO Regional Conference for the Near East.

The countrys ad interim envoy to FAO, Shahin Ghoraishizadeh, shared the main adaptive strategies implemented by the Government to tackle challenges posed by COVID-19 to food and agriculture activities of the country.

According to Ghoraishizadeh, in [this] region, the spread of COVID-19 has affected the vulnerability of millions of small producers and agricultural workers and intensified challenges for this large part of the population.

Iran hopes FAO, through this conference, provides a starting point to move forward collective policies and response programs for member countries in the region; to place food and agriculture at the center of the COVID-19 socio-economic response strategies, Ghoraishizadeh said in his concluding remarks.

Hunger increases worldwide

A report jointly prepared by FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO shows that currently around 690 million people or 8.9 percent of the world population are hungry. Compared to the previous figures, this number is up by 10 million people in one year and by nearly 60 million in five years.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 also indicates that the number of people affected by severe food insecurity has experienced a similar upward trend over the last five years. In 2019, close to 750 millionor nearly one in ten people in the worldwere exposed to severe levels of food insecurity.

The figures reveal that about 2 billion people in the world did not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food in 2019.

Considering the widespread impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that the pandemic may add between 83 and 132 million people to the total number of undernourished in the world in 2020 depending on the economic growth scenario.Also, the nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to deteriorate further due to the health and socio-economic impacts of COVID-19.

While the burden of malnutrition in all its forms remains a challenge for the world, current estimates reveal that in 2019, 21.3 percent (144 million) of children under 5 years of age were stunted, 6.9 percent (47 million) wasted, and 5.6 percent (38.3 million) overweight.

The report states that healthy diets are unaffordable to many people, especially the poor, in every region of the world. The most conservative estimate shows they are unaffordable for more than 3 billion people in the world. Healthy diets are estimated to be, on average, five times more expensive than diets that meet only dietary energy needs through a starchy staple.

Under current food consumption patterns, diet-related health costs linked to mortality and non-communicable diseases are projected to exceed USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2030.

On the other hand, the diet-related social cost of greenhouse gas emissions associated with current dietary patterns is estimated to be more than USD 1.7 trillion per year by 2030.

Irans undernourishment prevalence

According to the report, Iran experienced a relative reduction in the prevalence of undernourishment in its total population, dropping from 5.2 percent in the period of 2004-2006 to 4.7 percent in the period of 2017-2019. However, despite this improvement, the net number of people experiencing undernourishment increased from 3.6 to 3.9 million.

FB/

Go here to see the original:
FAO calls for promoting climate-smart agriculture to deal with pandemic - Tehran Times