Why Is My Upper Stomach Bigger Than My Lower? Understanding Body Composition
By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Click to rate this article!
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By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Table of Contents
Grasping body composition is crucial to one’s health and weight management. It’s key to know how our bodies store fat. This information can guide us in deciding the right food and workout choices required to keep us healthy.
In this article, we’ll be discussing about upper stomach fat. We’ll talk about its usual causes, its risks, and how to fight it. Plus, we’ll answer some common questions on this topic.
Below we have discussed the factors responsible for larger upper stomach fat.
Bloating could make your upper stomach look larger than your lower stomach. The culprits are many. These may include digestive trouble, bad food combinations, and foods leading to swelling.
Digestive problems might cause your tummy to swell. Conditions such as IBS, constipation, and gas might be the cause. To find out, consult your healthcare provider. They may help identify and manage any underlying gut issues.
Foods causing swelling in your gut can give you a bloated tummy. You should cut back on foods like alcohol, sugar, trans fats, and products with white flour.
Mixing certain foods at meal times can cause digestion problems and bloating. For example, stuffing complex carbohydrates and proteins together in a meal can lead to poor digestion and a bloated belly.
Chronic stress can lead to fat storage, especially around your belly area. Hormones, like cortisol, play a big role in this.
Cortisol is a hormone your body makes when stressed. This hormone can prompt your body to store deep belly fat. This can cause your upper belly to look bloated.
Long-term stress might give you more belly fat and cravings for bad foods. Therefore, managing stress is key for weight control. Try relaxation methods, workouts, and mindful practices to avoid gaining stress weight.
After childbirth, some women’s upper stomach sticks out. This might be due to conditions like diastasis recti and loose skin.
Diastasis recti is when the tummy muscles split during pregnancy. As a result, the belly may remain large post-birth. Methods such as light exercises and physical therapy may help.
Weight changes during pregnancy can result in extra loose skin around the upper stomach. This could leave a remaining bulge in the belly. With time, a good diet, and exercise, skin elasticity may improve. However, some cases might need surgery, such as a tummy tuck.
During menopause, hormone shifts can lead to more belly fat. This is often seen in the upper abdomen.
As women hit menopause, estrogen levels fall. This can affect body fat distribution and lead to more belly fat.
This state of high estrogen and low progesterone levels can lead to upper stomach fat in menopause. Ways to balance these hormones could be through diet changes and a healthier lifestyle. Hormone replacement therapy, prescribed by a healthcare professional, could also be an option that may help reduce upper belly fat.
While it’s not certain if beer leads to belly fat, bingeing on drinks adds to your calorie count. This can make you put on weight.
Too much drinking results in extra calories. These add to your weight and belly fat. So, to dodge a beer belly, drink in moderation.
Booze is heavy in empty calories and devoid of nutrients. Too much alcohol means excess calorie intake, leading to weight gain and more upper belly fat.
Intolerance to certain foods can cause bloating and a larger upper stomach. This might be due to gluten, dairy, or other food substances.
People intolerant to gluten react with bloating and gas after eating gluten-rich grains like wheat, barley, and rye. A gluten-free diet may reduce the bloating.
Many people can’t digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products. Cutting out dairy could lower bloating and other gut problems.
Certain food intolerances can lead to bloating and a swollen upper stomach. Identifying and avoiding these trigger foods may help keep your gut healthy. But do this under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
Your genes can decide where your body stores fat.
Every person gets different genes that shape the body and decide fat storage. Some people might naturally carry more weight in their upper stomach due to their genetic makeup.
If your family has a history of more upper belly fat, you may likely have the same. Though you cannot control your genes, a healthy lifestyle may help rein in this predisposition’s effects.
Consuming too many calories and not burning enough through exercise could make you put on weight. This includes storing fat in the belly.
If you consume more calories than what your daily tasks burn, you may put on weight. This includes an increase in upper belly fat.
Not being active makes burning off extra calories harder. This causes weight gain and upper belly fat. Regular workouts may help trim overall fat, along with upper stomach fat.
In my experience, consuming a diet high in fibre may aid in the reduction of abdominal fat and weight. Fibre keeps you feeling fuller for longer, helping reduce the calories eaten each day, thereby aiding weight loss.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D
Upper stomach fat, mainly visceral fat, is more of a health risk than subcutaneous fat. But having too much of either type is bad news.
Visceral fat, found deep within your abdomen, is linked to various chronic conditions.
To reduce upper stomach fat, you need to work on its causes. You also have to make lifestyle changes and choose the right diet and exercise routines.
To shed fat, you need to adjust your diet and work out often.
Eating more nutrient-packed foods and allowing yourself smaller portions results in a calorie deficit. This may help in losing fat.
Fill your meals with whole, unprocessed foods. These nourish your body, fuel your workouts, and keep you healthy overall.
A balanced workout plan with both cardio and strength training may help build muscle and lose fat at once.
In some cases, weight loss drugs or supplements may also help reduce upper belly fat.
If you’re unable to reduce your upper belly fat with diet and exercise, your healthcare provider may offer drug solutions. These have to be taken only under the guidance of you registered doctor.
While the results vary, OTC supplements with natural ingredients are available. These foster healthy digestion and weight loss. Incorporate them only after running it by your doctor.
Meditation and other relaxation practices may help reduce stress levels and ward off weight gain triggered by cortisol.
Try yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises to de-stress and relax your mind. This may positively affect your weight loss journey.
Find hobbies that make you happy. Reading, music, or spending time with nature may help ease stress and aid healthy weight loss.
Paying attention to sleep quality may reduce weight gain in the upper stomach.
For a sound sleep, follow a constant bedtime. Allow downtime before bed and keep your sleep space cozy.
If you have sleep trouble like sleep apnea or insomnia, get help from a healthcare expert. They’ll suggest various options that may help you in getting better sleep.
When all else fails, surgical methods may offer ways to remove stubborn upper belly fat.
Liposuction is a method that removes fat deposits from the body. This includes the upper belly area.
Also known as abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck firms up abdominal muscles and eliminates excess skin. This lessens the bulge in the upper belly.
A panniculectomy focuses on removing excess skin and fat hanging from the lower tummy. This method achieves a smoother and flatter stomach.
Tackling upper stomach fat is crucial for your health and well-being. Identifying the root causes, opting for healthier choices, and looking into main management options may support your weight loss journey.
Remember, shedding fat in a healthy manner needs time and patience. Work with your healthcare provider, find the diet-exercise balance, and stay positive throughout. With consistency, you may enhance your health and feel better about yourself.
Also Read: Hormonal Belly: Unveiling the Science and Possible Solutions
Bloating makes the upper stomach large due to excess gas, gut issues, or due to swelling inside the gut. You may try to control bloating through diet and lifestyle changes to shrink upper stomach fat.
Yes, you may reduce upper stomach fat without surgery. Just create a calorie deficit in your diet, workout regularly, and incorporate ways to reduce stress.
That depends on your diet plans, workout schedules, and metabolic rate. But slow and steady progress, around 1-2 pounds weight loss per week is best for lasting results.
There aren’t specific workouts just for upper stomach fat. However, a balanced fitness plan with cardio and strength training may help build muscle, burn fat, and reduce belly fat in the upper belly area.
Not all women have more belly fat during menopause. However, the hormone change during menopause can cause weight gain for some. Options like hormone therapy or lifestyle changes can manage this weight gain and trim upper stomach fat.
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