Big belly syndrome and its causes

Description of the problem

Man's big belly

It's not just women who have a growing belly. Often men aged 30+ complain about a “beer belly”, but ladies say that an “apron” has appeared on their stomach. Whatever you call it, the problem is difficult to ignore. You can no longer wear a tight T-shirt; going to the beach in a two-piece swimsuit is another challenge.

Many victims of such selective weight gain would like to think that this is not because of nutrition, not because of physical inactivity, but for some other reason. Excuses like “hormones are acting up,” “from stress,” or “everyone does this after childbirth” are used. Hormonal levels can indeed change.

But let’s not deceive ourselves, due to illness, fat is not deposited on the stomach so often. Usually the fact is that the body ages (and, as you know, this process begins after 25 years), the metabolism slows down, and your body can no longer react so quickly to buns, cakes and potatoes with meat. What you can get away with at 18-20 becomes a problem closer to 30. Obesity is a problem of recent decades, associated primarily with eating disorders and low physical activity.

And here everything is simple: you gain weight in the abdominal area for three reasons. Or it’s a hormonal imbalance, which is easy to check today by passing special tests. Or these are some diseases of internal organs, which can also be diagnosed. Or (which most often happens), you eat a lot and don’t watch your diet, and also don’t devote enough time to sports.

Why does a man's belly grow?

Often the expression “respectable man” suggests that the appearance of such a guy is complemented by a hefty belly. But today bellies are seen not only in the older generation. The belly is also growing in many young guys who do not seem to notice that their figure does not meet the standards of their age.

Where does this discrepancy come from, why does the belly grow, and what can complacency lead to in terms of increasing one’s own volume? After all, this is not only an appearance problem, but also a medical problem. Such a belly will certainly affect a man’s health.

Causes of abdominal enlargement not related to disease

The man's body was originally designed to withstand heavy loads. Moreover, he was destined by nature to experience physical stress and is in constant motion, getting food to feed his family, building a hut or fighting off a woman with his fists.

Today these functions have disappeared. The biggest physical strain for many men is carrying purchased groceries from the supermarket to their home. In addition, food has become varied and high in calories, and activity is limited, including travel in public transport or in your own car. Why doesn’t the belly grow from a supply of fat deposits that are never used up?

Growing belly due to poor diet

Not only the diet itself of a modern man raises questions, but also the mode of food consumption. Often, office employees stay at work longer than normal, and then, when they come home, they eat both lunch and breakfast at night.

Also, the temptation to have an extra snack is the smells on the street, when a hamburger or pie is not considered food, but is still deposited on the waist. Moreover, such foods are often very high in calories and contain an excess of trans fats and carbohydrates. They are often flavored with chemical flavoring additives, which cause increased appetite and do not satiate for a long time.

Snacks at work, provoked by colleagues, also contribute. In addition, there we can afford to drink an unlimited amount of sweet drinks, such as Coca-Cola, Fanta and other sweet soda.

The stomach grows from the abuse of beer and various alcoholic drinks

Some nutrition experts believe that the occurrence of beer belly is provoked to a greater extent not by the consumption of beer itself, but by the absorption of fatty snacks with it.

For example, with beer you will be helpfully served with sausages or sausages with protruding fat. Dried fish, snacks - all this will provoke thirst and prolong the banquet. And then retain water and create swelling. If you have a predisposition to obesity, then this diet is completely contraindicated for you. After all, it has already been established that obesity can be inherited. So whether it’s worth the risk is up to everyone to decide for themselves.

If such a feast does not threaten your friend, then your genetic predisposition may bring an unpleasant surprise to you.

Belly grows due to lack of exercise

It seemed that men had reliable backup from their abdominal muscles. They undoubtedly guarantee that they will maintain their belly in excellent shape. The abdominal press and back muscles prevent the intestines from stretching. But when the muscles weaken from lack of active movement, the intestines begin to increase in size from the abundance of food.

The muscle corset is unable to support the abdomen, and it falls out for everyone to see. Those around him understand that this person is not starving.

It is especially difficult to regain shape after fifty, when a sedentary lifestyle, laziness and physical inactivity lead the body to age-related diseases: atherosclerosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia and banal obesity. The breakdown of fats at this age slows down, and there is a lack of oxygen in the blood. As a result, shortness of breath, snoring, and heart attack appear. This all occurs against the background of an increase in fat in the abdominal region, which puts pressure on the diaphragm and changes the position of the heart in the chest.

Metabolism slows with age

After 40 years, the amount of testosterone produced by the body decreases in men. Hormonal levels change and overall metabolism slows down. It is worth noting that testosterone helps burn excess fat in the body, preventing the appearance of excessive fat deposits.

Excess fat may not have the best effect on the ratio of male and female hormones. A decrease in testosterone provokes the appearance of female type obesity. Then fat accumulates not only on the stomach, but also on the hips, as well as on the chest.

Bad habits and stress

The belly grows in the presence of bad habits. This is the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. Nicotine and alcohol have a devastating effect on testosterone. In addition, the liver of such people is constantly busy processing these harmful substances. Therefore, she does not have enough time to start breaking down fats and they go straight to the stomach and thighs to lie down and hide there.

Belly grows from stress

During times of stress, a person experiences sleep disturbances, which in itself is very harmful. The production of cortisol doubles, which helps cope with stress, but at the same time promotes weight gain.

Stress, as a rule, is something we create for ourselves. These are gambling, mental stress and many hours of computer games, for example, shooting games. They cause a strong emotional surge that is maintained for several hours.

Swallowing air and flatulence

A person swallows air while talking over food or quickly eating food. Then the air in the esophagus and intestines is able to stretch them to unusual sizes.

Flatulence can also be a cause of a distended abdomen. It occurs as a reaction to eating legumes, cabbage, baked goods and carbonated drinks.

Poor posture

This is no longer such a harmless phenomenon that can be easily corrected. A protruding belly may be a sign of spinal curvature. Both his thoracic and lumbar regions. Disorders in the spine lead to stretching of the spinal muscles and deformation of the anterior abdominal wall.

A big belly is evidence of a disease

In this case, we are not just talking about the appearance of a belly from the above reasons, but for an unidentified reason. It seemed that the man was playing sports, watching his diet, but his stomach was still getting bigger.

This is a reason to consult a doctor for consultation and advice.

In this case, we can talk about inflammatory processes in the peritoneum. They can be either benign or malignant. Any organs located in the abdominal cavity can become inflamed.

Liver disease, which is accompanied by the deposition of fats in its tissues and its compaction. Among these diseases, cirrhosis is common.

Dropsy. This is a disease where excessive fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity.

Hernia. It can be caused by weakening of the abdominal muscles and, as a result, bulging of internal organs.

Metabolic disorders due to damage to the thyroid or pancreas. Endocrine diseases include diabetes, hypothyroidism, and obesity.

Helminthic infestations. This disease is often accompanied by bloating and pain in the intestines. Helminths inject a large amount of toxins into the blood, which worsen the general condition of a person.

How to stop belly fat from growing and get it in shape

First of all, when your stomach grows, you should go to the doctor.

Organize proper nutrition

Provide physical activity

To refuse from bad habits

Visit to the doctor

It is worth making sure that your belly is not growing due to some disease. To do this, you should undergo a detailed examination prescribed by your doctor. Having ruled out all possible causes, you can start adjusting your own lifestyle.

Healthy eating and staying hydrated

You need to eat five times a day. So that the portions are not too large and do not stretch the stomach. Their calorie content should not exceed 500 calories. This diet will help normalize the metabolic process, and the stomach will gradually decrease in volume.

Beer does not contribute to the beauty of a man's figure, so it is better to avoid it. In addition to beer, it is better to avoid all alcoholic beverages and unhealthy cuisine. These are baked goods, fast foods, as well as salted and smoked foods.

There should be greens, vegetables and fruits on the table. More grains.

It is worth remembering that for muscles the best source of their formation has always been protein. There is enough of it in lean meat, eggs, fish and dairy products.

The source of fat should be nuts, vegetable oil and seafood.

Water consumption per day should reach at least 2 liters.

There should be a daily breakfast available, and dinner no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Quitting bad habits and exercising

Physical education should be versatile and not consist only of strength exercises. Involvement in exercises that develop muscle mass can lead to the opposite effect. The muscles will become stronger, but they will remain invisible under a layer of fat deposits.

Therefore, it is worth doing aerobic exercises that will stimulate the heart muscle and saturate the blood with oxygen. We remind you that fat burning occurs under the influence of oxygen. Therefore, physical exercise should include active sports: running, swimming, jumping and cycling. It is better to do all this in nature, i.e. in the fresh air.

The result will be noticeable within a month. If you show persistence and do not shy away from sports. The effect will be even more noticeable if you completely eliminate alcohol consumption and forget about bad habits.

You will feel not only that your belly is not growing, but that your overall health has improved. You will definitely want to improve the result achieved, and that means you will be on the right path leading to self-improvement and harmony.

Deep and subcutaneous fat

Types of fat accumulation

It is customary to distinguish two types of fat accumulations. Deep (or visceral) fat is deposited on the abdominal organs themselves due to hormonal changes or metabolic failures. In women, this often happens during or after pregnancy; in men, it happens after 30 years. It must be said that nutrition has little effect on these processes, and it is difficult to fight such fat reserves - a deep lifestyle adjustment is necessary.

Subcutaneous fat is a direct consequence of excess carbohydrate and fatty foods in the diet. If your daily menu is high in calories, if it is not balanced, do not be surprised why your belly is growing. But having figured out which foods contribute to the deposition of fat on the sides, thighs, and tummy, you yourself can solve this problem.

Preventing belly growth

If the belly begins to grow, then it is necessary to identify the cause of this process. During pregnancy, a woman does not need to do anything. These processes are completely reversible. In order for your belly to return to its original size after childbirth, you need to eat right during pregnancy and strengthen the muscle structures of your abdomen.

When your stomach protrudes for other reasons, you need to follow several recommendations.

1. Stop drinking beer.
2. Take regular walks.
3. Do exercises for the abs and strengthening the muscular structures of the abdominal cavity.
4. Go swimming in the pool. Women can go to yoga or water aerobics during pregnancy.
5. Avoid stressful situations. Very often, people begin to gain weight due to stress, eating large portions of food.
6. Eat properly. You need to avoid fried, fatty, hot, spicy and smoked foods. The diet should be aimed at maintaining proper nutrition. Dairy products must be excluded. Instead, the diet should include fermented milk products, which are rich in beneficial bacteria.
7. Eat in small portions, but more often up to 5-6 times a day.
8. Remove simple carbohydrates from your diet. This includes buns, cookies, sweets, and chocolate.
9. There should be fats on the menu, but they should be healthy. These include fish dishes, avocados, and nuts.
10. Don't forget to follow the drinking regime. Often, due to lack of fluid, the body begins to make reserves on its own. Against this background, swelling appears in the face, legs, and arms. To avoid this and lose a few extra pounds, you need to drink two liters of water a day. The first glass is taken in the morning immediately after a night's rest.

If the appearance of a huge belly is associated with the accumulation of fluid, then you should urgently consult a specialist. The patient will be prescribed a thorough examination, which primarily includes ultrasound diagnostics.

To get rid of a bulging belly, you need to undergo a surgical procedure. It is aimed at removing excess fluid. After the end of the rehabilitation period, you need to maintain proper nutrition and exercise regularly. They will help remove the tummy.

If the abdominal wall moves unevenly and a protrusion is observed on the right or left, then you should also visit a doctor. Perhaps the reason lies in diseases of the internal organs: liver, spleen, intestines, gall bladder.

The belly can bulge in the navel area due to an umbilical hernia. In this case, the patient will feel constant pain, heaviness, and tingling when making movements. In adulthood, this pathology requires surgical intervention.

Do you eat or overeat?

What is overeating

With this question asked to yourself, begin to deeply study the problem that has arisen. Maybe when you admit that you are overeating, controlling your eating becomes less of a plan for the future and more of a matter of today.

What is the difference between eating and overeating:

1. Food always gives a pleasant taste sensation throughout the entire meal, but overeating dulls the palate. Many people really eat to fill their stomachs.
2. Food gives you strength, energy, helps you overcome stress, overeating simply “masks” stress, activates the body’s emergency resources, thereby weakening the nervous system.
3. When you want to satisfy your brain's need for glucose in order to increase your intellectual productivity, you eat. When you uncontrollably eat buns and chocolates, washing them down with tea, you overeat.
4. Eating in company simply distracts from the conversation, but overeating replaces the conversation itself; it is a means of communication for you. With food you can replace the lack of communication, dispel boredom, and escape from stress.
5. Food always tones the body, it gives energy to the body and brain; overeating takes away your strength, in return giving you heaviness in the stomach and drowsiness. You become dissatisfied with yourself and fall into depression.
6. For work, food is an energy boost, while overeating helps to take your mind off work. For example, you need to do a big task, but you keep putting it off, thinking, I’ll have some tea and cookies first, and then I can get to work.
7. Food is something that is tasty and enjoyable; overeating provokes feelings of guilt and lowers self-esteem.
8. Eating to live, overeating to shorten life.
9. Food in the family circle always promotes unity, but overeating, although it reduces tension within the family, does not solve a single problem. You are tormented by the fact that you have “addicted” your children to sugar, that instead of healthy grilled vegetables, you again made fried potatoes with meat, etc.

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By the way, overeating is usually a solitary hobby. You try to eat on the sly so that no one catches you “in the act.” It’s nice to share a normal meal with a loved one. When you eat, the thought of an extra pie is accompanied by thoughts akin to “it’s not good for me,” “not so often,” “it’s killing my beauty,” “I’ll eat on the allowed day, not today.” But if you overeat, then the same pie makes you think “oh, I’m fat anyway,” “one more, one less,” “nothing helps me anyway.”

Overeating is one of the reasons why the belly grows. And if you clearly answer the questions above, you can at least acknowledge the problem. But adjusting and correcting what you reject will not work, therefore awareness of the existing pathology of eating behavior is the first step towards losing weight.

Maybe you have a sugar addiction

Sugar addiction

If you have a sweet tooth, then the question of why young women have a big belly can find an answer in this plane. The opinion that the brain needs sugar, therefore refusing half a chocolate bar is sinful, stupid and dangerous. The brain, our productive executive organ, really needs nutrition. But what does sugar have to do with it? Your brain needs glucose - and this means fresh and dried fruits, honey in reasonable quantities, cereals, and vegetables. They provide the necessary nutrition to the brain, but do not harm the internal organs.

Sugar is a synthetic substitute for natural sources of glucose. And although sugar, as is known, has a plant nature (sugar cane and beets), that refined white powder that you put in tea no longer contains natural or plant components.

Sugar is not a food, it is simply a chemical that can be extracted from wood, gas and oil. But it is still more financially profitable to process beets and a certain type of cane.

Myths about sugar:

• It only harms the teeth. If! Refined sugar goes through a long course of processing, after which it is an artificial component; in nature it is not so concentrated. Therefore, the gastrointestinal tract and the pancreas in particular receive a huge load. You yourself force them to work in three forces.
• Brown sugar can be eaten. It really is not as harmful as white, but there is little useful in it either. And if you see inexpensive brownish sugar, then you can be sure that this is ordinary refined sugar, tinted with caramel by a cunning manufacturer.
• Sugar invigorates. Nothing like this. The very desire to eat something sweet invigorates, nothing more. Perhaps an apple, banana, juicy peach with natural fructose will add energy to you, but not a chemical additive. Sugar weakens the strength of your immune system, changes the content of phosphorus and calcium, as well as the most valuable B vitamins.

If, imagining a person who is addicted to white powder, you picture in your head the image of a glamorous girl or a major, then it is much more effective and honest to imagine yourself. If you like sweets, store-bought juices, cookies and cakes, it depends. Stop, your body really needs this. And you will see how your stomach will begin to go away, your performance will increase, and your tests will become better.

Food and hormones

Completeness hormones

What you eat and how it relates to the functioning of the hormonal system has been spoken and written by doctors for many years. Hormonal imbalance almost always leads to bodily ailments - it affects the functioning of the thyroid gland, which is rightly called the queen of metabolism. When a failure occurs in one area, a chain reaction occurs, and violations are detected in different organs. Just don’t think that if you have some kind of hormonal pathology, you need to immediately take handfuls of pills. Yes, this is a simple correction method, but not the most effective.

Of course, a lot depends on the severity of the diagnosis. But you can compare the work of hormonal drugs with a bank loan. If you took a pill, you took out a loan. Once you have settled your affairs, you are cheerful and satisfied. But the loan must be repaid, and with interest. So you pay for the effect of hormonal pills with your health, little by little, but you pay. Of course, there are situations when it is impossible to do otherwise. But not every hormonal dysfunction needs to be treated with medication.

Now about the products. Everything you put in your mouth affects your hormonal system. Absolutely every product. Home-farmed chicken or factory-made chicken breast stuffed with antibiotics - is there a difference? Certainly. Your own vegetables from the garden, of which you are sure of the quality, or store-bought stuff in a jar made of who knows what? Also a difference. Finally, baked goods from the PP series with oatmeal and natural sweetener, or a beautiful store-bought cake made from a long list of preservatives, palm oil, trans fats... Every day you choose how to nourish your hormonal system.

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You already remember that if a malfunction occurs, the metabolism is also disrupted. Hence the excess weight and a decently grown tummy, which helps you to be congratulated on your upcoming replenishment.

It is important not only what, but also when

You need to monitor not only what you eat, how much, but also at what time. For example, take the hormone insulin, a derivative of the pancreas. He reacts to any food, no matter whether it is proteins, fats or carbohydrates. Whether these are the right carbohydrates or “fast” ones is also not important to insulin. It is believed that one of the peaks in the production of this hormone occurs at 21.00. You probably also noticed how you feel drawn to put on the kettle at this time, to see if there are any cakes or gingerbreads lying around in the cupboard.

Now just imagine: insulin is at its peak at this time, and you stuff yourself with sandwiches and cookies, and the pancreas starts working in extra mode. It produces even more insulin, which is already elevated.

High insulin, in turn, suppresses the production of somatotropin, a hormone responsible, among other things, for fat burning. And if you take such late dinners into your system, your insulin levels will be persistently elevated.

This means hello not only to belly fat, but also to metabolic diseases. And don’t think that you have to wait until you’re old enough to be diagnosed with diabetes or other pancreatic ailments. Exchange diseases are getting younger and you already know why.

Why does a woman's body begin to metabolize fat in a male manner?

Women may develop a large belly. This indicates a problem with hormonal levels. In a normal state, girls secrete a sufficient amount of female hormones - estrogen and progesterone. If the production of adrenaline begins to increase, the body begins to metabolize fat according to the male type and the belly increases.

Hormonal levels are influenced by many factors. There are several errors that cause violations.

Nutrition

Sometimes the belly grows due to poor nutrition. Some girls are interested in why they eat little and their belly is growing. In fact, eating a lot of food is not the only reason why you can gain weight in the abdominal area. The most common nutrition mistakes:

1. Uneven distribution of calories throughout the day. For example, the entire daily requirement is eaten in one meal.
2. Consuming large amounts of fatty foods.
3. Consumption of large amounts of sugar and sweets, as well as flour and bakery products.
4. No breakfast.
5. Lack of vegetables, fruits, and fiber-rich foods in the diet.
6. Consumption of large amounts of processed and refined foods.

Physical activity level

Lack of physical activity is another reason for the appearance of a big belly. The human body is designed to expend the calories it consumes. If this does not happen, they begin to go into belly fat. If you don't start exercising, your belly will get bigger.

Bad habits

Consumption of alcoholic beverages contributes to the deposition of belly fat. Beer is especially dangerous. Because of it, the belly grows at a high speed.

Avitaminosis

If the body lacks vitamins, a person begins to eat more. Accordingly, the number of calories increases. Since it is not always possible to spend them, fat begins to be deposited on the stomach again. However, this is easily fixable.

If your belly is growing due to vitamin deficiency, the first thing you need to do is reconsider your diet. It needs to be built so that the body has enough necessary vitamins and minerals:

1. Hormones that are involved in fat burning require calcium. It is found in fish and dairy products.
2. Often the cause of unstable weight is a malfunction of the thyroid gland. This may be caused by iodine deficiency.
3. It is important that carbohydrates are well absorbed. Zinc is responsible for this. Its deficiency negatively affects the absorption of carbohydrates.
4. Magnesium regulates the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. It is its deficiency that leads to increased appetite in the evening.

Vitamin deficiency can be replenished through food or pharmacy products.

Read for those whose grandfather ate everything and lived to be 100 years old

Ancestral diet

The favorite argument of those who do not want to truly control their diet is to refer to long-lived relatives. Stories begin about how my grandmother drank tea with 8 tablespoons of sugar all her life and died in her sleep at the age of 97. Or the grandfather smoked, and loved to drink, and in the evening he devoured whole frying pans of potatoes and meat, and nothing happened - he made it to almost 100.

And grandmothers did not ask questions about why fat is deposited on the stomach, and did not strive to “go on a diet” all their lives... There are many such arguments. But there is little rationality in them specifically in the matter of losing weight and maintaining health. First, are you sure that you have the same heredity, good health and level of physical activity as your long-lived relatives? Each organism is individual, some waste their resources quickly, while for others nature has allocated greater health capital.

Secondly, advances in medicine have led to the fact that it is not the strongest who survive. This is certainly good, but it has its pitfalls. A child who, without vaccinations, survived, grew, developed, and was initially strong, by nature, in years that were not the best from the point of view of the epidemiological picture. His mother’s pregnancy was not maintained with IVs and artificial progesterone. He survived, but his sisters and brothers could have died in infancy. Strict natural selection was at work.

Today, doctors even care for babies born weighing less than a kilogram. Will they have the same natural potential as your great-grandfathers? This is not to mention the ecology (whatever is missing from our polluted air), the quality of food, etc. And did grandfathers eat that much sugar? Of course not, and in most cases it was economically impossible to overeat.

For a long time, great-grandfathers did not know trans fats and preservatives in such an impressive list, which is even on a jar of yogurt today. It follows from this that comparing a person of the consumer era, that is, you, and your great-grandfather, is simply incorrect. This means that you must monitor your diet even more, since there are already enough external negative factors.

Causes of abdominal enlargement

Why does my belly get big? All reasons can be classified into several groups:

1. Growth of the abdomen due to thickening of the fat layer of the anterior abdominal wall (natural increase or morbid obesity).
2. Enlargement during pregnancy as a result of intrauterine growth of the fetus and the gravid uterus.
3. Due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity - ascites (due to cirrhosis of the liver, nodular formations and parasitic diseases of the liver, thrombosis of the portal vein, purulent foci in the liver, heart disease with stagnation in the circulation of the portal vein).
4. As a consequence of the accumulation of gases or feces in the intestines (with acute intestinal obstruction, intestinal paresis due to peritonitis, with flatulence, constipation, hernias, congenital intestinal diseases - Hirschsprung's disease and celiac enteropathy, intestinal and abdominal atony in old age).
5. As a result of the growth of bulk tumors and cysts of the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space (especially cancers of the stomach, liver, colon, kidney and ovaries, pancreatic and liver cysts).

Ascites

The most common cause of a “big belly” is ascites, i.e. the accumulation of large volumes of fluid in the abdominal cavity. A small amount of liquid (up to 50-100 ml) is acceptable in a healthy abdominal cavity. It does not visually change the size of the abdomen and is not determined by ultrasound examination.

Ascites develops mainly in liver cirrhosis. In this case, the stomach will be spherical, the skin will be tense, with a typical shine.

In addition to changes in the appearance of the abdomen, other signs of liver damage and dysfunction will be added. These are pigmentation of the palms (redness), expansion of the subcutaneous venous network on the surface of the abdominal wall (changes resemble the “head of a jellyfish”), an increase in the diameter of the navel, the appearance of spider veins on the body, varicose veins of the lower extremities, rectum (hemorrhoids), esophagus, yellowness of the sclera and skin. Blood tests show anemia and disorders of the coagulation system, increased liver enzymes.

To make a diagnosis of liver cirrhosis, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations - blood and urine tests, biochemical analysis, blood tests for antigens to exclude the viral nature of liver disease (hepatitis), ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, radiography, FEGDS, CT or MRI (as indicated).

Tumor growth

If the cause of ascites is cysts and tumors of the abdominal organs, as a rule, the abdomen has an irregular shape. When palpating the abdomen, the doctor can identify a dense, round or irregularly shaped formation in the area of ​​one or another organ. The formation can be soft-elastic or woody, hard, of heterogeneous consistency. The latter signs often indicate a malignant process.

At the same time, enlarged dense lymph nodes in the supraclavicular or inguinal region will be palpated. If a tumor is found in the projection of the stomach or intestines, the diagnosis will be clarified by endoscopic examination (gastroscopy, colonoscopy), and complemented by ultrasound, MRI, and CT scan of the abdominal cavity. If cystic or nodular changes are detected in the liver, kidneys or pancreas, then the basis of diagnosis will be ultrasound, sometimes with a puncture biopsy, as well as tomographic methods. A lumpy, dense edge of the liver may indicate tumor metastasis.

Pregnancy

Natural enlargement of the abdomen during pregnancy will be accompanied by other signs of this condition in a woman. This is a positive pregnancy test, vomiting and nausea, pale skin, changes in taste preferences, aversion to certain types of food, absence of menstruation, engorgement of the mammary glands.

At later stages, a woman with a normal pregnancy will feel fetal movements, “shocks”. The main criteria in establishing the fact of pregnancy are examination by a gynecologist, hormonal test and ultrasound screening.

Flatulence

With increased gas formation, the abdomen has the appearance of a dome; sometimes loops of distended intestines are visually identified. Flatulence can accompany either serious diseases of the abdominal organs or be a sign of poor nutrition or poor diet.

If the cause of bloating is intestinal paresis or intestinal obstruction, then the patient’s general condition suffers significantly. When you lightly tap the abdomen, a “splashing noise” is heard (due to stagnant contents in the intestine). The face of a patient with peritonitis is emaciated, pale, with a grayish tint. The tongue and mucous membranes are dry. The abdomen is not just enlarged in size, but painful on palpation and does not participate in the act of breathing. There is no stool or passing of gas.

In making a correct diagnosis, one cannot do without an examination by a surgeon, FEGDS, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, accompanying blood and urine tests, survey photographs of the abdominal organs and chest. This will most likely be followed by surgery to eliminate the cause of intestinal obstruction or peritonitis.

If the cause of increased gas formation is malnutrition, then when an adequate diet is established, flatulence and the discomfort caused by it, including a large belly, disappear within a few days.

Obesity

A sign of overnutrition and obesity is an enlarged, painless abdomen that is soft and loose on palpation. A thickened fold on the anterior abdominal wall of more than 2 cm is detected. There are signs of metabolic disorders, high blood pressure, concomitant diseases of the cardiovascular system and endocrine organs (thyroid gland, pancreas, ovaries or testicles).

In such cases, the patient needs further examination by an endocrinologist, andrologist, or gynecologist. An ultrasound of the pelvic and abdominal organs, the thyroid gland, and tests to determine hormonal status are prescribed.

How to eat right: breakfast

Why does the belly grow in women and how to get rid of it? From theory to practice. You have already realized that your diet is primarily responsible for belly fat accumulation. It already “tightens up” hormonal imbalances that aggravate the problem. Now let's talk about how to change this diet. Let's start with breakfast.

You know that someone wakes up with a decent appetite, and for someone in the morning even looking at food makes them sick. Both are most likely normal. This is explained by individual hormonal regulation of appetite; the type of gastric secretion is also important.

What stimulates hunger? Blood glucose level, the rate of sugar reduction, which is regulated by insulin. But it is not the only one that affects hunger; the hormone cortisol (responsible for stress, hunger and circadian rhythms) also comes into play. It increases insulin activity, which is why some people don’t even eat breakfast. To make your cortisol levels rise and therefore make you want to eat again, all you need to do is drink a cup of coffee in the morning on an empty stomach. The conclusion is that metabolism slows down, not speeds up. So drinking coffee in the morning also helps your belly grow.

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Therefore, eat breakfast according to the following principles:

• Avoid refined sweet foods in the morning so as not to allow insulin to “jump”;
• An omelet with whole grain bread will fill you up in the morning, as well as porridge (but without sugar);
• Do not eat raw fruits and vegetables on an empty stomach, their acids irritate the gastric mucosa, so gastritis is quite likely after eating pears and tomatoes right in the morning;
• Don’t eat red meat in the morning - it’s difficult for your body to digest it when you wake up, so you’ll be sleepy and inactive for a couple of hours;
• Yeast products should also not be eaten for breakfast - bloating and other digestive problems can result from such a choice.

If you cannot give up morning coffee, then drink it 40-50 minutes after meals. Also, you should not drink fish oil, flaxseed oil, or cold water on an empty stomach in the morning.

How to get rid of belly fat by adjusting your diet?

Nutrition is the basis of the level of the human body. Diets have a temporary effect. For the long term, they are especially harmful because when you gain weight, fat will accumulate in the most problematic place - the stomach.

Daily consumption of nutrients promotes rapid metabolism and has a beneficial effect on a woman’s figure. Therefore, to maintain your figure, you need a daily balanced diet.

A well-designed menu alone is not sufficient. In addition to eating foods rich in beneficial vitamins and microelements, you should eat fractional small portions every day at approximately equal intervals.

Proper nutrition is the first step to a flat stomach. To get rid of a big belly, you need:

1. A large amount of proteins should enter the body (meat, eggs, fish, dairy products, legumes).
2. More than half of the diet should be fruits and vegetables.
3. No one forbids eating fatty foods, but it should be done in moderation. The ideal option is to alternate fatty foods with low-calorie foods.
4. Snacks should be healthy. For example, nuts, bread, fruits. It is advisable to carry some of these products with you at all times so that you are not tempted to buy a bun.
5. You shouldn’t forbid yourself sweets either, as this can lead to a breakdown. However, you need to eat sweets in small quantities and in the first half of the day.
6. It is not advisable to eat after six. You can have a light snack in the form of a glass of milk, kefir or fruit.
7. It is better to eat often, but little by little.
8. It is worth limiting your carbohydrate intake, but not eliminating them completely.
9. It is better to cook mainly by steaming, stewing or boiling.
10. Salt intake should be reduced.
11. It is advisable to cook soups and first courses more often.

Compliance with these principles does not involve complex diets and fasting, so there is much less risk of failure.

As mentioned above, a big belly is usually the result of a poor lifestyle. Therefore, to improve the figure, changes are required based on the limitation:

• foods rich in oligosaccharides;
• products with sugar substitutes;
• salt.

If the reason why a woman's belly is growing is a food allergy, the foods that cause it should be completely eliminated from the diet.

Probiotics, which supplement your gut flora with essential bacteria, can help fight bloating.

How to lose belly fat: lunch

Proper lunch

A hearty lunch and an overeating lunch are still two different things. A proper lunch may include protein foods and complex carbohydrates. This means that you can afford a piece of stewed chicken breast or other lean meat with vegetable salad in oil, for example, Greek. Or you can eat fish for lunch, or cottage cheese casserole with corn flour, if you are not an active meat eater. But you need protein, without it it is difficult to lose weight. Plant or animal - choose for yourself, but those losing weight need protein food every day.

There will be no clear answer to the question of whether or not to eat soup for lunch. Many nutritionists and endocrinologists eat only thick, pureed soups, which are more like a second course. And this is reasonable; liquid food does not produce gastric juice at all. Therefore, you can eat a bowl of soup, in which high-calorie potatoes, rice, pasta, and meat are mixed, and still feel hungry. So to say that soup is a healthy food would be a bit of an exaggeration.

If you love soups, don’t refuse. But not high-calorie ones, like potatoes and meat, but light vegetable broths. And you don’t have to eat them every day, and even before the main course. This way your stomach will definitely not become slim.