How to remove belly fat for a man: getting rid of the belly and sides in the gym and at home

Men tend to gain excess weight no less than women, although by nature the norm of adipose tissue of the stronger sex is much less. This happens because the main hormone for a man is testosterone; the predominance of this hormone does not allow excess fat to accumulate.

In women, the opposite is true; estrogens (female hormones) serve as a store of adipose tissue for the main function of bearing a healthy fetus. Therefore, excessive excess weight in a man clearly implies some kind of malfunction in the body. This is not only a hormonal disorder, but also a change in a correct, healthy lifestyle. Let's analyze and solve the problem - why fat folds appear and how to remove a man's stomach and sides.

Nutrition

To solve the problem of excess fat accumulation in the abdomen and sides, it is necessary, first of all, to understand nutrition. The main enemy of extra pounds is overeating. If more energy enters the body than is expended, this leads to an increase in the male-type fat layer - specifically in the abdomen and sides.

Usually, due to ignorance of the principles of proper nutrition, the diet includes foods and drinks that contribute to aggravating the problem. Even harmless fruits and juices need to be taken correctly.

1. Firstly, overeating can be a cause of stress; nervousness causes uncontrolled eating of everything that comes to hand. Therefore, it is necessary to understand whether hunger has really set in or whether you just want to please yourself and feel sorry for yourself.
2. Secondly, foods can be high in calories, fat and have a high glycemic index. More precisely, the sugar content. Therefore, foods such as cereals, fruits, flour products, eaten in large quantities at night, will lead to a gain of unwanted weight.

Besides overeating, beer is a big enemy of the belly. Many people are unaware of the dangers of this product, considering it a liquid on a par with water. Beer, in addition to a large amount of carbohydrates, contains estrogens. It is from them that the “beer belly” begins to appear. Beer contains hop extract, which contains these hormones that contribute to the accumulation of excess weight. Essentially, estrogens are fat. This is why secondary sexual characteristics appear.

In addition, the cellulose contained in beer is poorly processed by the body, so an excess of such carbohydrates can lead to a big belly. One hundred grams of the drink contains forty-two calories, which is more than most vegetables. Since you can drink more than one liter of beer, calculate what a huge amount of extra calories comes, at first glance, from such a harmless liquid at one time. Therefore, in order to remove the overhanging belly and sides, this product must be abandoned once and for all.

Ways to burn fat quickly: myths and truth

In their quest to get rid of belly and side fat as quickly as possible, men often become “victims of marketing.” They buy sports nutrition, go on diets, take dietary supplements, and so on. Before deciding on the advisability of such life changes, you should thoroughly study this issue.

Diet pills

According to official research by nutritionists and pharmacists, there are no diet pills that can force the body to break down fat on its own. All drugs marketed have primitive diuretic and laxative properties. By ridding the body of excess water, they create in a person the feeling that he is losing excess weight before his eyes.

Such pills should be taken with extreme caution, as they have a number of side properties and contraindications, which, if ignored, can seriously harm a man’s own health. Before using diuretics or laxatives, it is extremely important to check your body for the presence of diseases.

Fat burners

Fat burners belong to the segment of professional sports nutrition. Before entering the consumer market, they are tested by independent laboratories for safety and compliance with various GOSTs. Such nutritional supplements are based on plant components (for example, guarana), which artificially increase the endurance and energy resources of the athlete. In addition, fat burners, such as L-carnitine, can speed up metabolism without directly stimulating the genitourinary system.

Despite the safety of their use, fat burners will be effective in losing weight only if the athlete adheres to the principles of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Without regular physical activity and giving up bad habits, the inclusion of sports supplements in the diet is equivalent to taking a vitamin complex without affecting the process of a man’s weight loss.

Diets

Professional fitness instructors do not recommend their clients to go on strict diets. Fasting or deliberately depriving your body of nutritional resources (for example, a low-carbohydrate diet) can cause serious illnesses and deteriorate the athlete’s overall well-being.

Important! In addition to the physical component, constant dietary restrictions also affect the psyche of someone losing weight. Prolonged adherence to diets usually leads to breakdowns and stress eating. As a result, the weight loss effect obtained earlier is canceled within a few days.

Heavy loads

Intensified loads in the first days of training are also not a panacea for belly and flank fat. The intensity of exercise should increase gradually so that the body does not experience stress. Finding himself in emergency conditions, he, according to natural laws, begins to stock up on fat, depositing it in the most common areas of the male body - the stomach and sides.

In addition to the possibility of getting a “reverse effect,” a man runs the risk of injury during intense training. For example, if he strains his muscles or damages his tendons, doctors will prohibit him from playing sports until he has fully recovered. Such recommendations will slow down the process of losing weight, so it is better to do everything in advance to ensure that during training the likelihood of harm to health is minimal.

Factors influencing the appearance of a belly

An important aspect when gaining adipose tissue is metabolic disorders (metabolism). Metabolic disorders are caused by a number of reasons:

• poor nutrition;
• age;
• disturbance of sleep and rest patterns;
• disruption of the digestive system.

Poor nutrition, frequent fast food snacks, single meals, fasting - all this slows down the metabolism and leads to excess weight. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, fasting is strictly prohibited.

In addition, this provokes an increase in the hormone cortisol. Also called stress hormone. Thus, when a stressful situation develops, such as hunger, the produced cortisol disrupts carbohydrate metabolism. This situation also leads to the accumulation of excess fat. Cortisol also increases when sleep is disturbed, since overwork and insomnia are also stress for the body. Thus, those who want to lose belly fat need to take these factors into account and prevent an increase in cortisol. Its concentration is especially high in the morning, so you should not skip breakfast. The resulting food will block all negative factors.

In addition, cortisol destroys muscles. Therefore, proper and timely nutrition will help restore metabolism. Men who have reached thirty years of age should be especially attentive to this. At this time, hormonal changes and a slowdown in metabolism occur in the body. In this case, you need to work harder on the result: add physical activity, adjust your diet.

The thing about belly fat is that it is the hardest to remove. Fat from the abdomen and sides is the last to be lost. Accordingly, after burning fat in the upper shoulder girdle, over time, the stomach will also go away. Therefore, the approach to the problem should be comprehensive, taking into account physiological characteristics. Unfortunately, excess weight leads not only to a slowdown in metabolism, but also to disruption of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Simply put, the heart suffers and breathing worsens, shortness of breath appears. Most often, the joints of the lower extremities and spine suffer from excess mass. Blood circulation slows down, genitourinary function worsens. Considering the risk factors and the seriousness of the problem of increasing fatty tissue in the abdominal area, let’s look at what men need to do in this case.

Proper nutrition

1. It is necessary to completely exclude from the diet: confectionery and flour products, alcohol, beer, sparkling water. The high sugar content in these products provokes the accumulation of fats;
2. Instead of sweets, it is advisable to eat: fruits, dried fruits, honey or a natural sugar substitute, but only in the first half of the day. Carbohydrates received in the evening are not consumed and pass into adipose tissue;
3. Complex carbohydrates: consume cereals and grains before lunch, carbohydrates will burn and provide the body with energy;
4. Eat more protein (lean meat, fish, seafood, dairy products) and fiber (vegetables). Consumption of these foods does not lead to an increase in fat tissue. They are also allowed in the evening;
5. The last meal is three hours before bedtime. At late times, fermented milk products are allowed.
6. Eat small portions. Have light snacks. Each subsequent meal should be no earlier than three hours later and no later than four.
7. Drink clean water. Required amount of water: 30 ml of water per kilogram of weight. Water speeds up metabolism, flushes out waste products, and nourishes cells. Therefore, you cannot neglect water, because dehydration will only slow down all metabolic processes. Tea and coffee do not count.

Protein nutrition

One of the most effective ways to combat beer belly and sides is a high-protein diet. Products containing proteins (proteins) are easily digestible and do not contain carbohydrates. By eating such foods in any quantity, you don’t have to worry about accumulating extra pounds.

Choose foods with minimal fat content:

• poultry meat;
• beef;
• rabbit;
• fish;
• seafood;
• eggs;
• cottage cheese;
• kefir;
• milk.

The minimum protein intake per kilogram of weight is 1.5 grams. The maximum dose of protein is 3-4 grams per kilogram of weight. Be sure to consume two grams of salt per day. At the same time, be sure to drink enough water.

Example of a protein diet menu:

• Breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese, tea or coffee;
• Snack: 2 boiled eggs;
• Lunch: baked chicken fillet;
• Snack: kefir or low-fat yogurt without sugar;
• Dinner: Steamed fish.

Advice from nutritionists

Modern nutritionists are supporters of proper and balanced nutrition, the results of which can last a lifetime. A balanced diet and good motivation will help remove belly folds.

Experts recommend:

• do not have dinner after 19.00;
• eat 5-6 times a day in small portions, every 2-3 hours;
• do not feel hungry, but food should not give you the feeling of overeating;
• arrange one fasting day per week: chicken - no more than 1.5 kg of chicken meat; cottage cheese, 100 grams per serving; vegetable – 1.5 kg of any type; fruit – 1.5 kg to choose from;
• exclude sausages, confectionery, and pasta from the diet;
• drink more water.

Exercises for a “beer belly” for a man

No matter how much you would like to focus all the exercises on the abs, this is not the case. You can, of course, do crunches and sit-ups to strengthen your abdominal muscles, but much more work needs to be done elsewhere.

Add more activity to your daily life

Look for as many opportunities as possible to be active throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away when you go to the store, or even take short breaks from work to go for a short walk.

These activities may not seem like real “exercise,” but the truth is that they burn calories, too. Adding these small changes to your daily routine can result in more calories burned over time.

Play sports more often

According to experts, we should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, plus two days of strength training. Moderate intensity activities may include activities such as:

• fast walk;
• leisurely cycling;
• playing tennis.

These 150 minutes do not need to be done all at once. This could be 30 minutes a day for five days a week. Try whatever combination works best for you.

Ready to raise the bar? For optimal results, add another 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. This may include:

• running/jogging;
• walking;
• playing basketball, football or tennis;
• fast bike rides.

Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

HIIT is a broad term for exercise that involves short periods of intense exercise interspersed with periods of recovery. It's also a time-efficient way to perform exercise, as HIIT workouts typically last between 10 and 30 minutes.

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Adding HIIT to your routine can help reduce the amount of fat trapped in the belly area. A review of studies found that HIIT significantly reduced total abdominal and visceral fat mass in both men and women.

Sample menu for weight loss for a week

Below is an approximate diet that will help reduce body fat, but for maximum effect you need to adjust any diet to suit yourself.

First, you need to base your daily calorie intake at the beginning of losing weight and eat a little less per day to create a calorie deficit. Or increase your energy expenditure by doing an extra run, a walk in the park, or a gym workout, your choice.

Secondly, in the process of losing weight, metabolism may slow down, which will lead to a decrease in the daily norm or simply decrease body weight, which will also lead to a decrease in the body's need for calories. And at this moment, in order for fat burning to continue, it will be necessary to again reduce the calorie content of the diet for a day or increase consumption, if this is still possible.

For example, to lose 12 kg in 6 weeks, I personally had to reduce my calorie intake twice in weeks 2 and 4. And also, from the 3rd week, increase the number of workouts to 2 per day in order to get sculpted abs on your stomach in such a short time. If I weren’t in a hurry, I would need to train less and wouldn’t have to cut my diet much.

Monday

• Breakfast: natural cottage cheese with fruit;
• Snack: apple;
• Lunch: baked chicken fillet with vegetables;
• Afternoon snack: puree soup;
• Dinner: Vegetable and seafood salad.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Omelette of two eggs;
• Snack: banana;
• Lunch: rice with vegetables;
• Afternoon snack: kefir or yogurt;
• Dinner: fish with steamed vegetables.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: oatmeal with fruit or honey;
• Snack: fresh fruit juice;
• Lunch: boiled beef with vegetables;
• Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt;
• Dinner: steamed chicken and vegetable cutlets.

Thursday

• Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole;
• Snack: fresh vegetables;
• Lunch: meat broth soup with vegetables;
• Afternoon snack: omelette of eggs and cottage cheese;
• Dinner: beef liver in sour cream.

Friday

• Breakfast: whole grain piece of bread with feta cheese;
• Snack: fruit salad;
• Lunch: fish soup;
• Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with dried fruits;
• Dinner: Baked fish, cucumber and tomato salad.

Saturday

• Breakfast: oatmeal with flax seeds and pumpkin seeds;
• Snack: one orange;
• Lunch: cream soup with mushrooms;
• Afternoon snack: milkshake;
• Dinner: vegetable stew.

Sunday : fasting day (any one to choose from).

Workouts to burn belly fat

Don't forget that proper nutrition is a big part of success. But physical activity will help you achieve fat burning in the “difficult” zone faster.

1. First, exercise speeds up your metabolism.
2. Secondly, due to an increase in heart rate, a large number of calories are burned, including from fat.

But training should cover not only the abdominal area, but all muscle groups. This will lead to a general decrease in weight in the body, since fat cannot be burned locally. Training should be strength and aerobic. Strength training should be aimed at burning fat through high repetitions. Exercises are performed with virtually no rest. You can exercise both at home and in the gym. You can run in the fresh air. There are many options, the main thing is motivation.

Workouts at home

1. Warm-up : jumping rope for 15-20 minutes.

1. Jump Squats

Starting position: feet shoulder width apart. Inhale: lower your pelvis, knees at right angles, resting on your heels. As you exhale: pushing off with your feet, we jump up to the starting position. Repeat 20-25 times.

1. Lunges

Starting position: feet together, alternately lunge with your feet forward. Inhale: step with your right foot into a squat, knee at a right angle. As you exhale: pushing off with your heel, return your foot to its original position. Also immediately to the left. We perform 30 repetitions.

1. Push ups

Starting position: lying down, palms at shoulder level. Inhale: Lower yourself with a straight back as low as possible, elbows running along the body. Exhale: do push-ups. Repeat as many times as possible, the last two repetitions are performed with all your might.

1. Plank

Starting position: lying down, as in push-ups. Hold this position motionless for 1 minute. Without holding your breath.

1. Lateral pelvic lifts

From the “plank” position, we turn on our feet to the side, remaining in support on one hand. The pelvis does not sag, the body is straight from neck to heels. Inhale: release the pelvis to the floor. As you exhale: using the oblique abdominal muscles, we raise the pelvis to its original position. 20-25 times on each side.

1. fold

Starting position: lying on your back, straight arms behind your head. As you exhale: using the abdominal muscles, we tear off the body, simultaneously with the legs. We touch our palms to our feet. Inhale: smoothly lower to the floor. The number of repetitions is 20 times and above.

1. Burning fat while lying down

Starting position: lying on your back, palms placed under your head. We rest our feet on the floor. As you exhale: lift only your shoulder blades off the floor, look at the ceiling, and raise your chin upward. Inhale: relax, lie down on the floor. The exercise is performed at a fast pace, maximally loading the abdominal muscles until a burning sensation is felt. We perform from 30 times to the maximum.

All exercises in this complex are performed without rest. After the burning exercise, rest for one minute and repeat 2-3 circles. After training, stretch all your muscles and drink water.

Basic fat burning exercises in the gym

The main type of training in the gym is strength training. They are aimed at increasing muscle tissue, increasing skin elasticity, creating a sculpted and sharpened figure.

Working with iron allows you to waste accumulated glycogen reserves, after which the fat layer is broken down. Active fat burning processes continue during the period of rest and recovery of the body.

Squats

For beginners, it is recommended to carry out the exercise under the guidance of a trainer.

Technique:

• set the appropriate weight;
• stand under the apparatus, feet shoulder-width apart, fix your hands on the rod;
• remove the bar from the racks, place it at the level of the shoulder blades;
• sit down carefully, do not arch your back;
• rise;
• perform 2 sets of 8-10 squats.

Be sure to read: How long should you spin a hula hoop to lose weight in your stomach and waist, the best exercises

When using weights of more than 100 kg, it is necessary to use a gymnastic belt and fix the knee joints with an elastic bandage.

Deadlift

Sequencing:

• stand up straight, hold the projectile in front of you with straight arms, turn your shoulders back;
• move your pelvis back and at the same time tilt your upper body forward,
• the bar moves smoothly from the hips to the floor, and the movement is carried out exclusively by stretching the gluteal and femoral muscles, and not due to the spine;
• straighten up slowly;
• perform 2-3 sets of 10 times.

Bench press

There must be an instructor standing in front of the rack to help during the execution of the element and to provide insurance for the athlete.

Algorithm:

• install pancakes on the rod;
• lie with your back on the bench, grab the bar with a straight grip, press your feet firmly to the floor;
• carefully remove the bar from the supports and move it to chest level;
• slowly push the equipment up, hold for a couple of seconds;
• perform 2 sets of 10 times.

Pull of the lower block downwards

Correct execution:

• set the appropriate load level on the simulator;
• sit on a bench, rest your feet on the support;
• grab the handrails with your palms;
• straighten your shoulders, straighten your back, tighten your abdominal muscles;
• bending your elbows, pull the handles towards you and hold for 5-7 seconds;
• relax;
• make 12-15 movements;
• repeat the process after a couple of minutes.