You must have heard of the term 'hormonal belly'. Well, as the name suggests, this is nothing but accumulation of excess fat around your belly because of hormonal imbalance. A deficiency in any hormone can lead to a hormonal belly. And, both men and ,women are susceptible to it.
Is your waist expanding independently? Know the causes
Sometimes, you may experience sudden weight gain around your belly. No amount of exercise or diet restriction may help you get rid of this extra bulge. This may leave you puzzled and demotivated. But what if this weight gain is because of some medical problem?
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Causes
The are many things that can contribute to hormonal belly. Some of the common causes are -
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
- Health conditions
- Aging
- Thyroid issues
For men, the causes may differ:
- Low Testosterone Levels: Deficiency of testosterone can halt muscle growth and result in weight gain.
- Low Estrogen Levels: Low levels of Estrogen can cause excess fat around the belly.
For women, there are a few other factors:
- PCOS: Women with PCOS may have higher levels of male hormones and higher insulin levels, which affects the body by turning food into energy. It results in gain weight, particularly around the belly.
- Menopause: When women enter menopause, estrogen levels drop. This leads to weight gain.
- Period-Related Fluid Retention: Temporary weight gain is sometimes caused by fluid retention during periods. It can result in bloating, and hence weight gain.
Symptoms
Here are some symptoms which can help you understand if the culprit behind your bulging belly are hormones or something else.
Less satiated after eating
Low levels of estrogen in the body might make you feel hungry even after having a meal. This is because of the impact of estrogen. Excess leptin in your body can be problematic.
Always stressed
Stress causes our adrenal glands to release cortisol to help our body respond suitably. But when we are stressed all the time, our adrenal gland will keep on producing cortisol which is much more than our body needs. High levels of cortisol in our body raises the heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar. Hence, it increases abdominal fat.
Weight gain happens only in the abdomen
Excessive exercise, issues with your eating patterns or even problems with pituitary glands can be the underlying causes of low estrogen. When the levels of estrogen drop, there's a high chance that you gain more weight in the belly, rather than hips, thighs and buttocks.
Sugar craving all the time
There is a high chance that your body is struggling with insulin resistance if you are craving for sugar all the time. This will eventually add to your hormonal belly fat!
Hair loss
If increased abdominal weight gain is coinciding with an accelerated rate of hair loss, then hormones might be to blame.
How get rid of it
Yes, it is possible to flatten hormonal belly. Follow the routine set up by a medical practitioner. Every person has specific requirements, however, some basic things must be kept in mind when you are looking forward to flattening a hormonal belly.
- Eat a healthy diet. Focus on plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and choose lean sources of protein and low-fat dairy products.
- Limit added sugar and saturated fat.
- Cut down sugary beverages or add artificial sweetener. Drink more water instead.
- Keep the portion size adequate. Slim down your portion sizes and make healthy choices while eating.
- Be physically active and meet the required fitness goals set by an expert.
- Get adequate amount of sleep. Poor quality of sleep wreaks havoc on internal biochemistry.
- De-stress yourself. Cortisol is the major player in the hormonal belly fat game. Cortisol increases when we are stressed. Follow a hobby, stay relaxed and enjoy life.
- There is a scope of mood swings while undergoing hormonal changes in our body. Eat healthy meals and exercise daily to get rid of mood swings.
Health risks
Hormones regulate various bodily functions including metabolism, stress, hunger and sex drive. Hormonal imbalance is the major reason behind it. If there is fluctuation in hormones, then it can result in various health conditions including underactive thyroid, PCOS and even menopause. Hormonal imbalance can also be a result of obesity, environmental triggers, excessive stress and even some medications.
Age
Hormonal belly can occur in teens or anytime later, whenever there is disruption in hormones in body. But in women, there are more chances of getting hormonal belly around the menopausal age. Women tend to gain fat around their abdomen. It can lead to changes in body shape along with hot flashes, mood changes, irregular periods, trouble sleeping and more.
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