Belly fat, known scientifically as Vertical fat, can cause serious health issues such as type 2 Diabetes, Strokes, and heart disease. Especially n senior adults, belly fat can cause issues and disease.
So we’d like to help you find a healthy solution to eliminate that extra bit of belly fat.
This article will aim mainly at Exercises for losing belly fat in seniors.
Table of Contents
Belly Fat Fast Facts
As we would like to refer, visceral or Belly fat coats your internal organs and can hand heavy on your large intestine.
Belly fat increases your risk of metabolic diseases, including insulin resistance, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver disease, and liver failure.
There has been much research on how belly fat cause metabolic disturbances already since the 1950s. However, this was never an issue until the obesity epidemic started getting up to speed,
Studies have even found more conditions related to visceral fat, such as breasts and colorectal cancers.
According to studies, individuals with a great amount of deep visceral fat or abdominal fat are three times more likely to develop dementia as they age.
- How Abdominal Fat Harms You – did you know that the fat cells from belly fat can pump out harmful chemicals? Fat is not just an energy reserve; it is an active endocrine organ producing hormones, inflammatory proteins, and fatty acids secreted into your bloodstream. Chemicals from fat cells, in turn, may affect your livers. In turn, a high body Mass Index affects your blood sugar levels and blood pressure and can become dangerous to your health.
- Gut Check – So are you harboring too much Visceral fat. Keep in mind that some fat is healthy and needed by the body. But what is too much? Let’s take some measurements. To get an idea, you can measure your waist an inch or two just above the hip bone. Women should have a waist measurement of fewer than 35 inches and men less than 40 inches. Anything above this is dangerous and far over the visceral fat you should have. Keep in mind that various things can cause belly fat besides just eating. Women may go through menopause, other conditions, diseases, and even certain body shapes, such as pear and apple, tend to store more fat in their bellies.
- How to Attach the Fat – Despite all the medications, herbal treatments, fitness equipment, and many more, there are only two basic ways to fight belly fat: Exercise and a Healthy Diet. There is no quick fix to losing belly fat, and you will need to put in a lot of work and even more determination. A healthy balanced diet with much less sugar and starches and healthy fats in minimal amounts is advised. Many online diets are healthy and help you to get a more balanced diet. However, please stay clear of quick-fix diets that completely cut out certain foods. It would be best to balance fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and grains well. It is best to stay clear of processed foods and surgery foods. We will discuss further some exercise routines to help reduce belly fat. However, good cardio routines such as walking, jogging, or cycling help with your metabolic rate and will, in turn, also aid in losing fat and using up all those extra empty calories.
Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
I have added a few easy exercises for seniors to help them lose belly fat and strengthen their core.
Remember that a good cardio routine such as walking, jogging, or cycling is vital to help lose weight, improve fitness, and increase your metabolic rate.
Pelvic Lifts
The Pelvic Lift is an abdominal exercise that you can perform seated or laying down. It helps to strengthen and tone abdominal muscles. It would help to have a comfortable floor surface or mat. Lie flat on your back, with your knees bent and your arms flat next to your sides. Slowly lift your pelvis as high as possible towards the roof, and slowly come down again.
Ab Curl Ups
Less strenuous than sit-ups but still very effective. You will need a comfortable flat surface or mat. Lie flat on your back with your knees up, pointing towards the ceiling. Keep your arms and hand at your sides. With your palms against the floor, slowly lift only your shoulders off the floor. And do a few repetitions.
Hollow Out Belly
The Hollow Out belly exercise strengthens and tones deeper abdominal muscles and stretches your back. For this, you will need a comfortable foam mat or soft carpet. You will stand on your hands and knees, palms flat on the ground, your legs hip-length apart, and your hand shoulder-length apart. Now you will hollow your back, push your tummy toward the floor, and lift your back straight up until your tummy is hollow. Repeat a few times.
Light Crunches
Here are some crunches you can do on a chair, which is much easier for seniors yet still effective. You can sit upright in a chair with your hand in front of your body and your weight concentrated in your lower body. Lean back into the chair with your abdomen pulling it in until you feel a stretch and slowly return to an upright position. You can do this a few times and repeat a few sets.
To Conclude
All in all, doing stomach exercises will help to strengthen the stomach muscles and tone your stomach. However, it would be best if you had a cardio exercise to burn fat and follow a healthy diet. These three basic things are the only way to lose belly fat.