Belly Types: What Does Yours Say About You?

Contrary to what many may think, the accumulation of fat in the belly or that the prominence of this area is not only due to overeating. Find out what your belly type says about you.
Belly Types: What Does Yours Say About You?

Last update: 26 May, 2022

As you well know, there are different belly types. The most common causes of having a larger one are excess fat, swelling or fluid retention, and even the result of having given birth.

Treating the cause can help reduce your tummy. Today, we’ll tell you how.

What does your belly type say about you?

Many women dream of having a flat stomach. Some of them follow strict diets, and others go to the gym to work towards this goal.

But there are some women who can’t just can’t achieve it. Why? Because they don’t take an approach to get rid of the fat on their stomach based on their belly type.

Once you learn (and accept) the type that best describes your stomach, you’ll be able to start on the right path. This is the best way to get good results.

Losing belly fat isn’t just about doing a thousand crunches a day and starving yourself. There are more effective and less strict strategies you can follow instead.

Here are the different belly types:

1. Swollen belly types

The main feature of this belly type is it’s flatter in the morning than in the afternoon.

The swelling increases as the hours go by, either because of gas build-up or indigestion.

This belly type shows up in both overweight and thin women.  It has a link to food intolerances, allergies or “sluggish bowels,” something that happens when you have a poor diet.

Swollen belly types

The most common intolerances are lactose, yeast, alcohol, and wheat or gluten. The best way to see if you have any of them is to stop eating specific food groups for a while. This will help you figure out what causes swelling and what doesn’t. However, to know for sure, as we mentioned before, it to consult a specialist.

If this is the case, then your next step is to eliminate them from your diet.

We also advise that you:

  • Don’t eat too late at night. According to this study by the Mexican Journal of Eating Disorders, nighttime food could be an important factor that leads to obesity.
  • Drink a lot of water during the day.
  • Add healthy probiotics to your body. This way, you’ll help promote the function of your gastrointestinal microbiota.

2. Post-pregnancy belly types

If you’ve recently given birth (even in the last two years) it’s possible that you may have a belly that bulges at the bottom.

After pregnancy, the uterus sinks and becomes heavier. You may need to wait at least six weeks for your stomach to return to normal, although sometimes it takes much longer.

postpartum belly

This doesn’t mean you should start exercising the day after you give birth. Doctors suggest waiting three months before you exercise. You shouldn’t think constantly about the weight that you gained during pregnancy either. It is important that you take care of your health and that of the baby.

Once you’re a little more relaxed and want to start taking care of your body (and of the common stretch marks), some believe that taking fish oil supplements could help you lose weight due to the production of hormones in charge of reducing your appetite. However, there are no scientific studies that can support this claim.

Another option is to consume good fatty acids, found in things like avocado, salmon and chia seeds. These types of acids give the body tons of nutrients, and even though they don’t help you lose weight they’ll make you feel more energetic.

You need to do pelvic exercises to make your stomach stronger. Ab work isn’t recommended here because it’s meant for muscles that are already in good shape. After childbirth, your muscles separate and you must allow them to recover.  The best-known form of pelvic exercises is Kegel exercises.

3. Lower belly bulge type

This is the typical tummy of busy mothers and women with demanding careers (or both).

This belly type also shows up in women who go to the gym or stay on a diet but always do the same exercises and eat the same foods.

A woman with a short blouse.

Bad habits linked to this belly type are things like excessive ab work or rigid routines like only doing cycling.

These exercises burn fat from the hips, legs, and arms, but not the belly.

Good nutrition is also essential for eliminating this lower belly bulge because it prevents constipation and bloating.

  • Eat more leafy vegetables, whole grains, and fruits.
  • Change your ab routines and do arm flexing or resistance exercises instead.
  • Start doing circuit training that involves strength and aerobic exercises. For example, you can do squats or jump rope. According to a study published in the Medical Journal of Chile, the latter promotes fat loss.

4. Stress Belly

Sitting at your computer and eating snacks in your office all day brings a lot of health problems with it. One of the main issues is it causes fat to accumulate in your belly.

This belly type is characterized by a hard, prominent swelling in the area between your diaphragm and belly button.

It’s not just unhealthy food that causes it, but also the production of a hormone called cortisol. (Which according to various studies, accumulates fat around the stomach.)

A woman grabbing herself.

If you consume too much caffeine, eat a lot of fast food, and don’t have fixed timetables, then you’re more at risk of developing this belly type.

One way to prevent it is to rest more since in this way your body will regulate and lower the production of cortisol. Likewise, studies such as the one published by the Faculty of Medicine of the UNAM, affirm that lack of sleep would lead to a greater risk of being obese.

You can also combat exhaustion by eating nutritious foods such as dried fruits.

Lastly, you should also reduce your coffee intake to two cups a day max, and do  relaxing types of exercise like yoga, tai chi, or taking a walk in the park.

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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.