Males and females at the beginning of development, show fat deposits distributed in fairly the same body locations. However, one can observe that females rapidly pile up fat masses during and post-puberty.

It is nature’s way of ensuring preparation for future pregnancies in female folks. Thus they must store energy in the form of fat because they may at some point in their lives need to nurture a fetus through pregnancy and then a newborn from their own body.

Body mass index (BMI) is widely used in the medical field to categorise weight and determine the likelihood of developing biometabolic diseases. BMI, however, only accounts for height and weight and ignores body composition or visceral fat. Although it is quite a tasking to lose fat from the abdominal region, it remains a worthy task to accomplish and a likely sign of fitness.

Once the weight is gradually determined by the offset from the measure of calories consumed daily and how much of it is expended through daily exercise relative to age. Hence eating too much and exercising little is tantamount to excess weight gain.

Additionally, as one age, muscle mass decreases especially for the not-so-athletic individuals who are more docile, ensuring fat mass grows. Women notice a marked increase in belly fat as they get older due to decreasing levels of estrogen.

The challenge with getting rid of belly fat is that it extends beyond the subcutaneous fat, the extra layer of padding that lies just beneath the skin. The Visceral fat is also a part of it; this type of fat surrounds the internal organs deep inside the abdomen. These fats clog body organs and pose significant risks to debilitating ailments.

Belly fat can be toned naturally, however, the process is gradual and requires a determined state of mind. Aerobics, bear crawls, crunches, cycling, flutter kicks, power walking and other specific abdominal exercises can help you tone your abs, but they won’t drastically help you lose belly fat on their own.

However, visceral fat reacts to cohesive dietary and exercise plans that assist you in losing extra weight and reducing your body fat percentage.
• Always eat healthily
• Indulge in plant-based meals, including fibre-rich foods, fruits and veggies
• Be wary of unsaturated fats and trans-fat-based meals.
• Delight in drinking water as you take portion-sized meals in order not to leave the stomach bloated.
• Limit participating in stressful situations
• Get adequate rest
• Always work within your set targets so long it’s a medically sound decision.
• Aim for modest and consistent weight loss to eliminate extra fat and prevent it from returning.
• Do consult your gynecologist, pre, during and post the exercise.
• Limit alcohol consumption to minimal levels
• Consider intermittent fasts: This is a diet strategy that alternates between fasting and regular mealtimes. While usual diet exercises emphasise what to eat, here, when to eat is considered. Mark Mattson, an intermittent fast revolutionist has postulated that. Owing to prolonged activity at night, especially for entertainment purposes, people now consider late-night meals and snacks as a habit to indulge in.

This ensures an added storage of calories in the form of fat since the gained calories aren’t metabolised. These periods of fasting can result in ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns down stored fat for energy when there is insufficient glucose available to do so. Thus, the liver releases Ketones, which are body acids that act on the body’s fats to produce energy. This can result in weight loss along with consuming fewer calories overall.

The 16/8 and 5:2 strategies of intermittent fasting are the most often used. The 16:8 approach, which states that there should be 16 hours between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the next.

You consume two meals during the course of the eight hours that you are permitted to eat. Second, there is the 5:2 diet, which involves eating normally five days a week and essentially nothing (very low-calorie meals) the other two days.