What Causes Muffin Top and How to Get Rid of It

Having excess fat accumulate around your waist is annoying. It lies deep in your torso and it can even pack around your intestines and liver. While having a chubby tummy may seem harmless, it doesn’t look appealing.

We at Bright Side have done our research to find out what gives you that stubborn belly fat and how to combat it.

1. Stress is the first thing to blame.

When we’re anxious, the body releases cortisol, a hormone of stress. Cortisol encourages fat to accumulate in our stomach area, and while it can give us a boost of energy, it can also lead to weight gain. Stress hormones also cause our appetite to increase, and the body begins to resist weight loss.

2. Your body might be trying to tell you something’s wrong.

Extra fat around your waist may be linked to several health issues. Fat cells are producing hormones to inform your body of how much fat you’ve stored. One of these hormones, known as leptin, can affect your reproductive system and worsen fertility. The fat hanging over the waist of your jeans may also be a sign of a metabolic disorder or high blood pressure.

3. Sleepless nights might give you a chubby stomach.

When we’re sleep-deprived, we tend to eat more sugar and we’re less motivated to exercise. Lack of sleep ups our stress level and our cravings for unhealthy foods.

4. Couch potatoes are at higher risk for belly fat.

If you’re consuming more calories than you burn off, chances are, you’ll put on some weight. An inactive lifestyle will make it hard for you to lose extra fat, especially the stubborn muffin top around your waist.

5. Tight rings may cause sausage fingers.

Muffin top can appear not only around your torso, but also on your fingers, wrists, or legs. If there’s excess skin and fat that bulges above or below your ring, it’s a sign that it’s too small and it’s causing you a finger muffin top. When your leggings are too tight, they’re likely to create a leg muffin.

How to get rid of muffin top

1. Add some essential fatty acids to your daily menu to enhance your metabolism. Nuts, cold-water fish, olive oil, and vegetables are great sources of fatty acids.

2. Exercise! There’s no one special muffin top busting exercise, but a combination of cardio and strength training will help you to flatten out your tummy.

3. Control your posture. The taller you stand, the less muffin top you show. To hold good posture, you need to engage your core muscles throughout the day which also helps you burn excess fat around your waist.

4. Get clothes and accessories that fit. A pair of jeans with a higher waistline will help to visually smooth out your tummy.

Do you have a muffin top? Do you know of any other ways to fight it?