What causes a huge belly?
taunto
Posts: 6,420 Member
Pardon me if this was already covered in one of the stickies but I couldn't find info on it.
I was curious as to what causes a huge belly while the other areas of your body are relatively not affected (BESIDES PREGNANCY!). An example would be my brother. He was an all Pakistan Marital arts champion, always physically active till the past 4 years and now if you look at his from the back you'll see him as a little chubby guy but if you look at his tummy, its literally like a soccer ball he swallowed.
I am similar way except I wasn't into sports and usually just used to walk around alot. While my stomach isn't (or wasn't rather) that extreme of disproportion, the fat isn't distributed like it is for many I see.
So what gives? Is it all just genetics or our body composition or does our lifestyle or diet has anything to do with it?
I was curious as to what causes a huge belly while the other areas of your body are relatively not affected (BESIDES PREGNANCY!). An example would be my brother. He was an all Pakistan Marital arts champion, always physically active till the past 4 years and now if you look at his from the back you'll see him as a little chubby guy but if you look at his tummy, its literally like a soccer ball he swallowed.
I am similar way except I wasn't into sports and usually just used to walk around alot. While my stomach isn't (or wasn't rather) that extreme of disproportion, the fat isn't distributed like it is for many I see.
So what gives? Is it all just genetics or our body composition or does our lifestyle or diet has anything to do with it?
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Basically, baring any medical condition, it's genetics. I would need to look into it a bit further to be able to articulate it better, but a lack of exercise may also impact it (beyond the usual higher BF%) it. Exercise, especially lifting, is better at mobilizing 'stubborn' fat.0
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Basically, baring any medical condition, it's genetics. I would need to look into it a bit further to be able to articulate it better, but a lack of exercise may also impact it (beyond the usual higher BF%) it. Exercise, especially lifting, is better at mobilizing 'stubborn' fat.
I can dig that. I was always curious as to if genetics was the primary reason for it since here in Saudia most of the time the bigger excuse used is "Its because we're on chair all day and so we get huge bellies while the rest of the body is unaffected"0 -
Wheat.0
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Wheat.
Not for the majority of the population and not the huge bellies I think taunto is referring to.0 -
Wheat.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!0 -
Saudi chairs must be designed weird. Try American, they make your butt big I hear.
Or I always just thought guys got fat bellies. I don't see many thin men with flabby arms or legs.0 -
Taunto, I think you should probably take a pregnancy test. :laugh:0
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Saudi chairs must be designed weird. Try American, they make your butt big I hear.
Or I always just thought guys got fat bellies. I don't see many thin men with flabby arms or legs.
Aaaaah - that's what happened to my *kitten*...although it was big when I lived in the UK - they must have similar chairs.
But yes, men are generally predisposed to carry their weight in their stomachs. Women are a lot more variable.0 -
Wheat.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
LMAO0 -
I was poking around the other day and it was stated that visceral fat increases significantly with reduction of exercise. As most organs are in the midsection that could account for some of it?
Also, aren't people under stress more likely to store in the midsection or is that a myth? Cortisol and all that.
I personally just think it's a bad case of gas.0 -
I think it's genetic too. No one on my dad's side has big bellies and everyone on my mom's side of the family does. I used to be skinny all over except for my belly. I've always had a big belly, at my skinniest (I played badminton, ran track, gymnastics) and at my largest weight. But exercise can take care of it for sure. It doesn't hang out any more or protrude the way it used to. Lots of ab exercises along with reducing total body fat and I now have 3 distinct muscular vertical sections on my belly instead of 2 horizontal tyres!0
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Basically, baring any medical condition, it's genetics. I would need to look into it a bit further to be able to articulate it better, but a lack of exercise may also impact it (beyond the usual higher BF%) it. Exercise, especially lifting, is better at mobilizing 'stubborn' fat.
My thought too!0 -
Wheat.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
LMAO
Someones been reading Wheat Belly LOL0 -
Wheat.0
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Wheat.
I thought it was sarcasm honestly.0 -
Wheat.
lol she's a friend and made a joke thinking these were the main forums. Its all kosher0 -
Wheat.
I thought it was sarcasm honestly.0 -
Wheat.
I thought it was sarcasm honestly.
its ok, I didn't get the joke either but know her and knew wheat doesn't do it so its all good0 -
In response to the OP...I have the same issue...at least with the big sticking out belly...Still trying to figure out why...
I lift...eat healthy...blah! It's definitely frustrating. And no - I'm not pregnant...although by the end of the day I actually look 7 or 8 months pregnant.0 -
Is the beer belly adage a myth as well? If you gain weight from alcohol consumption it goes on your stomach?
It sounds like BS, but I dunno.0 -
Wheat.
I thought it was sarcasm honestly.
its ok, I didn't get the joke either but know her and knew wheat doesn't do it so its all good
Oh yes, 1Concrete was joking, no question.
I'm curious about the alcohol thing, too. On Friday the professor of my health and fitness mentioned something about alcohol being metabolized a bit differently by the body and that it might lead to adding more visceral fat. It was all very sketchy and I admit that I wasn't paying as close attention as I should have, plus it had the faint smell of potential broscience.
Wow, I added absolutely nothing to this discussion0 -
In response to the OP...I have the same issue...at least with the big sticking out belly...Still trying to figure out why...
I lift...eat healthy...blah! It's definitely frustrating. And no - I'm not pregnant...although by the end of the day I actually look 7 or 8 months pregnant.
Your perception of your belly is the issue, not your belly.0 -
agree to disagree0
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agree to disagree
Your bodyfat % is in the low teens last I checked. Equivalent to single digits for a male. Suffice it to say that your perception of what is a "huge belly" and the majority of everyone else's perception of a huge belly, is drastically different. That's the only point I was getting at.
EDIT: If you literally have a condition that makes your lean stomach look like the size of a soccer ball, please post a pic and I'll retract everything I've said.0 -
Well, I blame my big belly on the disgusting gap in my stomach muscles, caused by eating too many fried pickles and carrying twins to term (13 pounds total weight at birth).
But, isn't there a real disease (Cushings?) that causes people to have skinny arms and legs and a big belly? I'm pretty sure someone I know has that. And that's what I look like pretty much after every meal. It's a food baby.0 -
Well, I blame my big belly on the disgusting gap in my stomach muscles, caused by eating too many fried pickles and carrying twins to term (13 pounds total weight at birth).
But, isn't there a real disease (Cushings?) that causes people to have skinny arms and legs and a big belly? I'm pretty sure someone I know has that. And that's what I look like pretty much after every meal. It's a food baby.
Nothing to add at the moment..except, holy crap! 13 lbs? Wowsa!0 -
Well, I blame my big belly on the disgusting gap in my stomach muscles, caused by eating too many fried pickles and carrying twins to term (13 pounds total weight at birth).
But, isn't there a real disease (Cushings?) that causes people to have skinny arms and legs and a big belly? I'm pretty sure someone I know has that. And that's what I look like pretty much after every meal. It's a food baby.
Nothing to add at the moment..except, holy crap! 13 lbs? Wowsa!
Hmmm, counting all 4 kids, that would be a total of 31.5 pounds of baby that resided in this belly at one time or another. Maybe I'll make 31.5 pounds my target weight loss goal! And, I should totally cut myself and the droopy elephant skin belly some slack! :laugh:0 -
In response to the OP...I have the same issue...at least with the big sticking out belly...Still trying to figure out why...
I lift...eat healthy...blah! It's definitely frustrating. And no - I'm not pregnant...although by the end of the day I actually look 7 or 8 months pregnant.
not to sound crude, but I have this same issue when I don't get enough fiber during the day..... a big ol glass of Metamucil helps.
:glasses:0 -
sometimes it's because of this:
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He probably carries more visceral fat while you tend more towards subcutaneous fat. How fat is stored is generally genetic. There is some rare condition that causes people to store fat in crazy ways, but I think that is hereditary too.0
This discussion has been closed.