A pot belly refers to excess abdominal fat that accumulates around the stomach area, typically appearing when there is more than an inch of fat thickness. This type of belly fat, including both subcutaneous fat just under the skin and deeper visceral fat, becomes more visible when combined with weak stomach muscles.
Understanding how much belly fat leads to a pot belly is crucial, as too much belly fat, especially visceral belly fat, can pose serious health risks. At SpaMedica, we provide both surgical and non-surgical ways to lose body fat effectively.
Excess belly fat is the result of consuming too many calories, not burning enough calories, or — usually — a combination of the two. Individuals who consume high-fat and high-calorie foods and lead generally sedentary lifestyles are likely to develop excess fat on the body, including around the abdomen, where it may appear as a pot belly. Some individuals are genetically predisposed to storing fat around their midsection. Men are more likely to develop a pot belly, as women tend to store excess fat around the hips and thighs; however, both men and women can develop a pot belly.
To effectively reduce belly fat and promote a healthy weight, revise your dietary habits. Start by limiting or eliminating high-calorie foods that offer little nutritional value, such as red meat, high-fat dairy products, and processed foods like potato chips and candy.
Instead, focus on increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods and whole grains, which can help decrease visceral fat and support weight loss. Incorporate high-protein, dietary fat options such as fish, eggs, and lean chicken to help maintain muscle mass while you lose belly fat. Additionally, staying hydrated with plenty of water and avoiding sugary beverages like juices, sodas, and alcohol can prevent unnecessary weight gain and help you achieve a healthier body fat percentage.
In order to lose weight, it’s important to burn calories. Belly fat can be stubborn, so a fitness regimen that combines strength-training exercises that target the midsection with cardiovascular activity is recommended. Sit-ups or crunches, planks, and mountain climbers are all exercises that target and engage the core (abdominal) muscles. For cardiovascular activity, running, cycling, or hiking will help get your heart pumping, as will the use of exercise machines such as treadmills and stationary bicycles, or elliptical machines, which offer a great, low-impact workout for those who may have back or knee issues.
Check out our before and after section here!
At SpaMedica, there are two procedures used to target the belly fat that makes a pot belly. The first, CoolSculpting, which is non-surgical, starts at $799. Liposuction, which is the surgical option for removing a pot belly, starts at $4,999.
At SpaMedica, we may use one of two procedures to address a patient’s belly fat. The first, CoolSculping, is a non-surgical procedure. During the procedure, an applicator is placed on the abdomen. The device will gently suck the unwanted fat up into a chamber. The temperature within the chamber is then dropped to below freezing. If the duration of the cold temperature exposure is long enough (40-60 minutes), between 22 and 30% of fat cells will permanently be removed.
The second procedure used for removing belly fat is liposuction. During liposuction, localized fat is removed via gentle aspiration, through small, hidden access ports. Modern liposuction involves the simultaneous liquefaction (melting of the adipose), which leads to a more gentle removal of fat, as well as the contraction of overlying soft tissue. Liposuction is performed under local anesthesia and, depending on the size of the area being targeted, takes between 1-4 hours.
Used to achieve the contoured and desired look that is sometimes unattainable by diet and exercise.
A non-invasive fat reduction treatment that targets and freezes fat cells to be naturally removed.
