Do you look into the mirror and gaze at your abdomen because a chunk of fat seems to hang loose? Are weeks of exercise and diet not helping you eliminate this apron belly? You are not alone!
You have a pannus stomach and so do I. Let us first accept that we have acknowledged this due to weight gain and know that we can rectify it together. If you recently went through pregnancy and had a cesarean delivery, you might have a pannus stomach or apron belly.
Table of Contents
Why do I have apron belly
Pregnancy apron belly is a common condition that happens to expecting mothers or post-delivery. As fat around the lower abdomen increases due to pregnancy weight gain, it fills the omentum with deposits. The omentum is compared to an apron as it creates a fold to connect abdominal organs with the stomach.
Your apron belly size can differ from mine. The major difference is mine happens due to excess weight gain, whereas you probably have it due to pregnancy. So, the sizes of our apron belly will also differ.
Many women turn to apron belly support because it hangs loose and covers the pubic area. The belly might also move over to the upper thighs if the belly is larger.
While going through an apron belly pregnant condition is more common, it can also happen to men. When men lose excessive weight, they can have an apron belly. The excess tissue from your old physique hangs in different lengths, sizes, and shapes. The problem is that while most of their body parts become tight, the apron fold remains.
How to get rid of sagging lower belly
Let us look at the most common reasons why people have an apron belly:
Pregnancy
If you are going through pregnancy, you are likely to look up apron belly before and after pictures online.
If you anticipate a sagging belly soon, you must understand that it is a natural process. When we choose to give birth, we welcome several changes both internally and externally.
Just like stretch marks and weight gain, a mother’s apron is also natural during pregnancy. When you have a baby in your womb, your abdomen and uterus stretch to accommodate.
As your body stretches during pregnancy, it sags after delivery. A pregnancy apron belly is worse for pregnant women who are already overweight.
After delivery, your uterus will return to standard size, but your belly will sag. You need to incorporate strength training exercises to fix this eventually.
Gaining weight
I possess an apron belly due to obesity. I have excess fat around the abdominal area. While I am regular at the gym, I lack following a healthy diet.
While my core is getting stronger every day, it is hard for me to eliminate my apron belly. My abdominal muscles feel strained and separate due to a condition called diastasis recti.
Genes
You might have a genetic disorder if you naturally grew an apron belly. It is funny how people do not realize that fat storage is distinctive from one to another. You might resort to surgical procedures if you want to know how to get rid of an apron belly. Genetics are not in our control, and natural remedies don’t offer desirable results.
Sudden weight loss
As mentioned above, men tend to have a sagging belly due to sudden weight loss. It is the same for women who lose excess body weight quickly.
Our body requires time to adjust to weight loss. If someone goes through a crash diet or follows unnatural means to lose weight, they might have an apron belly.
If you need to lose weight, it is best to go slow. A target of 1 to 2 pounds every week is natural. Anything beyond that can make your stomach look deflated. If your skin loses elasticity, it will be hard to make it tight again.
Belly apron support and aid
Depending on the severity of your case, a pannus stomach might make movement uncomfortable to most. If you just delivered a baby, you are less likely to bounce back immediately. Even if you have other causes of apron belly, you should look for support through:
An apron belly support helps lift the stomach and places it higher. Imagine wearing a tummy tucker before putting on your favorite dress. It makes your body look like that. Support bands for the apron belly ease mobility and relieve pressure from the back.
When you have a pannus stomach, the fold traps the body part above the pubic zone. You can accumulate sweat and dirt during hot summer days, leading to infections or ulcers. When cleaning your body, lift your sagging belly and cleanse thoroughly.
How to get rid of apron belly
Are you going through an apron belly before and after exercise and do not know if you can recover too? Well, you can fix this, and so can I. Let us discuss the remedies we should follow to get rid of an apron belly:
Dietary changes
Identifying your condition
The foremost step is to understand what you have and why. Is it because of weight gain, pregnancy, genetics, or anything else. Consult an OBGYN if you need assistance to diagnose if you have diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti happens due to an unnatural separation of abdominal muscles. It is more common for expecting women. If you have this, it is essential to inform your fitness trainer. You will have to refrain from some core exercises as they can increase abdominal separation.
Adding protein to diet
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about diet is the fewer calories I need to consume. But when I think about protein, it calms me down because it plays a big part in this journey. I am making changes to make my diet more protein-rich and it is helping me.
The foremost reason why protein is good for weight loss is that it is satiating. The nutritional benefits should rank on top. But that concerns better health. To make up your mind to follow a diet comes first. And we need food that makes us feel full.
Protein retains muscle mass that we lose while following a calorie deficit diet. Our muscle tissue burns faster than fat tissues, so we need to add more protein to maintain balance.
Cut back on juices
If you think fruit juice is aiding your weight loss journey, don’t learn it the hard way I did. Liquid calories are the worst, and you need to stop them immediately. Have whole fruits and avoid juices as they have fiber and not just empty calories.
If you consume alcoholic beverages or soft drinks, you are making yourself susceptible to several diseases.
Exercises
The leaner the stronger
Building muscles help our metabolism. Focusing on growing and maintaining muscle mass will improve metabolism and keep us fit. Weight training exercises make us stress on muscles and build them.
Strength Training
Trying to become lean alone will not help. You need to do weight training to see your sagging belly tighten up. If you appoint a personal trainer, they recommend working on every muscle group twice a week.
Strength training works on your entire body. So, you don’t just focus on your abdominal region. If you cannot go to the gym, you can buy home equipment and workout at home. There are countless free YouTube videos with step-by-step guidance. You can also enroll in an activity that teachers 1:1
Make sure you add push-ups, chair triceps dips, squats, and lunges to your home workout routines.
Daily Abdominal Exercises
Working on your core and abs is crucial to reduce apron belly fat. You can do most of these exercises at home; all you need is a yoga mat. Include types of planks, Russian twists, leg raise, sit-ups, crunches, bicycle crunches, and other exercises.
You need to do abs exercises every day for 15 to 20 minutes. Cardio and strength training can be done alternatively.
Surgical and non-surgical procedures
Laser
Before relying on a surgical procedure, try other methods to skip the harmful way. Laser and cool sculpting can help you get rid of apron belly.
It goes beyond the pannus stomach. These methods remove excess fat in difficult areas, and you can give yourself an overall makeover.
You should not do these while breastfeeding. So, wait for six months post-pregnancy and then do it. You should also avoid it if you have medical conditions, including obesity.
The laser melts the excess fat under your skin. Dermatologists create an incision to make way for the treatment and use machines to suck the fat out.
At first, the laser will melt the fat, and then the expert uses a tube to squeeze it out. You have to bear the pain of stitches in the incision.
People prefer this one over a surgical procedure as it is less invasive.
Cool sculpting
cool sculpting is an FDA-approved treatment for fat removal. It includes liposuction and other non-invasive processes. If you do this, it will take 4-6 months to recover as the fat cells remain that long.
Panniculectomy
Panniculectomy is a surgical procedure that can remove your belly fat. However, your doctor will determine if you can go through it, depending on your condition.
Health insurance usually covers the treatment because it is not considered cosmetic therapy. So, you must note that if you are looking to do it because of appearance, you might not get permit.
Tummy tuck
While abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) is similar to panniculectomy, it tightens the core. You are put under anesthesia while the doctor operates on you. It is a clear way to bring out fat when the body does not feel the pain. However, you can have swelling post-surgery. You need 5-6 weeks to fully recover.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Check out some of the questions you must have answers to about apron belly:
How big is my pannus stomach?
The sizes differ as per condition. While some cover the pubic area, others can go as low as the knee area.
Is apron belly a severe health disorder?
Anything that can cause damage to your health is serious. People with a pannus stomach can be prone to diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.
Can I lose weight to reduce my apron belly?
It is challenging to reduce apron belly with exercise only. You need to balance it out with a protein-rich diet. It will take time, dedication, and perseverance to tone your body again.
What are non-surgical ways to reduce apron belly?
Cool sculpting and laser are non-invasive. However, it is best to exercise and eat healthy to cut fat from apron belly.
None of these treatments resolves the cause of the problem. However, they may make it easier to live with an apron belly. If you want to get rid of the problem altogether, though, surgery is your only option.
Final thoughts
If you ask me my opinion, I will never go for surgical or non-surgical solutions. I would rather live with the problem than choose these options as they are expensive and also scary to me. It is best to exercise and maintain a healthy diet. Strength training will tighten out muscles, even if it takes a lot more time.