Those scary words “overweight.” In 2022, it was calculated that 2 million people in our country are obese. Well, that is, how he “suffers” - the phrase “to lose weight before going on vacation” does not count. And these are only official statistics - it is clear that in reality the figure is many times higher. The question arises: where from? Is it really so difficult to just pick it up and throw it away?
Slender people will say: take it and lose weight. The fat ones will answer: I have a wide bone, and in general, everyone in my family, right up to my cat’s sister’s cousin, has always been fat. Let's look point by point at the most idiotic misconceptions and myths about excess weight. Stock up on chips and let's go.
Body types
Dr. Soloviev offers us an interesting classification of body types. In his theory, this researcher proposes three types: asthenic (thin-boned), normosthenic (having bones of medium thickness) and hypersthenic (broad-boned). You can determine whether a person has a wide bone or a thin one by measuring the wrist with a measuring tape. The girth of this part of the body is less than 15 centimeters in women and 18 in men is considered minimal and characterizes a type with a thin-boned physique. The figure is up to 17 cm for representatives of the fair sex, and up to 20, respectively, for representatives of the stronger sex, suggesting that the bones are of medium thickness. If the measurement turns out to be more than 17 (women) or more than 20 centimeters (men), then the type of build is broad-boned.
Other ways to determine your type
The simplest and less accurate way to understand what kind of physique nature has given you is to clasp the wrist of your left hand with the thumb and index finger of your right hand. Accordingly, if their tips meet, you are a normosthenic. If the fingers overlap, the person is asthenic. In hypersthenics, the fingers do not touch. You can roughly recognize your body type visually by examining the general outline of your figure. Asthenics usually have limbs and all vertical lines that look elongated against the background of horizontal ones. Normosthenics are those about whom we can confidently say that their figure is proportional. And “broad bone” is a popular definition for those who have noticeable shoulders, chest, and wide hips. At the same time, a person is not necessarily overweight; even if he is quite slim, it is the horizontal lines that attract attention.
Big bones or slow metabolism?
It is very easy to calculate a predisposition to obesity at the genetic level without laboratory analysis. It is enough to look at the ancestors of a particular person. If several people in a family are overweight, most likely the children will be familiar with this problem firsthand. However, we should not forget about such a factor that influences the rate of appearance of fat deposits as metabolism. Surely you have met thin people who are not used to denying themselves the pleasures of food, as well as those who are constantly on fashionable diets to no avail. In most cases, the explanation for both phenomena lies precisely in metabolic rate. The faster the metabolism, the fewer calories received are stored in fatty tissue, and vice versa.
How to apply blush to narrow your face
If you apply makeup correctly, your face will be visually narrower and slimmer.
To narrow your face with blush, you need to make the skin under your cheekbones a shade darker.
For this purpose, dark blush, dark shades of foundation or matte bronzer are suitable, which makes the skin tanned. How to apply these products?
- With your mouth closed, lower your lower jaw and draw in your cheeks. The cheekbone line is clearly drawn on the face.
- Apply a dark shade to the area under the cheekbones, moving from the center of the cheek to the ear.
- We apply highlighter to the top point of the cheekbones to emphasize: everything light appears visually larger.
All cosmetics should be used without fanaticism and the line of transition from one tone to another should be shaded so that the face does not lose its naturalness.
The second way is to focus on the eyes and eyebrows to distract the viewer’s gaze from the cheeks. We paint the eyelashes in two layers, giving a neat shape to the eyebrows.
The main advantage of this method is that you can narrow your face with makeup in a few minutes, on your own and almost free of charge.
How to lose weight if you have wide bones? Photos are great motivation
The main factors for successful weight loss are regular physical activity and a rational approach to nutrition. Start with a detailed study of your figure today, think about which areas need to be worked on - this will make it easier to create a training program. An excellent motivation is to take a full-length photo, write down measurements of the main volumes and total body weight on the day you decide to lose weight. Do not scold yourself under any circumstances, think positively. Tell yourself: “This is me today, and tomorrow I will become even better!” By the way, sometimes a girl’s wide bones (photo in the middle of the article) can even look quite seductive. Take, for example, the feminine hourglass figure. For those with thin bones, it is very difficult to significantly increase hip size. In order to correct the shape of your own body, it is not enough to work out in the gym for three months or go on a diet for two weeks. You will have to fight for slimness throughout your life, devoting sufficient time to fitness and monitoring your diet. However, we are not talking about strict restrictions. You must learn to enjoy healthy food and be able to give up most of the useless dishes.
Why do girls have a protruding lower abdomen and what to do?
Olga Shuppo, scientific director of the Grand Clinic, gave a comment to the Live portal
Link to original source
The stomach is one of the “popular” problem areas for women. This is due to the characteristics of lifestyle, genetics, and hormonal levels. Sometimes the lower abdomen can bulge even in slender girls. Why?
Protruding lower abdomen in women: main reasons
Let’s not touch on the topic of excess weight now: if your BMI is significantly higher than normal, a slightly “sticking out” lower abdomen may be a completely natural consequence of this. If you are generally slim, but your lower abdomen still bulges noticeably forward, you may need to undergo a comprehensive examination.
In general, women are more likely to accumulate fat tissue in the abdominal area. This is due to evolution. “In men, fat is usually evenly distributed throughout the body, while in women it accumulates zonally,” explains Vladimir Kuzelin, Candidate of Medical Sciences, sports medicine doctor at the MEDSI Clinic in Izhevsk. “Plus, there are differences in the structure of adipose tissue. In men, adipose tissue is denser, in women it is looser. In men, the connective tissue that surrounds the adipose tissue is denser; it simply prevents the adipose tissue from “bulging” through the skin. But in women, connective tissue does not have such advantages; it immediately leads to the appearance of cellulite.”
“The fat layer in women forms in this area faster than in men. The subcutaneous fat layer is designed by nature as a shock absorber to potentially protect the pelvic organs and fetus from external influences. It is also a kind of reservoir of the hormone estrogen, which is responsible for reproductive function,” adds Olga Shuppo, scientific director of the Grand Clinic network of immunorehabilitation and preventive medicine clinics.
This parameter is set by nature. “More precisely, the female hormone estrogen, which triggers the process of weight gain in women. This is due to the reproductive function of a woman, fat in the lower abdomen acts as protection for the fetus,” adds Leonid Zasedatelev, a specialist in rehabilitation and posture correction.
Here are the main reasons why women may have a protruding lower abdomen.
Postural disorders
"Protrusion" of the abdomen forward can be caused by hyperlordosis. “The spine has natural curves (kyphosis and lordosis), which are formed in connection with upright posture; they are necessary for shock absorption,” explains Vladimir Kuzelin. — In the lumbar spine, the forward bend is called lordosis. Normally, its size ranges from 3 to 5 cm; if the bend is more than 5 cm, hyperlordosis occurs. At the same time, our back muscles spasm, but our abdominal muscles stretch. Plus, hyperlordosis bulges forward, puts pressure on the internal organs, and they put pressure on the inner wall, which also leads to protrusion of the lower abdomen.”
Hyperlordosis can be congenital or acquired - for example, due to an abnormal gait pattern.
You can find out whether you have hyperlordosis yourself. “To do this, you need to stand against the wall and press your back, shoulders, feet and head tightly against it,” notes Maria Belyaeva, nutritionist, health-coach. — Pay attention to the distance between the lower back and the back. If your palm passes smoothly through this area, you most likely have hyperlordosis.”
Poor posture can be corrected by physical exercise and massage practices, which we will discuss below.
Prolapse of internal organs
As they descend, the abdominal organs shift from their place, causing the lower abdomen to visually protrude forward. “This can be caused by weakness of the abdominal muscles, pelvic floor and ligaments,” explains Vladimir Kuzelin.
Weak pelvic floor muscles can also lead to a protruding lower abdomen. “The pelvic floor muscles support the internal organs and are involved in maintaining intra-abdominal pressure; their weakening means prolapse of the internal organs,” says Leonid Zasedatelev.
Diastasis
This is what is called the divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles. “In this case, they are not on the same level, not parallel to each other, but diverge. This leads to the formation of a round belly,” says Vladimir Kuzelin.
Gastroenterological diseases
These include chronic constipation and gas formation. “In this case, the stomach will look like a balloon. Usually it looks normal in the morning, but throughout the day it “puffs up”, especially after eating. The most interesting thing is that the scales do not display this. Frequent gas formation can be the cause of bacterial growth syndrome, or hidden intolerance to foods, for example, those containing gluten or lakotz,” adds Maria Belyaeva.
Endocrinological disorders
We are talking about hormonal imbalances. “In menopausal women, the production of progesterone and estrogen decreases, which manifests itself in the form of deposition of excess fat in the abdominal area,” says Vladimir Kuzelin. - You can also highlight polycystic ovary syndrome, which leads to local deposition of fat in the abdominal area. The absence of thyroid hormones at the proper level leads to a decrease in lipolysis, impaired lipid breakdown and, unfortunately, immediately contributes to the accumulation of fat.”
Thus, thyroid problems can lead to bulging of the lower abdomen.
Lifestyle
Lack of sleep and prolonged periods of stress provoke the production of cortisol. “It causes the body’s resistance to another hormone, insulin, which is responsible for transferring carbohydrates and blood sugar to the “depot” - the liver. Because of this, sugar from the blood passes into fat mass and leads to abdominal, abdominal obesity,” adds Vladimir Kuzelin.
Gynecological disorders
A large ovarian cyst or uterine fibroids can lead to protrusion of the lower abdomen.
Oncological diseases
Unfortunately, a bulging lower abdomen can be a symptom of a dangerous disease. “A protrusion of the abdominal cavity can be caused by intestinal cancer,” warns Vladimir Kuzelin.
Weakness of the abdominal muscles
Stretched and weak abdominal muscles can lead to protrusion. “If you pump up your abs, this is not a guarantee of a solution to the problem,” explains Maria Belyaeva. — An indicator of strong abs is cubes, but they can also be located on a bulging belly. The transverse muscle, which is located under all other muscles, is responsible for holding the abdomen. Only it can reduce the size of the abdominal cavity.”
To solve the problem in this case, Maria advises regularly performing the abdominal vacuum exercise.
“Also, in women with this feature, the interaction of myofascial chains may be disrupted - this is a stabilization system, which is a combination of certain muscles located along certain lines of mechanical tension of the connective tissue, which arises due to the influence of static and dynamic load,” says Olga Shuppo. - As a rule, the anterior myofascial chains will be shortened in this case. This leads to disruption of the biomechanics of the spinal region, causes shortening of the torso flexors, and changes the location of the pelvis. Thus, the abdominal organs are forced to hang over the inguinal fold.”
Among other factors, experts also highlight heredity, unbalanced diet, and bad habits.
Protruding lower abdomen: what to do
The key here is to determine the cause of the protruding belly. If you do not have hyperlordosis (and you found this out as a result of a home test), but have any accompanying symptoms (pain in the lower abdomen, discomfort after eating or defecating, constipation, etc.), experts recommend visiting a general practitioner who will prescribe diagnostics.
The solution to the problem must be comprehensive. “If we encounter this pathology, we need to perform the appropriate diagnosis - find the main causes. If this is hyperlordosis of the lower back, a consultation with a physical therapy doctor, an orthopedist, a traumatologist, and an x-ray will help with this,” says Vladimir Kuzelin. — If we have diastasis, prolapse of internal organs, we will need a consultation with a surgeon and an ultrasound. If these are clinical manifestations of endocrinological disorders or gynecology, then we need consultation with specialized doctors.”
What methods can be used to solve the problem? Exercise therapy or health training, massage and, of course, lifestyle correction are often prescribed. “In addition to physical training, we can recommend a balanced diet, appropriate microelements, drinking regimen, quitting smoking and alcohol,” sums up Vladimir Kuzelin.
“In addition, visceral abdominal massage techniques can be useful, with the help of which specialists put internal organs and systems in place, improve lymph flow - this allows you to remove excess swelling inside and straighten the stomach itself. As an additional therapy, they also resort to methods of myostimulation on the abdomen. This is a hardware technique where weak electrical impulses are applied through special electrodes, promoting muscle contraction and burning of excess fat,” adds Olga Shuppo. “If there is excess subcutaneous fat, lipolytics can be used - injections that help break down excess fat, hydromassage, which effectively drains the entire body and helps reduce swelling.”
The most important step here is to determine the cause. “It depends on what strategy to choose to improve the situation,” says Leonid Zasedatelev. - If hormones are within normal limits, then it makes sense to train the pelvic floor muscles and abdominal muscles - this will help support the abdominal organs. You can also correct your posture with the help of a specialist, if necessary. It makes sense to adjust your diet and pay attention to your emotional state, perhaps the presence of stress and it’s worth working with it to improve the physiological processes associated with psychosomatics.”
Experts advise approaching the problem of a bulging belly thoughtfully and thoroughly. You shouldn’t immediately go on a strict diet or work out your abs to the point of fainting - perhaps the reason is not muscle weakness at all.
Truth and fiction about broad bone
In traditional medicine, there is no recognized definition and classification that allows one to accurately determine whether a person has a wide or narrow bone. This concept is more often used among people, sometimes in proprietary weight correction methods. Even in the classification of body types, differences in bone thickness do not directly indicate a tendency to be overweight. Even asthenics or normosthenics can be overweight, and among hypersthenics there can be very thin people, including those suffering from underweight. However, the concepts of “narrow or wide pelvic bones” are actively used in medicine. Most often, the size of the bones in this area is of interest to doctors when monitoring pregnancy and predicting childbirth; there are special standards and even a special tool for measuring all significant parameters.
Do exercises help narrow a face with wide cheekbones?
To narrow the face, face-building instructors recommend training the muscles of the cheek-zygomatic region, and in theory, the exercises can have a good effect.
Facial fitness or a new gadget for facial gymnastics.
We will not dissuade you from gymnastics, because keeping your facial muscles toned is useful in any case.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to “pump up” just one or a couple of muscles in isolation. To one degree or another, all groups of facial muscles will be loaded, including those zones that expand the face.
