WE all have “problem areas” when it comes to our bodies, and for many of us, this is our middles.
Whether we’ve got a beer belly, love handles or a spare tyre, thousands of us are self-conscious when it comes to our stomachs.
An ‘apron belly’ is excess fat and skin that hangs down at the bottom of your stomach[/caption]
If you have excess fat and skin that hangs down at the very bottom of your tummy, you could have what’s known as “apron belly“.
Usually caused by weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes or poor lifestyle choices, people with this little, or sometimes big, flap often feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.
It also carries serious health risks that could even shorten your life.
Unfortunately, like most types of fat around the abdomen, it can be very difficult to shift.
Thankfully though, the right approach to diet and exercise can quickly help you burn fat and tighten muscles in the area, and improve your overall core composition.
I’m Jenny Francis-Townson, a personal trainer, expert in women’s physical health and someone who has seen my fair share of clients desperate to shift the excess fat around their middles once and for all.
Here’s everything I’ve learned about the dreaded apron belly – and how to get rid of it, the easy way.
The dangers of apron belly
For many people, the lower tummy region is a stubborn area of fat that seems impossible to shift.
Many of my clients have come to me with varying degrees of apron belly, desperate for a flatter tummy and to be able to fit much more comfortably into their clothes.
But while this is often for aesthetic reasons, losing your apron belly could also do wonders for your health.
1. Fungal infections
When your skin layers over itself, it is extremely likely to cause hygiene issues.
The area between the two pieces of skin can get very warm and moist – the perfect environment for infections to occur.
The combination of trapped moisture and friction can make you uncomfortable and leave you very prone to developing fungal infections that can get nasty pretty quickly if left untreated.
To avoid this, try to keep the area as clean and dry as you can, especially in warmer weather.
And wear loose-fitting clothes where possible until you are able to lose the fat.
2. Back pain
Carrying extra weight around the lower belly often shifts your centre of gravity and causes postural adjustments that put a lot of pressure on your lower back.
This not only results in back pain, but can also weaken your pelvic floor, causing further back issues, pelvic weakness and incontinence.
3. Disease and lower life expectancy
Over the last decade, studies have highlighted the dangers of holding excess body fat around the tummy area.
This includes an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and even death, according to research by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Separate research has found links between lower belly fat and type 2 diabetes, as well as heart attacks and dementia.
4. Self confidence and mood
Those who carry excess body fat around their tummies are much more likely to admit they suffer from low self esteem and self confidence than other areas of the body, research shows.
Finding clothing that fits well and is comfortable can also be difficult, which can negatively impact mood and lead to social anxiety and depression.
Personal trainer Jenny Francis-Townson[/caption]
The apron belly workout
It’s not all doom and gloom. You can actually massively improve your apron belly with exercise.
But you need to pick the right moves!
The biggest mistake people make is attempting core exercises that are too advanced and put too much downward pressure on an already weak core.
Even personal trainers are guilty when they’re not specialists in this area.
The secret is to really slow things down and opt for deep core movements that target that stubborn area and build strength and stability from the inside out.
Plus, adding in a short, sharp burst of cardio at the end will help elevate your heart rate and burn those extra calories needed for fat loss.
Here’s my ultimate at-home circuit you can do in 10 minutes to bring those deep core muscles together, tighten your abdominal region and connect your core to your pelvic floor to overhaul your lower abs.
1. Bear hover
Start your bear hover on all fours with your toes tucked under[/caption]
Tuck your pelvis under and lift your knees a few inches off the floor[/caption]
Start on all fours with your toes tucked under and your hands underneath your shoulders.
Take a deep breath in and focus on filling your belly with air, letting it expand.
Breathe out with control and as you do, tuck your pelvis under, push into your hands and feet, and squeeze your core and pelvic floor as you lift your knees a few inches off the floor and hold them there.
Hold for five to 1- seconds, then as you control your exhale out, let your core muscles relax, also relaxing your pelvic floor and allowing your knees to return to the floor.
Perform 10 of these.
2. Tucked knee side plank
Target your core with a tucked knee side plank[/caption]
Hold for five seconds at the top, then slower lower yourself back down[/caption]
Start lying on your side with your legs bent, knees stacked on top of each other and your upper body resting on your forearm.
Take a deep breath in and focus on filling your belly with air, letting it expand.
Breathe out with control and as you do, tuck your pelvis under, and squeeze your core and pelvic floor.
Push into your forearm and feet and lift your hips off the floor.
Hold for five seconds as you continue to exhale, then as you control your exhale out, let your hips return slowly to the floor.
Relax your pelvic floor and allow your belly to expand.
Perform 60 seconds on each side. Twice through.
3. Leg extensions
Lying on your back, slowly alternate legs[/caption]
Do this for 60 seconds in total[/caption]
Start lying on your back.
Bend your knees and lift your legs off the ground so they are in a table-top position.
Tuck your pelvis under and lift your pelvic floor in to push your lower back into the floor and keep it here the whole time.
Take a deep inhale and extend one leg slowly out straight while keeping your lower back pushed into the floor.
As you exhale, slowly draw your leg back to table top and squeeze your core. Repeat on the other side.
Do this for 60 seconds on each side, twice through.
4. Standing marches
Lift your arms directly above your head for standing marches[/caption]
As you bring your arms down, lift your knee directly in front of you[/caption]
Start standing and lift your arms directly above your head.
From here, lift your left knee directly up in front of you, hold for a second at the top, then slowly lower back down to the floor.
Alternate legs for 60 seconds. Rest, then repeat twice more.
5. Sprint on the spot
Finally, sprint on the spot for 40 seconds[/caption]
Standing upright, sprint on the spot for 40 seconds non stop.
Go as fast as you can!
The apron belly diet
But you can’t get rid of your apron belly with exercise alone.
You also need to make some changes to your diet too, nutritionist according to diet coach Sarah Bockhart, from weight loss app RWL.
“There are two main things you want to do with your diet to get rid of apron belly,” she says.
“The first is to get yourself into a simple calorie deficit.
“This just means you need to start looking at your daily calorie intake, and make sure you are not consuming more than you are using up.
“The best guide is to aim for 1,500 as a woman and 1,750 as a man to lose weight.
“Use a weight loss app that allows you to track your daily calories – RWL has one built in that allows you to scan barcodes of supermarket food – or just use Google and keep track of how many you are eating.
“This is effective because it’s going to get your body burning fat that it doesn’t need, eventually taking that fat away from the lower tummy area.”
What the shape of your stomach reveals about your health
BEER bellies, spare tyres and washboard abs – stomachs come in all shapes and sizes.
While it may be easy to assume the smaller and less wobbly the better, that’s not always the case, according to Dr Simon Theobalds.
The GP, from Manchester, said that the appearance of our middles can reveal a significant amount about our health, but it’s vital to consider someone’s overall wellbeing – including their diet, exercise routine and genetics.
Just because someone looks lean, it doesn’t mean there isn’t something more sinister going on inside, and they’re not at risk of complications down the line, he said.
“Stomach shape may reveal health clues, but it’s not the full story,” the doctor added.
That said, there is a fair amount you can tell about someone just by looking at their abdomen.
“Various illnesses can influence stomach appearance,” Dr Theobalds said.
“Fat accumulation could indicate potential health risks like heart disease, while a bloated stomach might signal digestive issues.”
- Washboard abs – low body fat percentage, low risk of fat-related health problems like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and stroke
- Beer belly – increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and metabolic issues, as well as liver cirrhosis, cancer, gout, cataracts and stomach ulcers
- Love handles – indicator of ‘toxic’ fat stored deep inside the body, potentially contributed to by eating more calories than you’re burning, sleep deprivation, and stress, could have an underlying risk of high cholesterol, sleep apnoea and osteoarthritis
- Spare tyre – increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- Hard and full – excess gas, water retention, possible constipation, food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome or coeliac disease
- Tense and tight – stress, often accompanied by diarrhoea, bloating, hiccups, nausea and stomach aches
- Bowling ball – often caused by overeating, but could also be pregnancy, menstruation, bowel obstruction, internal bleeding
- Paunch – menopause, increased risk of cardiovascular disease
You can read the full story here.
Apron belly dos and don’ts
Once you’re on top of your calorie deficit, you can take things a step further.
“These other nutrition hacks are going to seriously help you lose weight from this lower abdominal region,” Sarah says.
1. Drop the sugar
Sarah says: “Sugar is terrible for our gut and can actually hinder our ability to burn fat.
“Cut out refined sugar as much as possible.
“If you have a seriously sweet tooth and this is a weakness for you, here are some swaps:
- “Swap ice cream for greek yogurt. You’ll get rid of the sugar and fill yourself up with a good hit of protein.
- “Swap milk chocolate for 70 to 80 per cent dark chocolate. You’ll still get the chocolate hit but with less sugar and calories.”
2. Up your protein and fibre
“A great way to make a calorie deficit easier is to not let yourself feel hungry,” Sarah says.
“Upping your protein and fibre intake will really fill you up and prevent those hunger pangs that often see you reaching for snacks.
“Add lean fish and meat to your meals and try to get lentils, beans or chickpeas into at least one meal a day.”
3. Cut out ultra processed
Ultra processed foods are those that have been industrially processed and contain ingredients we wouldn’t have at home.
Think bacon, crisps, cereals, energy drinks and microwave ready meals.
“They have a very low nutritional value and tend to be full of chemicals that make you want to eat more and more of them – exactly the opposite of what you need to burn fat in their lower belly region,” Sarah says.
“Cut out supermarket-bought biscuits, crisps, pastries and sweets and try to cook your favourite takeaway meals at home.”
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
“To help you out, I’ve complied my favourite three recipes that will get you in a calorie deficit while hitting your nutrition goals,” Sarah says.
Try not to eat snacks in between, and stick to water or herbal tea for drinks.
Breakfast: Almond croissant baked oats
For breakfast, try almond croissant baked oats[/caption]
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 50g almond butter
- 2 tsp sweetener
- 2 medium bananas
- 200g oats
- 60g vanilla protein powder
- 400ml unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 25g flaked almonds
- 1/2 tsp icing sugar
Method:
- Preheat the fan oven to 180C
- Mix together the egg, almond butter and sweetener to a creamy consistency and set side.
- Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl then add the oats, protein powder and almond milk and combine. Stir through the baking powder and pour into a baking dish (or 4 individuals baking dishes).
- Drizzle the creamy almond mixture over the top then sprinkle over the flaked almonds
- Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Once cooked, sprinkle over the icing sugar and serve.
If you baked it in one dish, cut the baked oats into four and leave to cool then individually wrap each portion.
If you baked it in four dishes, leave to cool entirely then store with foil or lids over the top.
Lunch: Creamy tomato and basil chicken pasta
This delicious creamy tomato and basil chicken pasta makes a great lunch[/caption]
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 200g cherry tomatoes
- 50g sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 60g spinach
- 2 tbsp creme fraiche
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 lemon
- 100g wholewheat tagliatelle
- Pinch of black pepper
- Handful fresh basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Place the chicken breasts into a baking tray, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the dried oregano. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Boil the pasta as per the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain away the water (reserving a mug full).
- Place the cherry tomatoes along with a splash of water into a large pan over a medium to high heat. Cook down for 5 minutes; they should start to blister. Then using the back of a spoon, crush the tomatoes.
- Add in the onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Fry over a medium heat for a further 8 minutes.
- Add in the paprika, crumbled stock cube, lots of black pepper, spinach and a few tbsp of water. Cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes before then taking off the heat and stirring through the fresh basil, creme fraiche, lemon juice and zest.
- Add the pasta to the sauce – here you may need to add a splash of the pasta water to loosen the sauce a little. Then serve up alongside the chicken, and enjoy!
Dinner: Sesame chicken rice bowl
Try a sesame rice bowl with chicken, pork, beef or tofu[/caption]
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g broccoli
- 80g kale
- 1 fresh chilli, sliced
- 80g wholegrain rice
Method:
- Cook the rice as per the packet instructions.
- Place the cornflour into a large bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then toss in the cornflour to coat. Set aside.
- For the sauce, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, honey and garlic powder.
- Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, add in the broccoli, kale and chilli. Fry for 5 to 6 mins, until the broccoli has softened and the kale has wilted. Once cooked, remove from the pan, cover and set aside to keep warm.
- Place the pan back on the heat, then add in the chicken and fry for 6 to 8 mins until the chicken is cooked through and golden. Then pour over the sauce and fry for a further 1 to 2 mins until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Once the chicken is ready, serve with the rice, veg and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
Tip: This recipe also works well with pork, beef, or tofu for a veggie alternative.
