Girdles, high-waisted pants, compression tights, peplum tops, and all sorts of other products exist to create the illusion of a tighter midsection. We are just that motivated into getting a slim figure!
For both health and aesthetic reasons, a flat stomach is prized by most individuals any day of the week. However, this coveted feature has been all the more challenging to maintain as we get older and our bodies are subjected to change, such as pregnancy, weight gain, or weight loss — and that’s all normal.
If you’re like us, just an average guy searching countless ways on how to get rid of a saggy lower belly, then look no further. This article will finally put an end to your search to replace your flabby stomach with a slim, smooth, and sexy core.
Top 6 Ways on How to Get Rid of Saggy Lower Belly
1. Nothing Beats Thread Lifting
Thread lifts have traditionally been used to create a more defined and youthful look by lifting sagging skin in the face. So why not on your belly?
First of all, thread lifts are painless. Local anesthesia is used in the area so that you won’t feel a thing; plus, only the most miniature needles are used to insert these medical-grade threads into your skin. Because of the minimally invasive nature of this procedure, the after-effects (swelling, bruising, scarring) are almost non-existent compared to full-on plastic surgery.
Moreover, the healing process also directly increases collagen production in the treated area, which also helps tighten loose skin. Thread lifts are a great bang for your buck as they are also less expensive, while the effects last for years.
Finally, and most importantly, thread lifts give instantaneous results — one minute you’re looking up how to get rid of the saggy lower belly, and the next, you’re checking out a pair of low waist jeans to flaunt your tight tummy! Yes, it’s that impressive.
2. Healthy Diet
Prevention is better than cure, as they say. So it’s only natural that one of the best ways on how to get rid of a saggy lower belly — either due to stubborn fat or loose skin — is never to get one in the first place.
That’s easier said than done, of course. But maintaining a healthy diet of green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, and lean meats will benefit you in more ways than one.
Other than keeping a good waist-to-hip ratio (higher ratios have been associated with chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes), you’ll also have a clear mind to go about your daily tasks with more efficiency. Even more advantageous is that you will gain more energy to move around and get some exercise into your daily routine. So working out will feel more manageable and exciting.
3. Ab Exercises
Abs are made in the kitchen — however, physical activity is essential in maintaining healthy body weight. Cardio exercises, which get your heart rate up, will help you lose those extra pounds while building a few muscles that will soon hold your sexy shape.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is particularly effective in burning fat while maintaining your muscle mass (super effective when paired with a healthy diet). If you want to raise your basal metabolic rate and burn calories even at rest, you should focus on building muscle through weight training.
Reducing lower belly fat is particularly stubborn — even the most dedicated gym enthusiasts have had to put in a few extra hours to reveal that last pair of abs. Speaking of abs, strengthening your core does more than just improve your posture and coordination — it also helps tighten your lower stomach. Toning your abdominal muscles also helps reduce the appearance of your muffin top. Here are some exercises you can try:
Plank
The minutes you spend doing a plank will seem like the most prolonged hours of your life, but your body will thank you as this targets your entire abdominal area and lower back. Just make sure to keep your body in a straight line to get the proper form.
To do a plank, just lie down facing the floor and raise your body using elbows and toes. Hold this position for as long as you can. Three good holds till you are exhausted per session should provide the best results.
Leg Raise
This exercise specifically targets the lower abs. Just lie on your back and raise your feet together at a 90-degree angle, hold, and slowly lower your legs till they hit the floor. The best thing about this workout is that there’s no need for special equipment. You can increase the difficulty by not letting your feet touch the floor until you’re done with your reps.
Sit-ups
A gym class favorite, no list of ab exercises is complete without sit-ups, which target the upper, mid, and lower abs, as well as the hip flexors.
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and then crunch your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor. Hold, then slowly lower back to starting position. Three sets a day should be your target.
Cosmetic procedures
With the advance of technology, more ways to get rid of loose skin and fat around the belly have become available. Apart from thread lifting, here are a few ones. Take note that these procedures can be pretty expensive.
Ultrasound Skin Tightening
The procedure uses focused ultrasound energy to heat the deepest layers of the skin and stimulate collagen production, which is a significant factor that contributes to skin elasticity.
Radiofrequency Treatment
Similar to ultrasound skin tightening, this method also heats the outer layers of the skin to achieve the same desired effect.
Laser Lipolysis
Exercise is a slow burn compared to this approach, which uses concentrated laser light to melt away fat. This procedure may cause more discomfort compared to the others on the list.
CoolSculpting
This last method can remove as much as 5-8 liters of body fat in one session by freezing fat cells, which the doctor then draws from the body.
Firming creams
The answer to getting rid of loose skin on your belly may not be at the end of the rainbow as you previously thought — but in a pot of firming cream. Just make sure to get one that contains retinoids like tretinoin or retinoic acid, as these speed up the turnover of skin cells. Hyaluronic acids are another valuable component that reduces wrinkles while increasing skin firmness.
Massage
While nothing beats a couple’s massage, your skin can reap all of the benefits by doing it all alone to yourself. Massage your skin using circular motions — moving upward and alternating from clockwise to counterclockwise. Doing this stimulates the skin’s production of collagen and elastin — both essential ingredients to prevent and cure sagging skin.
Collagen provides structure and strength, while elastin makes the skin flexible to help it bounce back into shape. You may also opt to use oils or a firming cream for even better results.
Frequently Asked Questions on Getting Rid of Saggy Lower Belly Fat
How to get rid of sagging lower belly after pregnancy?
You might be anxious to get rid of your “pregnancy pouch” right away and want to see the changes quickly. However, you need to be more patient. Your body is already hard at work to get you back in shape — it took nine months to grow a human being, so you can’t expect it to recover in just a snap of a finger.
For one, hormonal changes will slowly cause the uterus to return to its normal size. If you’re nursing and moving around the house, chances are you’ll slim down fast. The loose skin may be harder to get rid of, so you can try a combination of firming creams, massages, and postpartum girdle to tighten the skin on your lower belly. You can make it easier on yourself and get a thread lift to get your bikini body back in no time.
What exercises tighten your lower stomach?
It’s almost impossible to spot-reduce fat, so any physical activity to help you lose weight will do the trick to get rid of your belly fat. Getting back on the treadmill, skipping rope, hiking, cycling, swimming, weight training, or even just walking the dog every day burns inches off your waist.
You can also target your core with abdominal exercises to tone your abs for a tighter lower stomach. Crunches, sit-ups, leg lifts, hip bridges, and Russian twists are some of these exercises we recommend. You can check out videos on YouTube that you can follow, or better yet, get a coach so you can nail the correct form and prevent any injuries.
How soon will I get rid of my saggy lower belly?
A lower belly can result from weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, or the effects of aging. Through proper diet and exercise, you can slowly reduce the appearance of a protruding midsection.
In most cases of rapid weight loss, loose skin is an undesirable side effect. Fortunately, this can also be mitigated by toning the muscles in the abdomen. Meanwhile, new mothers will see changes in their postpartum body after six to eight weeks.
Seniors generally have a more difficult time getting rid of a saggy lower belly through natural means; that is why we recommend non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures such as thread lifts.
Final Words
As sociable beings that love to interact with one another and hold value to comments, a sagging lower belly isn’t something we like to get up to and see in the mirror every morning. But as our bodies change as we grow, fluctuations in weight and skin condition cause this undesirable phenomenon to occur. That’s why everyone is asking “how to get rid of the saggy lower belly.”
Fortunately, when diet and exercise aren’t enough, there are lots of ways to get rid of excess fat and loose skin on your stomach — some of which can be found sitting on your favorite drugstore’s shelves or at the end of a massage gun. Still, if you want to get back to flaunting your figure as soon as possible, there’s always your friendly neighborhood cosmetic surgeon who will be more than happy to let you say goodbye to your search for how to get rid of your saggy lower belly once and for all.