What is a Muffin Top and How do I Get Rid of It?

If you are wondering when you should consider liposuction, one case is with a muffin top. This guide explains what a muffin top is and how to get rid of it.

June 30, 2021

5 min read

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The word “muffin top” can leave us feeling a little insecure about ourselves. We might start pulling down our shirts or wearing loose-fitting pants to cover up this area of our body.

However, having extra fat around this specific area is entirely normal for men and women! Nevertheless, looking and feeling great is still the main goal for many of us.

Fortunately, in the age of modern medicine and science, we have various ways of combating this pesky area. So if you’re looking to get more information on muffin top solutions, then keep reading to learn more!

What Exactly Is a Muffin Top?

Love handles or muffin tops are terms used to describe stubborn fat around the midsection. There are two types of belly fats that cause muffin tops: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.

Subcutaneous fat makes up 90% of our body fat, while visceral fat only makes up about 10%. Oddly enough, visceral fat is what makes it so hard to lose that stubborn belly fat.

The reason is that visceral fat lives beneath the abdominal wall, making it harder to burn off. Not to mention, visceral fat cells can excrete toxic chemicals to the body that cause serious diseases. That’s why keeping this fat from growing is highly important for your well-being and overall appearance!

Muffin Top Causes

Muffin tops are sometimes caused by an array of different factors ranging from hormone production to diets! Many times, women are unaware of what exactly is causing their weight gain. This can make it harder to see results even if you’re working out and dieting!

Hormone Changes

Hormone changes can impact a woman’s skin, weight, and even hair density. Sometimes hormone changes could are due to age, birth control, and pregnancy.

These hormone changes are relatively standard and will balance themselves out over time. However, some women suffer from long-term hormonal imbalances.

If that’s the case, then losing weight can be practically impossible. In these instances, it’s recommended that the woman has a medical intervention, such as liposuction, tummy tuck, or prescription pills to help balance out hormones.

Hereditary Causes

Unfortunately, your genetics determine where certain body fats become stored in the body. Therefore, some people’s genetics will store fat in the midsection, while others store fat around the back and buttocks area.

So if you’re wondering why you’re muffin top is more prominent than other people who weigh the same as you, it’s because your genetics prefer to store fat in this area.

Menopause Causes

Menopause is one of the leading causes of weight gain, hair loss, depression, and anxiety. Unfortunately, this is something that we as women cannot avoid. Menopause also causes extreme hormone changes and, as mentioned above, can increase your weight.

Stressors and Anxiety

Stress releases cortisol levels, making your body go into survival mode and store as much fat as possible. So even if you’re working out and dieting, your weight will remain the same!

Some women tend to overeat to relieve stress, which can also contribute to their muffin tops.

Diet and Exercise

This one seems like a no-brainer, but we’ll still mention it as a precautionary tale. For starters, diet and exercising should still be a part of your normal routine, even if you believe you have a hormonal imbalance or one of the other causes listed.

You might be wondering why it’s important to exercise and diet even if you do not see the result due to these ailments. However, just because you do not see the external results doesn’t mean that the combo doesn’t work against combating unwanted fat.

For example, diet and exercise are highly proven to reduce stress. Therefore, by reducing stress, you’d also lose weight.

Also, diet and exercise can help with hormonal imbalances caused by menopause or other ailments that may contribute to your weight inconsistency. 

Muffin Top Solutions

There are many different solutions for muffin tops. The most effective and instant results are usually tummy tucks and other fat reduction procedures. However, after healing fully, it’s still recommended that you follow a strict diet and exercise routine to keep that unwanted fat away.

Liposuction to Remove a Muffin Top

Liposuction can give you instant results, but you’re probably wondering what this procedure entails.

For starters, sedation is carefully administered. After this, a small incision will be made near your stomach. This incision will then be given local anesthesia to relieve any bleeding and bruising.

When the area is ready, a thin tube with a surgical vacuum will be accurately placed inside the incision. The surgeon will use a light thrusting motion to dislodge the fat and then suction it out of your body.

Once the appropriate amount of body fat is carefully removed, the surgeon may suture the incision and bandage it up. Compared to other fat reduction procedures, liposuction is fairly simple and not as invasive.

Most patients heal 3 to 6 weeks after the operation. Some side effects of the procedure include bruising, swelling, pain, and discomfort. Although rare, liposuction could cause body shock syndrome, severe body infections, and even death when done incorrectly.

That’s why it’s important to find the best plastic surgeons if you’re thinking of taking this route!

Tummy Tuck to Remove Muffin Top

Just like liposuction, a tummy tuck requires anesthesia for added comfort and safety. Once the proper dosage has been administered, a horizontal incision between the pubic area and the belly button is created.

Depending on the excess skin, a longer or shorter incision will be made to reach the fat. Once the incision has been made, the excess skin is cut off, and the abdominal muscles become restored. Many times, women can’t lose weight due to a separation in the abdominal wall!

After the excess skin gets removed and the abdominal wall is restored, the remaining skin is sutured back to the original position. This causes the stomach to appear flat and tightened.

A tummy tuck also causes bruising, swelling, pain, and discomfort. Severe side effects include infections, tears, and death. However, the success rate for this surgery is very high.

The best way to avoid complications is by following your surgeon’s aftercare instructions! Most women are completely healed after 4 to 7 weeks.

Diet Pills and Teas for Muffin Tops

Instagram influencers love to share their post about weight loss gummy bears, teas, and pills. However, the truth about these gimmicky products is that some are highly dangerous and don’t provide long-lasting results.

Some people experience temporary results, but they are produced by laxative-based medications rather than a fat-burning method. In other words, your body is quickly relieving toxins. The problem with this method is that you’re also clearing other necessary nutrients from your body at a high rate.

Overall, it’s best to do your thorough research on over-the-counter weight loss medications. If you are thinking of taking this route, speak to a professional and understand the ingredients in the product!

Best Diet for Muffin Top and Weight Loss

Even if you’re planning on doing one of the options above, a good diet can help you extend the results. With liposuctions and tummy tucks, the results are immediate. However, not every fat cell is removed during these procedures.

And by consuming high amounts of calories per day, your midsection becomes a target area for fat cells.

Overall, this can be easily combated by burning a higher calorie count than what you consume per day! For example, if you consume 3,000 calories a day, try and burn this many by doing exercises!

Perfect Exercise Routine for Muffin Tops

A high cardio workout combined with core-strengthening exercises can help remove some unwanted fat in the midsection. If possible, try and exercise four times a week for thirty minutes to an hour!

Start by doing entire body stretches to get your muscles ready and avoid any tears. If you’re a fan of the treadmill, start running at a medium pace and slowly incorporate 30 seconds of intense cardio.

Once you’ve got your body warmed up, then it’s time for some core strengthening exercises. Some good core strengthening exercises are side bends, pushups, rose planks, and mountain climbers!

Results Are Possible and Highly Achievable

Muffin tops can be a thing of the past! There are so many different ways to get rid of this annoying fat. So say goodbye to a long t-shirt and hello to that hot bikini you’ve been eyeing.

So don’t forget to contact us today to schedule a consultation!

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