Doing weight training frequently, but your abdominal muscles are still not showing any signs of growth? Nutritionists reveal the three main culprits

Showing off wealth is out of fashion. Now it’s considered a skill to be able to successfully “show off your belly”! With the rise of health awareness, more and more people are choosing to join the ranks of weight training in the hope of having a well-proportioned body. However, I believe that many people must be wondering, they are actively exercising and doing weight training every day and are not lazy, but they still can’t see their abdominal muscles and mermaid lines? Nutritionists say the problem may lie in these three reasons!

Why can’t I train my abdominal muscles and mermaid line? It may be caused by excessive body fat

Nutritionist Lin Yuwei said that moderate fitness and weight training can indeed help build muscle and make the body more sturdy. However, for people with too high a body fat content, although exercise can be used to train the body shape, the subcutaneous fat will be slightly reduced and the body shape will become firmer. However, visceral fat still clings to the periphery of the abdominal organs like a stubborn piece of gummy bear and refuses to let go.

Therefore, for those who have excess visceral fat and no obvious decrease in subcutaneous fat, if they simply hope to achieve the goal of sculpting abdominal muscles through weight training, but do not properly control their diet to fundamentally reduce body fat, the effectiveness of muscle training will naturally be greatly reduced. Therefore, for the above-mentioned groups, if they want to successfully "show off their belly" and make the lines appear smoothly, the first thing they should do is to actively and comprehensively reduce the visceral fat and subcutaneous fat in the body.

Want to successfully "show off your belly"? First, find out the three culprits of abdominal fat accumulation

What should you do if you want to get rid of visceral fat? Nutritionist Lin Yuwei explained that just as Rome was not built in a day, the excess body fat in the human body is not formed in a day either. In fact, the main culprit that leads to body fat accumulation is related to improper diet and lifestyle habits. Therefore, if you want to successfully say goodbye to body fat, you must first correct the following three major culprits:

Culprit 1: Stress and lack of sleep:

In order to cope with the pressure of busy life, modern people often need to work overtime and stay up late. In order to meet the needs of the human body, the body's endocrine system will secrete relevant hormones to adapt. Take the adrenal glands for example, they will increase the secretion of "stress hormones" such as cortisol to maintain the body's proper physical strength and maintain optimal performance.

However, stress hormones can also increase the body's blood sugar levels and reduce the rate of fat decomposition in the body, making it difficult to decompose visceral fat in the abdomen. In addition, insufficient sleep will reduce the secretion of "leptin", making it easier for the human body to resist the charm of delicious food, increase food intake, and the food eaten will not be easily converted into calorie consumption, causing fat to accumulate in the body.

Culprit 2: Eating too many high-glycemic index foods:

Foods with a high glycemic index, such as noodles, cakes, porridge, reconstituted fruit juice, and sugary drinks, are mostly very delicious and easy to make people unable to stop eating them one bite after another. But it is worth noting that once these foods are eaten, they will be quickly digested and absorbed by the human body and converted into blood sugar, causing the blood sugar concentration in the body to rise rapidly, even higher than the body's needs. When excess blood sugar is not used, it will be converted into body fat and stored in internal organs or subcutaneous tissue. Therefore, people who like to eat high-glycemic index foods in their daily diet often have a higher visceral fat index in their bodies.

It is generally recommended that friends who have the habit of exercising and hope to lose body fat should avoid eating high-glycemic foods as much as possible in their daily diet, and choose more low-sugar fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and foods rich in high-quality protein. In particular, within 1 hour after exercise training, when supplementing carbohydrates, try to choose whole grains, and consume them together with high-quality protein and good fats. This will naturally help reduce abdominal fat and develop obvious muscle lines.

Culprit 3: Not eating after exercise:

Although eating less after exercise does help reduce body fat. But conversely, reducing body fat will also lead to the loss of muscle tissue. Therefore, not eating after exercise is not helpful for fitness enthusiasts to build muscle lines. Moreover, if you do not eat after exercise, the body will consume too much energy, which will make it more prone to fatigue and even affect your exercise performance in the next few days.

There are tricks to bring out your hidden abdominal muscles~ Learn these 5 dietary tips and show off your abs for life!

Nutritionist Lin Yuwei also mentioned that if you want to achieve better results in fitness and weight training, it is recommended that people should learn the following 5 dietary tips in addition to active exercise:

Tip 1/Proper protein supplementation: Moderate protein supplementation helps break down essential amino acids for the human body, thereby assisting in muscle synthesis, maintaining the balance of brain information transmission, and stabilizing emotions. When choosing protein foods, it is recommended to use white meat such as fish, chicken, eggs, and soybeans as the main sources of intake.

Tip 2/Choose low-glycemic fruits: For example, kiwi, guava, orange, cherry, apple, orange, cherry tomato, etc. are all good choices of fruits with a low glycemic index. In addition, to avoid a rapid rise in blood sugar, it is recommended that when eating fruit, try to avoid fruit juice and choose more fresh fruits that can be eaten in their original state; at the same time, avoid overripe and relatively sweet fruits, which will help maintain stable blood sugar.

Tip 3/Supplement whole grains and vegetables: Eat more whole grains such as brown rice, black rice, and oats in your daily diet. They are rich in natural gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), multiple B vitamins, and nutrients such as minerals magnesium and calcium, which can help relieve stress and relax. In addition, the rich dietary fiber in vegetables and whole grains can stabilize blood sugar levels, increase satiety, and reduce fat accumulation; and the phytochemicals in vegetables can help metabolize the large amount of free radicals produced after exercise.

Tip 4: Eat good oils to fight inflammation: Take a moderate amount of fish oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, and coconut oil to supplement omega-3 fatty acids. This not only helps to improve negative emotions and fight depression; it is also a good choice for dietary supplements during sports training to fight free radicals and inflammation after exercise.

Tip 5/Stay away from stress and bad mood: In addition to exercising and keeping fit, go for walks and outings outdoors regularly. Alternatively, listening to music at home, changing the environment to adjust your mood, and relaxing tense and stressed emotions are all good ways to maintain mental health and help maintain weight training.

[Nutritionist's Tips]:

Finally, I would like to remind you that if you want to lose weight successfully and change your body shape, do not be impatient or rush, but proceed step by step and in an orderly manner. In addition to eating less and exercising more, it is recommended that people seek help from professional nutritionists and fitness coaches when appropriate to find out the causes of obesity, which will be more helpful in the process of losing weight and shaping the body.