The fact is that men and women tend to gain weight in different places. When men reach a certain age, they tend to gain weight in the lower belly. This is not so much the consequence of a poor diet or sedentary lifestyle — although they can certainly factor into that low-center weight gain — but a matter of gender, genetics, and time. If you’re a man who’s interested in getting rid of belly fat, we can help put you on the right track. Continue reading to learn how to beat the dad bod.
What Is a “Dad Bod,” and How Did This Term Become Popular?
The origins of the term “dad bod” are somewhat nebulous, but it was first found in a publication in 2015 when a Clemson student by the name of Mackenzie Pearson used it in the title of a blog article. But the term possibly originated in a 1994 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 where one of the characters used the phrase “assortment of dad bodies.” Regardless of how the term came into popularity, dad bod refers to lower body fat around the waist in men. Today, everyone knows what a dad bod is, but few men are happy being tagged with the term.
Why Is Belly Fat Dangerous?
You may be under the impression that all types of fat are equally unhealthy, but that’s not the case. Subcutaneous fat is the layer of fat that lies just below the skin. While it’s not usually considered attractive, it’s far less dangerous than visceral fat, which is a harder fat that lies deeper inside your abdomen and can surround your internal organs. Increased visceral fat can lead to a slew of health issues for men, including cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and high blood pressure.
How to Lose Belly Fat in Men
There are a number of measures that you can take to decrease your belly fat, including the dangerous visceral body fat that’s deep in your abdomen. Some measures that you can take to decrease belly fat include:
Eating Healthier – Reducing your carbohydrate intake and lowering your calorie count can help decrease your overall body fat, including the fat around the belly. We advocate a moderate calorie deficit to lose weight and a calorie-neutral diet to maintain your body weight. You should always check with your doctor before starting a new diet, particularly if you have known health issues.
Exercise – Cardiovascular exercise can force your body to draw on fat reserves to meet your increased energy requirements, while area-specific resistance exercises (i.e. sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts, etc.) can tighten the abdominal muscles and reduce belly fat.
Reduce Alcohol Intake – This doesn’t only apply to beer, which often takes the blame for creating beer bellies. While brewed beverages tend to have a higher carbohydrate count, all alcoholic beverages contain calories. If you drink more than one or two, you’re essentially adding a small meal’s worth of calories to your diet.
While these are all valid approaches to losing belly fat — as well as for leading a healthier lifestyle — they simply may not be enough. Older men, in particular, have an extremely difficult time losing belly fat. Where you may have been able to keep a trimmer waistline in your youth, you might feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle at this point. If this is the case, you may want to consider a safe, non-invasive, and effective medical option.
An Overview of Laser Lipolysis
Laser lipolysis is a medically proven way to reduce belly fat. It is non-surgical, safe, and produces results. While there are different fat-reduction laser machines on the market, Emerald Laser is the only system to receive FDA market approval for patients with a BMI over 30, which is frequently the case for men with belly fat. Emerald laser is a “cool laser” system, which means that the lasers are powerful enough to be effective, but not so intense that they make the process painful.
The Laser Lipo Process
Emerald Laser uses ten 532-nm low-intensity lasers to target fat cells below the skin. These lasers bore tiny pores into the walls of the fat cells and emulsify the lipids contained inside. Over a period of days, the liquified fat drains through the holes where the body’s lymphatic system safely disposes of them. The Emerald Laser process does not kill fat cells. While destroying fat cells may seem like a desirable outcome, the opposite is true — particularly for belly fat. Dead cells often fail to regenerate, and if you gain weight, you’ll accumulate it in other areas, including around vital organs. For this reason, Emerald Laser is much safer than fat-cell-destroying procedures, like fat freezing, liposuction, and other laser lipo systems.
Advantages Over Other Medical Weight Loss Processes
There are several reasons that patients prefer Emerald Laser to other weight loss procedures:
- Non-Invasive – No incisions or anesthesia.
- No Down Time – You can resume full activities immediately after each session.
- Painless – Most patients feel nothing at all.
- Fast – Each session only lasts about 30 minutes. You can even schedule it for your lunch break.
- Effective – Emerald Laser was proven to reduce fat and body circumference in multiple blind studies.
- Cost-effective – When compared to invasive procedures, like liposuction or gastric bypass, laser lipo is much more cost-effective.
Why More Men Are Turning to Laser Weight Loss For Help
As men get older, it’s more and more difficult for them to reduce body fat. Even “the lucky ones” who could control their weight with moderate exercise and a reasonable diet often notice fat accumulating in their bellies in their middle age. Laser fat removal targets your fat cells, and it works, regardless of your age, gender, or metabolism. In addition to working on the abdominal fat that’s characteristic of the dad bod, laser fat removal can be used to reduce fat in the thighs, buttocks, back, legs, shoulders, and even parts of the face and neck. Safe, effective, and painless, laser fat removal is fast becoming the procedure of choice among men.
Frequently Asked Questions About Laser Lipo
If you’re a man who is looking for an effective way to get rid of your dad bod, we’re ready to help. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about laser lipo and answers from our medical experts.
Can Laser Weight Loss for Men Help Get Rid of Your Dad Bod?
Emerald Laser is effective at reducing lower stomach fat. In addition to laser treatments, we recommend that our patients lead a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet and exercise. But if you can’t seem to reduce your stomach fat — particularly when you lose weight in other areas — you are probably a good candidate for laser fat removal.
How Fast Will I See Results With Laser Lipo?
Most patients will begin to notice a fat reduction within two weeks of the first session. If you follow the recommended course of sessions, full results can be seen after 12 weeks.
I’m Not Overweight. Why Do I Still Have a Dad Bod?
Many individuals confuse body weight with body fat. While the two are closely related, they are not the same. If you have a normal BMI, but still feel that you’re fat, you probably have a high body fat percentage. Laser fat removal can help.
Emerald Laser by Erchonia
Erchonia is a pioneer in the laser fat removal industry. Emerald Laser was the first laser fat removal machine to receive market clearance by the FDA. Contact an Emerald Laser provider to discuss achieving a younger, more fit body. Call today!
