How to trim a fat stomach for men

What you need to know:

  • Unlike women, who are prone to store fat in their buttocks, thighs and pelvis, men store fat in their bellies. A reduced-calorie diet and effective exercise can slim your stomach and improve your quality of life.

In mid-2017, John Kisaame recalls weighing up to 92 kilogrammes. At 28, he agrees it was excessive weight and this got him worried. While the rest of the body parts looked average, the tummy would protrude through whichever shirt he wore.
“I felt very heavy. For a distance that I could walk, I had resorted to using boda bodas. I decided to exercise. Every morning before going to work and in the evening after work, I would lie on the floor without a cushion and place my hands on the head or the side,” Kisaame recalls.

Bicycle exercise
“I would then hang my legs off the floor in space and fold them around the knee joints. Slowly, but with a lot of energy and pain, I would carry my legs one after the other close to the chest as if I am stretching. After gaining the stamina of carrying the legs in the air without touching the floor, I worked on the pace at which I moved the legs to appear as if I was riding a bicycle. I did this daily for a month,” he adds.
When he weighed himself after a month, Kisaame had lost two kilogrammes. This, he says, meant that if he stuck to the exercise routine, he was bound to lose atleast two kilogrammes per month. Currently, he weighs 82 kilogrammes and exercises once a day.

Side to side bending
Julius Gayira, a fitness expert, recommends side to side bending as one of the simplest exercises to help you reduce and maintain a manageable tummy size and shape. It is also very convenient since it can be done at home.

How it is done
“Stand or sit with your legs apart and bring your left hand and body to bend towards your right as your right hand rests around the waist. With legs still apart, bring your right hand and the body to bend towards your left until you feel as if you are exerting a strain around your waist area,” Gayira says.
“For each time you stretch, stay in the same position for between 10 to 20 seconds until you feel comfortable to adjust.”

Lifting weights
Unlike Kisaame, Kennedy Kabagambe says he was able to successfully trim his tummy by lifting weights. He was advised to start with a manageable weight and his trainer increased the weight gradually.
“I began with dumbbells weighing five kilogrammes each. You have to stand up straight and hold them straight in your hands as you raise them up and down. Start at a slow pace and when you feel they are becoming light, increase the weight and speed at which you raise them,” Kabagambe says.
The up and down motion is what helps you trim the tummy. This is because the motion stimulates body muscles to release body hormones that help burn excess fats that usually deposit around the tummy.

Situps
Robert Ddamulira, a fitness expert, says situps equally help you trim the size of your tummy when done regularly.
“You can either sit down on the floor or on a bench with your legs stretched. Place your hands on your head as you take the upper body part up and down. If your legs are also carried up, get someone to hold them firmly on the floor or bench until you are able to balance on your own,” Ddamulira says.

Roadwork
Ddamulira also says roadwork, which involves jogging, helps you reduce your tummy. He, however, says the distance covered should depend on your energy levels and goal. He also recommends drinking warm lemon water atleast one hour before taking breakfast.

Foods to avoid
Sarah Mbatudde, a nutritionist, says to avoid gaining a tummy, avoid foods such as fatty beef whether it is roasted or cooked, fried meats, margarines, pork and fried foods such as chips, among others.