Who would have thought that the extra fat & loose skin just above your pubic hairline (the mons pubis) has a name? After puberty, this region generally becomes covered with pubic hair and enlarged depending on hormones.
Well, that fat you have been struggling to get rid of is called FUPA – a Fat-Upper-Pubic-Area or also called a Fat-Upper-Pelvic-Area.
For images of FUPA, check out: Attack of the Fupa (23 Photos) & The Mighty FUPA
Sadly, this condition affects both men and women. While the rest of the world may be in the dark about your little situation, you may be struggling to find a way of getting rid of that fat.
Understandably, adding weight in specific areas of your body, even when you are not overweight is disturbing. Don’t worry because we will tell you all the tips and strategies you need to lose that FUPA for good.
WHY FUPA? 7 POSSIBLE CAUSES
Most of us already know that fat is stored in adipocytes (commonly known as fat cells) which are located all throughout the human body. In general, people do not control where these fat cells get stored and if you suffer from FUPA, then they are concentrated in the lower belly area.
Surprisingly, there are many factors that can contribute to this. So let´s have a look at things that contribute to the FUPA and what you can do about it.
#1. GENETICS
Thanks to genetics, some people have adipocytes concentrated in the groin area, and others don’t. The different fat storage regions mean that even when on the same diet or when overweight, some men and women will have more fat around the groin area and others won’t.
According to Harvard.edu, genetic factors vary from one person to the other:
“The strength of the genetic influence on weight disorders varies quite a bit from person to person. Research suggests that for some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%. Having a rough idea of how large a role genes play in your weight may be helpful in terms of treating your weight problems.”
Genetics is the main cause of FUPA. Unfortunately, in such case shedding weight from this area is challenging compared to losing fat from other parts of the body.
To learn more about genes that cause weight gain and what to do about them, check out this article by Sara Gottfried MD called 5 Genes That Make It Hard to Lose Weight, and What You Can Do To Combat Them
#2. WEIGHT GAIN & WEIGHT LOSS
Variations in weight coming from fat build up and the loss of skin tension around the bikini area can cause FUPA. This is common with obese individuals. With an increase in body weight the body looks for more fat storage space, and within a few months, you have that fat belly called FUPA.
On the other side, the rapid fat loss also contributes to the formation of FUPA. Losing weight forms loose skin pockets around the bikini area. These pockets will significantly contribute to the creation of a Fat Upper Pubic Area phenomenon.
#3. PREGNANCY
Pregnancy is the gift that keeps giving. Besides a child, you will also have fat accumulating just above the pubic hairline. This is the most common cause of FUPA, especially after childbirth.
The muscles around the pubic area get lax after birth. This creates new fat storage space leading to FUPA. It is important to note that not all women get FUPA because of pregnancy.
If you want to lose that post pregnancy baby weight, you should definitely check out this great article on HealthLine: 16 Effective Tips to Lose Baby Weight After Pregnancy
#4. POOR DIET
You are what you eat. A poor diet doesn’t just show on your skin; it shows through your skin. When you have a genetic predisposition towards storing fat around bikini area, you should take extra care not to eat junk food.
Check out 75 Unhealthiest Foods On the Planet to read more on this.
An important factor to keep in mind when you think about FUPA and diet is that of inflammation closely associated with processed foods. Fast foods loaded with sodium, alcohol, refined and processed foods, as well as sugary foods, encourage the inflammation and formation of FUPA.
Usually, these foods get converted into fats, and they encourage further fat build up. What is more, intake of refined sugars leads to a spike in blood sugar levels that increase the release of insulin.
High insulin promotes further fat storage in adipocytes. Therefore, every time you overeat refined sugars, your insulin spikes and with time, you will have that ugly bikini area fat. With this knowledge, a change in diet will result in the loss of FUPA.
If you eat right, you may never get the bikini area fat even when you have genes for this fat storage issue. For the most healthy and weight loss friendly foods, check out these tips here: The 20 Most Weight-Loss-Friendly Foods on The Planet
#5. BLOATING
The fat around your bikini area becomes more visible especially when you have a bloated stomach. Even though bloating is a result of ingestion, studies show that it also results from high sodium levels in the diet.
There are some things you can do about bloating according to LiveStrong:
“Avoid gas-producing foods. Avoiding or cutting down on gas-producing foods such as broccoli, baked beans, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, can reduce intestinal gas and subsequent bloating. In addition, avoiding carbonated drinks, hard candy, gum and lettuce might also reduce your symptoms.”
“Eat more fiber. Eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily will increase bowel motility, remove waste and relieve bloating. Foods rich in fiber include whole grains, high-fiber cereals, whole-wheat bread, and fruits and vegetables.”
High sodium levels cause dehydration making the stomach bloated. To prevent the appearance of a bikini fat area, you may want to drink more water to flush out that sodium.
If you suspect that bloating might be behind your FUPA issues, check out this article here for the most helpful tips – How To Get Rid of Bloating: 9 Strategies Backed By Science
#6. HIGH STRESS LEVELS
Stress seems to be the main cause of most physical and physiological issues. When stressed, your body releases high levels of a hormone called cortisol. It can lower your metabolism and increase fat storage.
Some of that fat goes directly into the groin area.
This way, your fat lower belly can be caused by a lot of stress in your life. According to LiveStrong, stress will damage your figure:
“Stress can lead to poor eating habits and weight gain, especially in the lower belly and upper pubic area. Overeating unhealthy foods is a common way to calm down.”
“A demanding job, family issues, relationship problems, and money worries can take a toll, causing people to seek soothing, comforting foods, which are usually high in fat, sugar, and calories.”
So, if you are really trying to get rid of your FUPA situation, stop stressing too much and fight a bad habit of comfort foods. Only this way you can get on the right track both mentally, and physically.
For simple yet effective tips to get rid of stress, check out this article here: 16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety
#7. WEAK CORE
If you have weak muscles at your core, it means that all the fat in your midsection will show. Therefore, a stronger midsection isn’t likely to show any deep fat deposits.
People with strong core have lean and toned midsection meaning that they don’t have any bikini area fat, even when they have the genetic disposition for the same.
You can make your core stronger via some exercises you can do even at home like crunches, bicycle kicks, vertical leg crunches, v-ups, raised knee-in, flutter kicks, or even side planks. For more info about these workouts, check out an article called The 21 Best Bodyweight Exercises for a Strong Core.
HOW TO GET RID OF A FUPA
There are two main ways you can get rid of FUPA, surgical and non-surgical. Firstly, I am going to talk about the non-surgical methods to fix your FUPA situation. These are the best because you can make your body healthier this way.
The best part? Non-surgical interventions for FUPA hardly have negative side effects.
So, one of the most efficient non-surgical ways to lose that bikini fat is by eating right. You have to avoid unhealthy refined foods which cause a spike in sugar and insulin levels. Also, you should avoid intake of processed foods rich in sodium because excess sodium makes you store water.
Unfortunately, healthy eating isn’t easy, but it’s essential. There is something else you have to do, watch your calories in everything you eat and make sure that you have a calorie deficit.
TO LOSE 1 POUND OF FAT, YOU NEED TO BURN 3,500 CALORIES.
hy? Because this way, your body has to dig right into its fat stores for energy to function properly throughout the day. Catabolism (breakdown of fats) increases and you lose fat gradually even from the FUPA area.
9 PROVEN TIPS TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT
#1. COUNTING YOUR CALORIES
As a first step, you should calculate your caloric needs to maintain your weight according to your age, sex and activity levels. You can do this thanks to this comprehensive but easy-to-use calculator.
After you calculate your daily caloric needs for maintaining your weight, subtract 25% of calories and this should be your targeted amount of calories for a day.
This reduced rate leads to weight loss that is safe and effective and will lead to no metabolic issues in the long run.
So let’s say that your daily caloric needs from the calculator according to your sex, weight, height, and activity level are 2 000 kcal. You subtract 25% which is 500 kcal and your new target is 1 500 kcal per day.
#2. REDUCE INTAKE OF REFINED CARBS
In general, people love carbohydrates. Sadly, our best treat makes us fat. The good thing is that you don’t have to cut out carbs entirely as you need carbohydrates for proper brain function (and other basic body functions).
Some of the best sources of safe carbs include:
- Barley
- Whole-Wheat Pasta
- Legumes
- Oatmeal
- Quinoa
- Sweet Potatoes
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
All you have to do is to reduce the carbohydrate servings and to lower sugars and flours. You can still eat raw chocolate; it’s good for your heart.
Just stay away from the white refined stuff like white rice, white bread, white pasta (whole grain options are much better) and fast foods like pizza or burgers.
#3. EAT GOOD FATS
Usually, there are two different types of fat in our diet. Most of the fast foods and other refined foods we eat are rich in bad fats or monounsaturated fats. These your should avoid at all costs.
However, there are polyunsaturated fats, which are good fats. Your diet should focus on these instead. So, the next time you are thinking about snacking, try to have some of these:
- Brazil Nuts
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Peanuts
- Cashew
Just keep in mind that nuts and seeds are not the only sources of good fats. You can find these in fish, nuts, krill, seeds, leafy greens and algae. Also, you should eat more foods with omega-3-fats to protect your heart too.
#4. FOCUS ON VEGGIES
Many children (and surprisingly even adults) dislike the taste of veggies in general. Eating extra broccoli heads or kale seems to them like a real nightmare. However, if you are looking to lose weight, you have to eat those veggies.
And don’t forget the fruits. Why?
Fruits and vegetables are filling (are an excellent source of fiber), and will help you to reduce your caloric intake. At the same time, they are rich in antioxidants which flush out toxins that cause oxidative stress in cells. Vitamin C also reduces cortisol levels in the blood.
Why am I talking about oxidative stress and cortisol? Because they are making your metabolism less effective and may cause a bloated appearance of your belly and hips.
So for the best results, focus on eating veggies from this list:
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Spinach
- Peppers
- Kale
- Edamame
With regards to fruits, there is one simple rule to follow – eat fruits in moderation as they have a lot of sugars and they aren’t the best choice for people with diabetes.
#5. EAT LEAN MEAT
To lose weight effectively, your body needs proteins as these are basic building blocks of your muscles. The more muscles you have, the more energy your body can spend.
Actually, your muscles burn more calories than other parts of the body. That is why you should add high-quality sources of protein into your diet.
For example, you can use skinless poultry, which includes the white meat of chicken, turkey, and Cornish hens – such meat is very lean. By the way, lean meat is any cut of meat with less than 10 grams of fat per 3-ounce serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
#6. GO GREEK
To fight the pubic area fat, you should eat more Greek yogurt. This dairy product is rich in calcium which helps to break down your fatty deposits. It is also full of proteins that will keep you full for longer and reduce your cravings for unhealthy snacks.
Greek yogurt is also rich in arginine, an amino acid that enhances removal of fat deposits and tones your muscles at the same time.
#7. KEEP YOURSELF HYDRATED
You’ve probably heard and read about this in all articles written for weight loss, haven’t you? Well, we wish to reiterate that your weight loss journey inches close to the reality when you drink more water.
For it to work, you should drink water before every meal.
In most cases, the body tricks you to think that you are hungry when you are only thirsty. So, drinking water will save you from an unnecessary snack and help you to reduce your daily caloric intake. A common recommendation is to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other fluid every day.
You should drink more water to flush out toxins and to reduce blood sodium concentrations. High amounts of fluids will reduce bloating and help in getting rid of FUPA.
#8. DRINK UNSWEETENED COFFEE
Thanks to several popularized research studies more and more people realize that coffee has more benefits than they thought before. Not only will a cup of black coffee help you to wake up, an unsweetened coffee increases your metabolism and hence helps your body to burn more fat.
However, according to LiveStrong coffee is not a one-size-fits-all solution to obesity:
“A report from the International Journal of Obesity, published in 2010, noted that thermogenic compounds like caffeine might work better in some people than in others, or they might only work effectively under some circumstances.”
“So while there’s some potential for the caffeine in coffee to help you lose weight, you shouldn’t count on coffee alone as a weight-loss strategy, at least until more research has been done.”
As you can see, drinking a cup of coffee at the right time under the right conditions can significantly improve your ability to burn body fat.
#9. DRINK MORE TEA
If you are not a huge fan of coffee, you can try to drink more tea instead to supplement its effects on your body and metabolism. There are some strong indications that various types of tea are effective at increasing the number of calories you are able to burn.
That is why you should introduce at least a cup of tea into your daily diet. My suggestion would be to choose from green tea, Pu-Erh tea, oolong tea, rooibos tea, black tea, white tea, and herbal tea as these are the best.
With regards to Rooibos tea, there are three main reasons why it is so good at helping you keep the slim figure.
1. LOW IN CALORIES
Without adding extra sugar, this hot beverage has just two calories. Drinking tea versus 100+ calorie sodas will automatically reduce your daily caloric intake!
2. NATURALLY SWEET
Worried about not having sugar? This tea is naturally sweet, so it’s a good choice for losing excess pounds even when your body always craves something sweet.
3. CONTAINS ASPALATHIN
This unique flavonoid helps to reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage, typically associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
Practice mindful drinking of the tea to reduce stress and to live in the present moment. This will calm you down and might help reduce levels of a stress-related hormone called cortisol, which prevents weight loss.
3 BEST EXERCISES TO LOSE FUPA
Getting your heart pumping increases the amount of oxygen you breathe in. Oxygen is needed in the breakdown of fats. So, when you work out, even for a few minutes in a day, your body breaks down fats from its storage.
This way you lose weight gradually from all over your body, not only your belly. Here are some of the best exercises you could follow to get rid of FUPA in a much easier way.
CARDIO REGIME
EXERCISE #1
Cardio gets your blood pumping, and this leads to weight loss. There are many forms of cardio exercises which include swimming, walking jogging, playing tennis, hiking, bike riding and the good old running.
Some of the best cardio exercises that burn the most calories are:
- Jumping rope – 1 074 calories/hour
- Taekwondo – 937 calories/hour
- Tabata Training – 900 calories/hour
- Vigorous swimming – 892 calories/hour
- Cross-country skiing –- 850 calories/hour
- Running up stairs – 819 calories/hour
- Vigorous rowing – 810 calories/hour
- Kickboxing – 769 calories/hour
- A game of basketball – 728 calories/hour
- Elliptical trainer – 720 calories/hour
- Rollerblading – 683 calories/hour
- High-impact aerobics – 664 calories/hour
- Ice skating – 637 calories/hour
- Running & Jogging 5 mph – 555 calories/hour
- Water skiing – 546 calories/hour
- Light or moderate lap swimming – 528 calories/hour
As you can see, there are several cardio exercises that are effective at burning your stored FUPA fat reserves.
HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING
EXERCISE #2
The beauty of working out is that even when your genes predispose you to a slow metabolism, exercise can change that. The most effective way to boost your metabolism is through a high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
It involves intense workouts lasting for few minutes followed by a short pause interval. In general, HIIT exercises are effective in fat loss mainly because of increased post-exercise oxygen consumption.
Increased post-exercise oxygen consumption from HIIT keeps your metabolism burning your fat reserves high for hours after a workout. Wondering which exercises work effectively in eliminating FUPA? See our suggestions below and also consult our great guide to the most effective exercises).
YOGA & POWER YOGA
EXERCISE #3
Did you know that you can improve your FUPA situation thanks to a yoga? Although yoga is a type of exercise in which you move your body into various positions in order to become more fit or flexible, you will also improve your breathing and relax your mind.
Not only that, there are some poses that target and strengthen your core and abdominal muscles that are responsible for the overall look of your belly. These include:
- Boat Pose
- Bridge Pose
- Crane Pose
- Dolphin Plank Pose
- Eight-Angle Pose
- Extended Puppy Pose
As you can see, there are many yoga poses that are focusing on your belly area (see detailed guides to each pose on YogaJournal.com). Trust me that with time, you won’t just come out with a smaller FUPA; you will be fitter and more flexible.
3 SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS TO HELP YOU
There is no doubt that FUPA can limit the quality of your life. Luckily, there are even surgical methods that can solve issues with excess fat on your lower belly.
In general, these can be performed in situations where FUPA was caused by pregnancy, significant weight loss or a C-Section surgically.
1. FUPA LIPOSUCTION
Liposuction is the least invasive surgical procedure for fat removal if you suffer from FUPA. It works best for mild cases and is usually performed under the local anesthesia. It is ideal for removal of stubborn fat pockets and not for removal of the loose skin caused by pregnancy.
2. MONSPLASTY / PUBIC LIFT
Monsplasty is a customizable surgical procedure that gets rid of the underlying FUPA fat while tightening the underlying muscles. It also goes by the names pubic lift or mons lift.
This procedure gives you a tighter and a smaller bikini area and is often done alongside other procedures like the lower body lift, tummy tuck or labiaplasty.
3. ABDOMINOPLASTY
Abdominoplasty also goes by the name tummy tuck. This surgical procedure involves a removal of excess body fat and skin from the area of your belly. For FUPA, it is the most invasive but the most effective procedure. A lot of FUPA sufferers want to go through a mini tummy tuck.
As you can see, there are many practical methods for the elimination of FUPA, including a change to healthier diet and reduced caloric intake, targeted exercises, as well as some more-or-less invasive surgical procedures.
That is the reason why you can immediately stop complaining and hating yourself.
The dietary solutions and the exercises are easy to follow through. How fast you lose that bikini area fat only depends on how bad you want to get rid of it!
