Prevention/illnesses | 18.12.2025
Five common belly shapes and what they say about your health
Are you happy with your stomach? Statistically, one in two people are not and it is the most unpopular part of the body for both men and women. As such, we should pay our stomach more attention. After all, its external appearance can give us a good idea of how to achieve greater well-being.
The pooch – not yet a proper belly
The upper stomach area is flat, but a little pooch protrudes from below the naval. This is not a proper belly; it is an endearing and completely harmless little bulge. The pooch is not caused by a lack of exercise, but by a challenging everyday life, the wrong or one-sided training and occasionally eating unhealthy snacks. Treat yourself to some downtime and try new types of fruit and vegetables as healthy alternatives. These should ideally be combined with healthy fats and protein forms. Add some diversity to your strength training. There are various types of plank. All help to strengthen and stabilise the entire core area better than sit-ups alone.
Plank exercises for combating belly fat
Our health partner savo.ch demonstrates various plank exercises in the video.
The rubber ring – your excess energy store
It’s designed to help us when food is scarce. To do this, it stores the calories that we don’t need directly under the skin as fat. This creates a ring of padding below and sometimes also above the waistline. This is not classed as harmful. Most people with this type of belly shape work sitting down, do little exercise and like to eat carbohydrates and confectionery. It can be combated by cutting back on such foods and taking up endurance sports such as running, swimming or cycling. Simple first steps to losing belly fat include going on brisk walks or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
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Carbohydrates and how they affect your body
Our infographic shows the different types of carbohydrates and how they affect the body.
The beer belly – a dangerous paunch
The entire stomach protrudes like a firm drum and can be huge in size. This is due to dangerous visceral fat that surrounds the organs, fills the stomach area and increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks. It is caused by a high-calorie diet and excessive alcohol consumption combined with a lack of exercise. Losing the excess fat deposits and belly fat is far from easy and the process should be supported by a doctor, ideally in combination with nutrition and exercise coaching.
Tips on beer bellies and visceral fat
How does visceral fat work, why is it dangerous and can slim people have it too? Dr Philipp C. Nett answers these and other questions in our blog article about belly fat.
The stress belly – a clear warning sign
Stomach aches, intestinal problems and nausea can all be signs of a stress belly. This is because, when stressed, the body releases cortisol, which increases the appetite for high-carb snacks while also inhibiting the metabolism. The body stores the excess energy as visceral fat in the stomach, as in the case of a beer belly. Giving yourself regular breaks, relaxing, eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep and daily exercise can help.
The bloated belly – a painful balloon
Flat in the morning, the belly bloats like a balloon over the course of the day. By the evening, it is hard, painful and hollow sounding. Intestinal bacteria digest high-fibre food and form gases that cause bloating. This can be due to food intolerances, stress or conditions such as irritated bowel syndrome. You should have yourself tested for intolerances. In the event of reactions, you can temporarily cut out certain foods and see whether and to what extent your body reacts. You can help a bloated belly by taking your time when eating, chewing well and going for a walk after your meal.
How we support your health
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Savo Hertig is a health coach, fitness expert and the owner of savo.ch, a functional training studio in Bern.
