You have been eating right and working out, but your stomach still protrudes. Before you get frustrated and double your cardio, you need to identify exactly what is causing the bulge. Is it stubborn belly fat, or is your digestive system chronically inflamed and bloated?
Treating bloat with fat-loss strategies won't work, and vice versa. At Phelts Chiropractic PC, we evaluate both the internal and external causes of a protruding abdomen.
The "Pinch" Test
A simple way to tell the difference is the pinch test. Subcutaneous fat (the fat just beneath the skin) feels soft and can be easily pinched. Bloating, on the other hand, often makes the abdomen feel hard, tight, and stretched like a drum. If your stomach is relatively flat in the morning but balloons out by 3:00 PM, you are dealing with bloat, not fat.
Fixing the Bloat: The ICV and NRT
Chronic bloating is often a mechanical gut issue, specifically a malfunctioning Ileocecal Valve (ICV). If this valve between your small and large intestine gets stuck open, bacteria backwash and cause massive gas distension.
We use Nutrition Response Testing (NRT) to find out exactly why your ICV is malfunctioning. By testing your neurological reflexes, we can identify food sensitivities or nutrient deficiencies that are irritating the gut, allowing us to calm the inflammation and flatten the distension from the inside out.
Fixing the Fat and Muscle: EMSCULPT NEO
Once the internal bloat is cleared, we can address the external structure. If you have excess subcutaneous fat or weakened abdominal muscles (especially after pregnancy), we use EMSCULPT NEO.
This device simultaneously burns fat and builds core muscle using synchronized RF and HIFEM energy. In fact, peer-reviewed studies show that EMSCULPT NEO reduces fat by 30% and increases muscle 25% on average. Futhermore, it can physically pull the abdominal muscles back together, reducing Diastasis Recti by an average of 19%.
By fixing the gut first with NRT and sculpting the core second with EMSCULPT NEO, you get true, lasting results.
Want to learn more about fixing gut bloat? Read our main guide: The "Bloat" That Won't Go Away: Fixing the ICV.
References
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ICV Dysfunction and Bloating: Research demonstrates that dysfunction of the ileocecal valve contributes significantly to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a primary cause of severe abdominal distension.
Source: PubMed - Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: A Comprehensive Review -
EMSCULPT NEO Peer-Reviewed Efficacy: Multiple peer-reviewed, independent MRI studies confirm that HIFEM technology physically draws the rectus abdominis muscles together, reducing Diastasis Recti by an average of 19% while increasing muscle thickness.
Source: PubMed - High intensity focused electromagnetic therapy evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging
