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Why You Still Haven't Lost Your Belly Fat Yet

Loose Belly Fat

By Raychelle JoePublished 3 years ago 5 min read
Why You Still Haven't Lost Your Belly Fat Yet
Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

It's crucial to get rid of your abdominal fat for many reasons. Losing belly fat isn't only a cosmetic issue; according to NHS Choices, fat that accumulates around your abdomen risk more health hazards than fat that collects elsewhere. Fat carried around the belly, as opposed to fat carried around the bottom or on the thighs, causes more health concerns. When compared to fat around the bottom or thighs, having a lot of belly fat makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and several malignancies. If the meals you eat and exercise haven't helped you lose weight, it's possible that hormones, age, and other genetic variables are to blame. Read on to learn about your tummy fat won't go away.

You're exercising gym wrongly.

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Cardio routines, such as a daily run or Spin class, are fantastic for your heart, but they won't do anything for your waistline. "A combination of weights and cardiovascular training is required," says Sangeeta Kashyap, M.D., a Cleveland Clinic endocrinologist. Strength training boosts muscular growth, allowing your body to burn fat more efficiently. "Because muscle burns more calories than fat, having greater muscle throughout the day naturally burns more calories," says Kate Patton, a registered nutritionist at Cleveland Clinic. Patton advises doing 250 minutes of moderate-intensity or 125 minutes of high-intensity exercise every week.

You consume far too much processed meals.

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"Refined grains, such as white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts, cause inflammation in our bodies," Patton explains. "Because belly fat is linked to inflammation, eating too many processed foods will make it difficult to shed belly fat." Natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are high in antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory effects and may help reduce belly fat, according to Patton.

You consume a lot of alcoholic beverages.

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Alcohol has far more calories than you may think: 153 calories in a 12-ounce normal beer and 125 calories in a 5-ounce glass of red wine. However, drinking may increase your waistline in a less visible way. Because the calories in alcohol can't be saved for later, the body's metabolism must prioritize alcohol when it's there. This takes it away from its primary function of fat burning, and fat burn, in particular, decreases in the abdomen. However, there is such a thing as responsible drinking for weight loss. Older women who drink one alcoholic beverage per day gain less weight over time than women who do not drink, presumably because they maintain other good habits and are more physically active.

You're starting to age.

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Your body changes how it accumulates and loses weight as you get older. The metabolic rate, or the quantity of calories the body requires to function normally, decreases in both men and women. In addition, women must manage with menopause. "If women acquire weight after menopause, it's more likely to be in their bellies," says Michael Jensen, M.D., an endocrinology professor at Mayo Clinic. The hormones estrogen and progesterone produce less estrogen and progesterone during menopause. Testosterone levels begin to fall, but at a slower rate. Women's tummies gain weight as a result of this hormonal shift. The good news is that you can stop this from happening. Continue reading.

You're under pressure.

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Whatever your source of stress is - tight deadlines, debts, or your children — having too much of it might make it more difficult to lose weight, especially around your belly. It's not only because when you're anxious, you prefer to seek high-fat, high-calorie foods, though that plays a role. It's partly because of cortisol, a stress hormone that can boost the amount of fat your body clings to and grow fat cells. More visceral fat has been associated to higher cortisol levels.

You have poor sleep routine

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Sleep deprivation is linked to increased levels of the hormone ghrelin (which encourages hunger) and lower levels of leptin (which suppresses our appetite). As a result, not getting enough sleep can contribute to an increase in appetite and hunger, as well as an increase in belly fat.

"If you get enough sleep, your body's hormones will reset, and you'll make better dietary choices," says Dr. Michael Mosley. We know it's easier said than done!

If you're having trouble sleeping, figure out what's causing your insomnia and learn how to use expert wellbeing strategies to help you fall asleep. However, if you're in the following situation, you'll have no uncertainty about what's causing your insomnia.

You just had a baby

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First and foremost, don't put any pressure on yourself to return to your pre-baby form, and don't rush anything (that goes for weight loss full stop). Cut it, and more importantly, yourself, some slack after you've just given birth to a new life and brought a wonder into the world. Slowly increase your activity levels- Lucy advises patience and TLC:

"Losing weight from around the tummy might be difficult if you're a new mother - hormones take time to settle down, and strained muscles don't knit back together immediately after pregnancy." It'll take time, so give yourself as much time as you need."

Excessive sugary diet

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Sweet snacks can cause belly fat, which isn't new information."Even if you're restricting calories and attempting to lose weight, a high sugar diet can cause belly fat to stick rapidly," Libby says, "but extreme calorie restriction isn't something I would encourage."

According to Dr. Michael Mosley, founder of The Fast 800 Diet, avoiding sugar spikes is critical for reducing abdominal fat. "A surprising number of 'diet' snacks and drinks are rich in sugar, despite the fact that they are low in fat.

"Any food or drink containing more than 5% sugar should be consumed no more than twice a week," Dr. Mosley says. He goes on to say that this includes sweet fruits like mango and pineapple, as well as sugary smoothies and juices.

Similarly, slow-release energy sources like brown rice or quinoa can be used to substitute processed carbs like white bread, chips, and spaghetti.

"Two things will surprise you: the amount of sugar you were consuming without realizing it and the quickness with which your belly fat will begin to tame itself once you stop eating it," says Dr. Mosley.

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    RJWritten by Raychelle Joe

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