When Belly Fat Won’t Go Away?

You may be aware that belly fat can be very stubborn. Furthermore, in addition to being unsightly, belly fat can be seriously dangerous for your overall health. Therefore, it’s important to take a closer look at how belly fat occurs, how to burn it, and why it can be hard to lose. 

How belly fat occurs?

Belly fat can be the result of a number of different lifestyle and genetic factors. First, if you consume too many foods and beverages that are sweetened with fructose, you are more likely to gain belly fat. (1)

Your alcohol intake also correlates with how much belly fat you store. Not eating enough fiber and a lack of high-quality protein in your diet, while consuming too many foods that are high in trans fats will also contribute to an increase in belly fat.

Furthermore, inactivity is a factor that contributes to the amount of belly fat you end up storing, particularly as you get older and your metabolism naturally slows down.

Unfortunately, stress is another contributor to belly fat because stress releases cortisol as well as increases the likelihood of overeating.

When we are stressed, we are more likely to consume alcohol as well as foods that are high in fructose and trans fats. Stress may also cause us to lose sleep.  Not getting enough sleep can also contribute to weight gain, particularly on the belly.

Women are more likely to store more belly fat as they age and go through menopause. Menopause causes hormonal changes that increase the amount of stored belly fat.

Unfortunately, genetics can also play a role in how much belly fat we have because some people are more prone to it than others.

When does belly fat burn?

In order to burn belly fat, it is very important to take a close look at your lifestyle choices because, unlike genetics, our lifestyle is something that we can control.

Therefore, we must focus on how to change our eating and exercise habits to combat belly fat. Without a doubt, the best way to burn belly fat is through a proper diet and sufficient exercise. If you are currently completely sedentary, you must focus on gradually increasing your daily physical activities. Ideally, you should eventually be able to get anywhere between thirty to sixty minutes of physical activity per day.

It’s important to find a physical activity that you enjoy doing so that you are more likely to stick with it long enough to see a noticeable difference in your belly fat.

The physical activity that you choose to do should include High-Intensity Interval Training, aerobic exercise, as well as strength training.

You should also focus on avoiding simple carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and processed foods. Instead, you should eat complex carbohydrates, as well as foods that are high in protein and fiber. You must also reduce your alcohol intake and decrease the number of trans fats that you consume.

As you can see, exercise, along with a proper diet, is the key to burning belly fat.

Is belly fat hard to lose?

For some people, it’s easier to lose belly fat than for others. Therefore, it’s almost impossible to make a general statement about whether or not belly fat is hard to lose. If you are genetically predisposed to storing fat in your midsection, losing belly fat will be much more challenging for you than for someone more likely to accumulate fat on their lower body.

The hardest part about losing belly fat is that it takes a while to see the results of your exercise program and diet changes. Many people give up on their fitness program long before they see any results, which leaves them even more discouraged. Not only that, but they also stress out about not seeing progress fast enough, which, in turn, slows down their progress even further when it comes to belly fat loss.

Additionally, the stubborn fat stored on the belly generally has more alpha-receptors than beta-receptors. Unfortunately, Alpha-receptors make a fat loss in that area more challenging. Therefore, when you lose fat, you will notice that the areas of your body that have more beta receptors will respond to your fat-loss program a lot faster than those with more alpha receptors.

When belly fat won’t go away?

Unfortunately, sometimes belly fat won’t go away without a fight, primarily because of the high ratio of alpha-receptors compared to beta-receptors. Although losing belly fat is difficult, it is not impossible, and you must not give up. First, instead of spot-reducing, you should focus on decreasing your overall body fat percentage. Eventually, you will end up losing stubborn belly fat as well.

To lose belly fat, your workout program should include High-Intensity Interval Training. High-Intensity Interval Training has shown to have a greater effect on fat loss than low-intensity steady-state aerobic activity.

You can also try adding apple cider vinegar to your diet. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which has been linked to reduced belly fat.

Furthermore, apple cider vinegar helps reduce cravings, which may help you stop overeating. Intermittent fasting is also something that you can try if your belly fat isn’t going away, provided that you consume healthy and nutritious foods during your eating window.

You must also take a closer look at your caloric intake vs. expenditure. People often underestimate their caloric intake and overestimate their caloric expenditure, making fat loss difficult. Many free apps allow you to track your food intake and exercise.

You should also be aware of your sleeping habits and stress levels. Focus on getting at least seven or eight hours of sleep per night and reduce stress. To get more sleep, avoid exposing yourself to blue light from your smartphone, particularly right before bedtime. Blue light can negatively impact your sleep, which will have an unfavorable effect on your belly fat loss journey.

As you can see, although belly fat can be challenging to lose, you will be on your way to reaching your fat loss goals with some positive lifestyle changes.