8 reasons why you’re having no luck losing belly fat

Did you know there are many reasons why you might not be able to budge that belly fat? Including hormones, stress, lack of sleep, your age, and other genetic factors. Read on to find out more…

People with excess visceral belly fat are more prone to heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

If you’re having a difficult time getting rid of your belly fat, it could be for a variety of reasons. Here are a few things that might be preventing you from losing the fat.

8 reasons why you’re having no luck losing belly fat

1. Your age

With age, your body changes how it gains and loses weight.

We experience a declining metabolic rate or the number of calories the body needs to function normally as we age. On top of that, we have menopause as well which makes it difficult to lose kilos.

“If women gain weight after menopause, it’s more likely to be in their bellies,” says Michael Jensen, MD, professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic’s endocrinology division.

How to support your body through menopause

2. You’re eating the wrong foods

If you’re eating junk food regularly, it will impact your health in many ways, especially around your belly as too much salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates contribute to fat storage.

Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts, increase inflammation in our bodies. Belly fat is associated with inflammation.

Ditch the takeaways, lollies and soft drinks and try incorporating foods like green leafy vegetables into your diet and drinking a lot more water.

15 foods and drinks to help BLAST belly fat!

3. Too much stress

The stress hormone cortisol, may increase the amount of fat your body clings to and enlarge your fat cells. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked to more visceral fat.

Try clearing your mind with a walk, a bit of yoga or just having some downtime with our Mind, Body and Breath sessions on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

4. Lack of sleep

A 16-year study of almost 70,000 women found that those who slept five hours or less a night were 30% more likely to gain 30 or more pounds than those who slept 7 hours.

Research reveals a link between poor sleep and weight gain

5. Medical issues

Certain medical conditions like PCOS, Cushing’s disease and Liver disease mean you’re more likely to develop a bit of weight around the middle. Similarly, people with Type 2 diabetes are also more susceptible.

Be sure to chat with your doctor if you are struggling to lose weight through diet changes and exercise. They may be able to make further suggestions to make losing stomach fat easier.

6. Hormones

As we get older, our oestrogen levels change, and the fat tends to move to our stomachs.

While some stomach fat is fairly common, a lot may indicate a hormonal imbalance.

A common disorder is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which can cause weight gain because the body struggles more when using insulin. This insulin resistance means that glucose and sugar can build up in the bloodstream, not only resulting in weight gain around the tummy, but also making it virtually impossible to get rid of that stomach fat.

Reduce belly fat with PCOS

7. Too much alcohol

Alcohol intake is often associated with having a bigger waist because when you drink, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat stores. Plus, when you drink a lot, it makes you want to reach for unhealthy food choices that complement it, such as snacks, burgers and pizza.

If you want to drink alcohol, try to have one glass of water between each alcoholic beverage to limit your intake and eat something with lots of fresh veggies beforehand to fill you up.

Cut back on alcohol to aid your weight loss

8. The wrong type of exercise

If you really want to get rid of belly fat, you need to work the whole body and lose fat everywhere.

Work on multiple muscle groups with full body, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. That way you’ll get toned arms and legs too (and not just tummy fat loss)!

All these exercises and more are included on the 28 Day WeightLoss Challenge.

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If you’re starting a weight loss journey, why not book an online consultation with one of Moshy’s expert Aussie doctors? Moshy provides expert support from Australian doctors and dietitians where and whenever you’re free. 

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