Reasons Why You're Not Losing Belly Fat

 

Belly fat blues

Getting rid of your belly bulge is important for more than  just vanity's sake. Excess abdominal fat—particularly visceral fat, the  kind that surrounds your organs and puffs your stomach into a "beer  gut"—is a predictor of heart disease, type 2 diabetes,  insulin resistance, and some cancers. If diet and exercise haven't done  much to reduce your pooch, then your hormones, your age, and other  genetic factors may be the reason why. Read on for 11 possible reasons  why your belly fat won't budge. 

 

You're getting older

As you get older, your body changes how it gains and loses weight. Both men and women experience a declining metabolic rate,  or the number of calories the body needs to function normally. On top  of that, women have to deal with menopause. "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. In menopause,  production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down.  Meanwhile, testosterone levels also start to drop, but at a slower rate.  This shift in hormones causes women to hold onto weight in their  bellies. The good news: you can fight this process. 

 

You're doing the wrong workout

A daily run or Spin class is great for your heart, but cardio workouts  alone won't do much for your waist. "You need to do a combination of  weights and cardiovascular training," says Sangeeta Kashyap, MD, an  endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. Strength training  increases muscle mass, which sets your body up to burn more fat.  "Muscle burns more calories than fat, and therefore you naturally burn  more calories throughout the day by having more muscle," says Kate  Patton, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic. Patton recommends  250 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 125 minutes of  high-intensity exercise a week. 

 

You're eating too many processed foods

"Refined grains like white bread, crackers, and chips, as  well as refined sugars in sweetened drinks and desserts increase  inflammation in our bodies," says Patton. "Belly fat is associated with  inflammation, so eating too many processed foods will hinder your  ability to lose belly fat." Natural foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are full of antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore actually prevent belly fat.

 

You're eating the wrong fats

The body doesn't react to all fats in the same way.  Research correlates high intake of saturated fat (the kind in meat and  dairy) to increased visceral fat, says Patton. On the other hand,  monounsaturated fats (the kind in olive oil and avocados) and specific  types of polyunsaturated fats (mainly omega-3s, found in walnuts,  sunflower seeds, and fatty fish like salmon) have anti-inflammatory effects  in the body, and if eaten in proper portions may do your body good. But  Patton warns that eating too much fat of any kind increases your  calorie intake and could lead to weight gain, so enjoy healthy fats in  moderation.  

 

Your workout isn't challenging enough

To banish stubborn belly fat, you have to ramp up your workouts. In a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, people who completed a high-intensity workout regimen lost more belly fat  than those who followed a low-intensity plan. (In fact, the  low-intensity exercises experienced no significant changes at all.) "You  need to exercise at full intensity because the end goal is to burn more  calories, and high intensity exercise does just that," says Natalie Jill,  a San Diego, Calif.-based certified personal trainer. High intensity  workouts mean you're going all out for as long as you can. If this  sounds intimidating, think of it this way: you'll burn more calories in  less time.