Let’s face it. Belly fat is the most stubborn fat to lose. What makes it worse is that when you’re losing weight on all parts of your body, stubborn belly fat tends to stand out; and it doesn’t look so good.
Beyond vanity, belly fat or visceral fat has severe negative impacts on the organs and overall health. So, it has to go, but how?
Knowing why your belly fat isn’t going away answers half of the “how” question. It also helps you make a sustainable plan that works for you.
In case you’ve done everything you can to get rid of your belly fat to no avail, keep reading to know why you could be stuck with a fupa you don’t want.
You’re Eating the Wrong Foods
Losing fat starts and ends with what you eat. If you’re working out for hours in the gym and eating unhealthy, your fupa won’t be going away for a long time. In fact, chances are high it’ll get bigger.
Foods you can avoid to reduce belly fat are all foods that fall under the processed food umbrella. This includes bread, chips, etc. Honourable mention for things you shouldn’t eat goes to liquid calorific drinks. Avoid soda, fruit juices, and other beverages high in sugar.
You can eat healthy foods like proteins, fats, legumes, and vegetables. You can even go on a diet like the 4 hour body diet to kickstart a calorie deficit.
You Aren’t Doing the Right Exercises
First things first, you can’t spot reducing fat on your body, so stop killing yourself by doing a hundred crunches and sit-ups in the gym.
You need high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This exercise increases the intensity of your workout, making your body burn more calories in a shorter time. In addition to HIIT exercises, incorporate exercises that target the core muscles.
Worrying About Your Belly Fat
Believe it or not, your hormones play a significant role in your belly fat refusing to go away. If you’re constantly stressed, your body produces large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol hormone makes you stress-eat, but that’s not the only reason.
Cortisol increases fat cells and makes the body store more fat. So, stop worrying about your fupa that won’t go away and try to reduce your stress levels. Also, there are no excuses for not getting enough sleep!
You’re Drinking Alcohol
The beer gut is a phrase for a reason. Alcohol is a deceptive beverage because it doesn’t taste as sweet but contains very high amounts of calories.
A 9 ounce of piña colada equals 500 calories, and when you’re drinking alcohol, you tend not to stop at one piña colada. The sugar in these drinks is easily absorbed and stored as fat.
If you drink a lot of alcohol, you need to stop. The less sweet alcoholic drinks pause digestion, so your body focuses on getting alcohol out of its system instead of burning stored fat.
If you must have alcohol, stick to red wines, beers, and lagers.
Genetics
Unfortunately, you can try everything, including the suggestions above and your fupa just refuses to go. It could be because of your genes.
You might have the apple body type, which makes it difficult to lose belly fat, or your metabolism is slow due to your genes. Either way, you may need to work double as hard and triple the time to see the changes you want.
Belly fat might be challenging to burn, but it isn’t impossible. You can use any combination of these tips to work on getting rid of your fupa.
