Facts on Losing Belly Fat

Belly fat can be caused by heredity, changes in hormones, or even the natural aging process. Gaining fat in the abdomen is not healthy and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Although many products on the market claim to solve the problem of excess belly fat, lifestyle changes and exercise are the best ways to battle an unwanted midsection.

Genetics

• Genetics plays a vital role in how much belly fat you have. If you are an apple shape as opposed to a pear, then your body automatically stores more of its fat supplies in your abdomen, as opposed to your hips and thighs. Unfortunately, it is not possible to change your genetic predisposition for your body shape, but it is still possible to reduce belly fat by making changes in your lifestyle.

Lifestyle Causes

• Stress is one of the biggest problems behind gaining belly fat. When you're stressed, your body produces a chemical called Cortisol. Cortisol tells the liver to release excess sugars that cause you to become hungry, which often causes you to eat the more and gain weight, which often occurs in the waistline. Finding methods to control your stress levels can prevent the production of cortisol and remove the desire to binge and eliminate belly fat.

Misconceptions

• A large misconception is that crunches are the answer to losing belly fat. Midsection training is great for building a strong midsection, improving posture, and relieving lower back pain, but they do not cause you to lose belly fat. The truth is, cardio is the key to losing the fat off of your belly. If you only do crunches, you will only tone the underlying muscles and not lose the fat.

Prevention/Solution

• In order to optimize loss of belly fat, according to the Mayo Clinic, you need to watch your nutrition Eat more natural foods and eliminate processed and sugary foods from your diet and incorporate raw foods instead. Raw foods supply your body with better nutrients for energy and optimum performance. Stay away from bleached flours because they target your lower abdomen. Eating smaller amounts more frequently will boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption

• If you drink regularly, cutting down on alcohol consumption can reduce your belly fat. Drinking can cause fat to accumulate around your waist and lead to weight gain. Alcohol has empty calories and are not useful for the health of the body, so it is only stored as fat in the body.

Considerations

• Eating within two hours of bedtime does not give your body the chance to properly digest the food you eat, which means that energy will turn into sugar and result in another fat deposit, which encourages weight gain to your stomach. By avoiding eating late at night, you can avoid having your sugar levels turn to fat.