11 Reasons You’re Struggling to Burn Belly Fat

Fat is deposited in the belly in two ways. On the one hand, that which is found in the tissue under the skin (subcutaneous) and that only modifies the shape of the body. On the other hand, the fat found inside the abdomen distributed around the organs. The latter can be very harmful to the body causing heart problems, insulin resistance, or cholesterol.

This is why burning belly fat correctly is essential to maintain a healthy life. In some cases, diet and training are not enough to eliminate abdominal fat. The culprits could be hormones, genetics, age, or some easy-to-correct mistakes.

You should know that you CANNOT burn fat specifically from the belly. There are no specific exercises or products that achieve such results. You can work the abdominal area in a more or less incisive way so that it becomes toned and takes shape. That is why “eliminating fat” as such is a misused concept and an idea that leads to error because there are many people who kill themselves doing abdominal exercises every day and claim that “they do not lose their belly.”

Here are 11 possible reasons why your belly fat is not burning:

1. Aging

As we age, the body changes the way it gains and loses weight. Both men and women experience a decrease in the number of calories the body needs to function normally. On top of that, women have to deal with menopause. This change in hormones causes women to accumulate weight gain in their bellies. The good news: you can fight this process.

2. Wrong training

Although cardiovascular exercises are necessary and very good for the heart, they alone will not make the belly too big. It is important to combine exercises so that they are productive for the objectives that are set. It is advisable to alternate intensity and weight routines with cardiovascular exercises of lower intensity.

3. Excess processed foods

The fact that we accumulate in the body is related to the inflammation. Processed foods are responsible for producing it. Reducing your consumption of bread, cookies, chips, desserts, and sugary drinks will help avoid inflammation. On the contrary, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to prevent abdominal fat.

4. Consumption of bad fats

The different types of grass do not affect the body in the same way. In general, saturated fats tend to increase visceral fat. But other fats have anti-inflammatory effects and they are less harmful. Monounsaturated, present in olive oil and avocado, and polyunsaturated, found in walnuts, sunflower seeds, and fish such as salmon.

5. Insufficient intensity workouts

The ultimate goal of training is to burn calories and intense training best takes care of that. To burn abdominal fat it is necessary to perform exercises that represent a real challenge for the body, and thus be able to burn more fat in less time.

6. Wrong exercises

Performing only abdominals is not the solution. It is advisable to carry out functional exercises that use the abdominal muscles, back, pelvis, obliques, and other parts of the body. These exercises activate more muscles so they burn more calories while they are being performed.

7. Stress

Whatever the reason, stress can be a very important factor in preventing weight loss. In addition to the large number of calories consumed due to stress, your hormone cortisol can increase the amount of fat that clings to the body, enlarging fat cells.

8. Not getting enough sleep

Just as stress can cause a greater accumulation of fat in the belly, hours of sleep can also greatly affect it. It is recommended to sleep between 7 and 8 hours per night, since sleeping less increases the chances of gaining more weight.

9. Genetic predisposition

The fat distribution also depends on each person’s body. In those organisms where fat accumulation occurs to a greater extent around the waist and hips, its elimination will be a little more complicated, although it is not impossible.

10. Illness

Difficulty losing weight may be related to some pathology or malfunction. The most common cases are high testosterone levels (for example in polycystic ovary syndrome), obesity, prediabetes, or diabetes.

11. Demotivation

Reducing belly fat requires a specific, low-calorie diet in addition to intensive training in both cardiovascular and weight. By working in a committed manner it is possible to overcome genetics and achieve the goal.

Identifying these possible mistakes allows you to avoid making them and focus on the objective. Many times we work only on the central abdominals, forgetting the obliques or the lower ones. This is why, in addition to the specific diet and the proper training is important not to forget to work the whole body and rest enough so that the body can respond correctly.