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Six reasons why you still have a fat belly despite exercising
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Stress, a lack of sleep and a poor diet are some of the reasons why people have a tough time keeping a flat stomach. (Shutterstock/File)
Having a large belly can be frustrating as it may decrease one's confidence.
Kompas.com explains some of the reasons why people struggle to keep a flat stomach.
1. Eating too much before exercising
Consuming too much food prior to exercise can lower your chance of having a flat stomach. Ideal snacks before exercise should include a small amount of fat, complex carbohydrates or healthy proteins.
Also make sure to motivate yourself to consume healthy foods every day to boost your energy.
Read also: Why a fat belly is more dangerous than being overweight
2. Choosing the wrong type of exercise
In order to make your fat belly a flat belly, develop a healthy eating pattern and a routine exercise schedule. Focus on training all areas of your body where fat accumulates, instead of only concentrating on the stomach.
If we only focus on the belly, fail to vary the types of exercise or fail to exercise enough, it will be harder to achieve results.
3. Consuming too many processed foods
Processed foods can increase inflammation inside the body. Hence, try to consume foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruits, vegetables and grains.
Pick foods high in protein but low in fat such as fresh chicken, fresh non-fat meat, fish and low-fat milk. Also, minimize consumption of sugar and alcohol, which can lead to an increase in fat in the belly.
4. Stress
Stress can result in high levels of cortisol, which can lead to the storage of fat in the stomach.
For some people, when they are stressed, their appetite will also increase, especially for sweet foods, and they will eat more as a result.
Read also: Seven home remedies to get rid of belly fat
5. Lack of sleep
A lack of sleep can increase the risk of increased body weight and disrupt the level of leptin hormones, which can confuse the body. As a result, an excess of leptin hormones is stored in the abdomen.
The leptin hormone controls hunger and fullness. This hormone is only produced with a sufficient amount of deep sleep.
6. Menopause
Some women experience an increase in fat during menopause.
Menopause usually occurs one year after they have their last menstruation period. During this time, their levels of estrogen will fall drastically, causing fat to be stored in the belly, as opposed to the hip and thigh. Hence, women who experience early menopause tend to gain extra fat in their stomach. (kes)
