The Real Reason Belly Fat Is Hard to Lose and What Actually Works

Visceral fat has been at the top of many searches in healthcare terms, as this type of fat is seen as stubborn and difficult to get rid of. The truth about visceral fat is that your belly fat may be one part of your body that does not react well to your efforts, such as eating right and exercising, but more so to your understanding of your response to stress, sleep, your hormonal system, and food.

The body has a tendency to store fat around the waist if high stress is prolonged. The hormone responsible for stress is referred to as cortisol, which produces fat around the waist area, as this part of the body is closer to the liver and can be mobilized with energy if one finds oneself under stress. This is why one can be eating well but can still end up with fat around their waist if their sleeping pattern and daily routine are not in order.

The timing of food matters as well.  Eating late and consuming high amounts of food causes your body to work extra hard in dealing with your blood sugars, and this contributes to increased abdominal fat.  Consuming food earlier in time synchronizes your metabolism with its optimal times, and when you take your meals in the morning and at lunchtime, it reduces your desire to eat at night and keeps you energized, thereby helping you reduce waist fat slowly.

Hydrating has more to do with burning fat than one realizes. Not drinking enough water can slow down metabolism and trigger one to feel hungry, even when one has not eaten in quite some time. Drinking water is one way to make digestion work so that one can better digest their stored fat.

Movement is crucial, but not in the form that most people would consider. It's not going to get rid of belly fat by doing lots of crunches. But what are walking, resistance exercise, and intervals with increased activity, which raise your heart rate? This will help your insulin become more sensitive and make your body more apt to burn your stored fat. 

One area, however, that people tend not to pay heed to is sleeping. The absence of sleep disrupts one's appetite hormones, which thereby causes one to crave foods high in calories. Getting ample sleep assists one's body in controlling one's hunger and lowering the growth of fats around one's waistline. Visceral fat does not burn overnight. It likes quiet habits, regular meals, constant hydration, and moderate daily exercise. The body, after reaching equilibrium, gradually lets go of its grip on excess fat and reshapes itself.

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How to Eat to Lose Belly Fat

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How Smell Shapes Appetite and Eating Habits