3 Surprising Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Belly Fat

Are you wondering why your tummy bulges despite your effort to trim down? Eliminating tummy bulge is more than just having a nice figure. It is a significant indicator of a serious disease, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

If you are eating right and exercising, some factors are to be blamed why your belly is not reducing. Check out these factors that are messing up your efforts to lose weight:

  1. You are missing out on magnesium.

Magnesium supports over 300 chemical reactions in our body.  Aside from maintaining our heart rhythm, it maintains the blood sugar levels, help in body shaping and most importantly, aids in weight loss.  A research in England found that taking magnesium supplements can lessen fluid retention during menstruation, contributing to less bloating during the period. There is also another study that claimed that higher magnesium is linked to lower levels of insulin and fasting glucose.

Solution To Lose Belly Fat:

Consult your doctor if you need magnesium supplements. Eat more foods rich in magnesium, such as beans, nuts and leafy green vegetables. Take note of the recommended magnesium requirement for women. Below 30 years is 310 mg, and women over 30 require  more than 320 mg.

  1. You don’t sleep enough.

Are you getting enough sleep? Incomplete doze has effects on why your belly is not reducing. A research from the American Journal of Epidemiology claimed that women who have fewer number of sleep hours each night are more likely to gain weight. Those who slept five or lesser hours were 32 percent more likely to gain weight over 16 years compared to those who have completed the required hours of sleep. There is also a study from the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center that found that women, who only sleep four hours each night tend to consume additional 300 calories each day. This has something to do with the hormone ghrelin that fuels the appetite.

Solution To Lose Belly Fat:

Ensure that you follow the recommended hours of sleep each night. Ensure that your mattress and pillows are comfortable, your bedroom is set at the right temperature, you have a dim light and you get rid of electronics that can distract your sleep.

  1. You get older.

Your body changes the way it loses and gains weight as you get older. Men and women experience a slow down in their metabolism. Moreover, menopause has something to do with piling up on extra pounds too. Michael Jensen, MD, professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic’s endocrinology division claimed that when women gain weight following menopause, the fats are more concentrated on their bellies. During menopause, estrogen and progesterone production is declining. It is the same in men, where their testerone levels also start to decelerate. The changes in hormone production affect how the body store and burns calories.

Solution To Lose Belly Fat:

Do a combination of weights and cardiovascular training. Sangeeta Kashyap, MD, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic recommends strength training to increase muscle mass that aids in burning more fat.

Michelle Moore is a registered Nutritionist-Dietitian, fitness enthusiast and writer. She loves getting healthy and fit while sharing her expertise to people who find it hard to lose weight. She also writes about addictions, recovery, treatment, how addiction affects our mental capacity and mental illness.