Why Can’t I Lose Belly Fat: Here Are The 10 Reasons In 2024

So you’ve decided to do away with that bulging tummy. No matter what I do I can’t lose belly fat. You’ve done all there is to do but it simply won’t cut back. That’s a clear sign of excess visceral fat. 

This kind of fat surrounds your vital organs and makes your stomach protrude into what’s known as a ‘beer gut.’ What you may not know is that too much fat is a predictor of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, insulin resistance, and different forms of cancer. 

If you feel you’ve exhausted all your exercise and diet options, try these 5 fat-burning pills and keep reading to find out what you could be doing wrong and deal with it ASAP. 

Why Can’t I Lose Belly Fat

You’re Eating One Too Many Processed Foods 

Cutting back on junk food can be significantly beneficial for burning fat and shedding more calories. When consumed each day, diets that contain less than 50 grams of carbs each day help lose fat belly in overweight individuals, women with PCOs, and those at risk for type 2 diabetes.^[1]

On the other hand, you may not need to adhere to a low-carb diet all the time. Research suggests^[2] that switching processed foods with natural starchy foods such as vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc., helps in reducing excess belly fat and improving metabolic health.

You Drink Too Much Alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption often leads to abdominal obesity, otherwise known as the beer belly. 

An Epidemiology and Health study^[3] found that high intake of alcohol was often linked to high waist circumference. Given alcohol’s high-calorie content, this comes as no surprise. 

Drinking too much also interferes with your body’s natural ability to lose belly fat efficiently. The body typically breaks down alcohol to transform it into energy before it burns any stored fat. 

The solution? Cut back on your alcohol intake. Limit your consumption to a drink per day, and you’re good to go. It’s highly beneficial in small amounts and toxic in high quantities. 

You’re Getting Old 

You’re bound to develop a protruding tummy regardless of your body weight if you’re an older adult. Older people don’t burn the energy in their fat cells as fast and efficiently as their younger counterparts.

Women gain weight as they grow older. This is due to the menopause stage, whereby the body fat shifts more toward the abdomen. More visceral fat among women older than 60 shouldn’t be something to worry about. 

Struggling to lose weight despite your efforts should not deter you from exercising and dieting. Maintain strength training to prevent obesity and other similar complications. 

You Don’t Do Cardio (Aerobic Exercise) 

Even if you do it frequently, there’s a good chance that you’re going about your cardio routines the wrong way. By crafting a workable cardio plan, you can use that as a tool to drop unwanted pounds and overcome any hurdle you encounter along the way. 

When you incorporate cardio workouts into your daily exercises, you burn calories faster and improve your healthy weight at the same time. Recent studies^[4] reveal that cardio is among the best forms of exercise to include in your high-intensity workout regimen. On the other hand, it’s unclear whether you should do moderate or high-intensity strength training to lose weight. 

You Haven’t Added Apple Cider Vinegar To Your Diet 

How often do you drink apple cider vinegar? If not so often as you’re supposed to, you’re missing out on some impressive benefits. Apple cider vinegar contains a compound known as acetic acid that is known to lower visceral fat storage. These findings are based on several animal studies.^[5] 

Start taking about 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day. A 12-week study^[6] in men with obesity revealed that those who took daily tablespoons of apple cider vinegar lost about half an inch of their belly fat. Ensure you dilute it with water first before consumption. Undiluted vinegar is known to erode tooth enamel. 

You’re Stressed 

It’s highly unlikely but very true. Stress is known to cause increased visceral fat by triggering your adrenal glands to excrete the stress hormone cortisol. Research^[7] reveals that a spike in stress levels leads to increased appetite and growth in abdominal fat storage. 

Additionally, women with a large waist often produce higher levels when stressed. The increased cortisol secretions further lead to more weight gain, especially around the waist. 

If you want to lose weight, watch how many calories you eat per meal and engage in more pleasurable activities such as meditation or yoga that alleviate stress. 

You’re Chained To The Scale 

Scales can be misleading. At one point, you think you’re making progress in your body fat reduction efforts, but it quickly fluctuates when you least expect it. Whether digital or conventional, weight scales tend to give inaccurate readings and make you feel like you’re not going to hit your belly fat goals anytime soon. 

One thing that makes the scales fluctuate is your muscle mass. You may not know this, but muscles weigh a lot more than fat. Therefore, as you begin your high-intensity workouts, you might find that your weight gradually increases even though there’s an apparent reduction in your belly fat. 

To avoid unnecessary disappointments, don’t track your progress through scales. Instead, take photos and keep a record of your efforts. 

You’re Only Working Out In The Gym 

The gym is a great place to lower your body fat percentage, but it shouldn’t be the ONLY place. Challenge yourself to work out whenever, wherever. For instance, you can perform ten or more calf raises each time you wake up or before you leave for work. 

You can work out at the park, at home, in the shower, and basically, anywhere you find an opportunity. Some high-intensity interval training workouts include: 

• Squats
• Lunges
• Push-ups

Whatever high-intensity exercise you choose or where you choose to do it, ensure you do it regularly. Stay consistent in lifting weights and healthy eating, and you’ll notice positive changes in your blood sugar levels in no time. 

You’re Using Cooking Fat Instead Of Cooking Oil 

Use coconut or olive oil instead. Studies^[8] reveal that using coconut oil in place of harmful cooking oil decreases your calorie intake and abdominal fat. This is due to the saturated fat that’s primarily present in coconut oils. 

One study^[9] took men who took coconut oil and those who didn’t and the results were astonishing. Those who consumed coconut oil every day for 12 weeks noticed a 1.1-inch loss of waist fat without intentionally tweaking their exercise routines or diet. 

As you make the switch, keep in mind that coconut oil has too many calories. Use it in limited amounts to prevent belly fat. 

You Don’t Get Enough Sleep 

Sleep is essential for every part of losing belly fat. Studies^[10] reveal that individuals who get less than six hours of sleep every night may gain weight, especially around the abdominal area. 

Experts recommend that you sleep for at least seven to eight hours every night. Also, monitor your quality of sleep. A study^[11] involving 68,000 women revealed that those who rested for less than 4 hours every night had a higher risk of gaining weight than those who slept for six or more hours per night. 

Did you know lack of enough sleep can result in a condition known as sleep apnea?^[12] This condition causes your breathing to stop periodically during the night, and it’s one of the reasons you’re not losing weight.

If your profession doesn’t allow you to get enough shut-eye, it’s better to switch to one that neither interferes with your sleep quality nor shortens your rest time. 

Final Thoughts

If you notice your belly fat is not going down, try these simple tips. You also need to consider the above probable reasons and act on them ASAP. As you may already know, belly fat leads to dangerous conditions such as stroke, high blood pressure, heart attacks, asthma, breast cancer, colon cancer, and so on.

If you’re serious about your belly fat loss plans, you won’t mind making minor adjustments to your overall lifestyle!

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