What's causing your belly fat?

The new buzzword these days is “quick remedies to reduce belly fat,” but to understand how to lose belly fat, we first need to grasp the concept of various functions that affect the weight-loss process in the body. To start with, let’s talk about metabolic fire. Think of your metabolism as a fire burning within you. This fire breaks down food and turns it into energy. A strong metabolic fire means efficient digestion and energy use, while a weak one leads to sluggish digestion and more stored fat, particularly around the belly. Now we also need to understand that to lose belly fat, it’s crucial to focus on both muscle building and fat loss together. Building muscle works by boosting your metabolism because it helps you burn more calories than fat, and this happens even during the resting phase. So, a workout routine that combines cardio, weights, and strength training with other fat-burning activities is key to a leaner physique.

Apart from the above two parameters, our digestion also decides whether to lose belly fat or store it further because we all have a digestive fire that determines how well we break down and absorb food. A strong digestive fire means faster and more efficient digestion, leading to better nutrient absorption. Conversely, a weak digestive fire results in slower digestion, causing issues like indigestion, gas and bloating. You might have noticed that some people with high metabolisms can eat a lot and stay thin, while others eat less and exercise more but still gain belly fat. This is because their digestive system and metabolic rate are not functioning optimally.

We discussed metabolism, muscle building and digestion, but all of them are governed by the hormones in our body, and because of that, most of us tend to store fat around the belly. This excess belly fat can increase estrogen levels, further causing hormonal imbalances by lowering testos- terone and progesterone levels and vice versa. That’s why these hormonal shifts further complicate weight loss efforts and contribute to the accumulation of more belly fat, and the most important hormone triggering the fat accumulation is cortisol or the stress hormone. Chronic stress affects everyone differently. Some people gain weight when stressed due to higher levels of ghrelin and cortisol, which increase hunger and lead to overeating. This also elevates estrogen levels and decreases testosterone, resulting in more belly fat. Others lose weight under stress because they lose their appetite and stop eating, but this isn’t a healthy weight loss as it often leads to muscle loss instead of fat loss.

There’s more to weight loss than just a fad diet, an extensive workout or even going calorie-burning. By understanding and applying these science-based facts, you can effectively understand the reason for your belly fat and then work on it to achieve a healthier, leaner body. Next week, we will learn more about tips for improving the day’s metabolism and working on belly fat.