Losing weight can be super difficult to do, especially because we can’t really spot reduce. According to Medical News Today, there are many reasons why people gain belly fat or midsection fat. The reasons may include a poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Improving your nutrition, increasing your activity, reducing stress, and making lifestyle changes may help you lose midsection fat. Also, belly fat can increase the chance of heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, asthma, breast cancer, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of dementia.
As a mother, it’s difficult to lose that midsection fat after having a baby. Did you know that your body increases the fluid that you have to accommodate the pregnancy, and that increases swelling and bloating? According to Insider, not only does your tummy grow, but your uterus as well. All those hormones can stick around and cause the weight to as well. We’ve done some research to figure out the causes of midsection or belly fat. Keep reading for more and one of our favorite ways to reduce it!
Causes of Midsection or Belly Fat
1) A poor diet
Sometimes, a poor diet can cause midsection or belly fat. Sugar, soft drinks, and junk food can cause you to gain weight. Trans fat, high-carb diets, can cause obesity.
2) Excess alcohol
If you drink too much alcohol, there are a variety of issues that can arise. This includes liver disease, inflammation, and weight gain.
3) Lack of exercise
To lose weight, you need to exercise. The more calories you consume, the more weight you will put on. Not exercising not only makes us gain weight, but it also makes it harder to lose weight. At the same time, it ages us. If you exercise, you are expected to live up to 10 years longer, according to Andrew Steele, an aging scientist extraordinaire.
4) Stress
When you are stressed, it may cause you to gain weight. According to Medical News Today, this is because cortisol, the steroid hormone, is released when you are feeling stressed. This has an impact on your metabolism. Food can also be the first source of comfort when you are stressed. Cortisol actually holds onto these excess calories for later use because your body is in fight or flight mode.
5) Genetics
Genes, genes, genes! Your body type and shape may be somewhat influenced by your genetics. Behavior, metabolism, and the risk of disease are all things that are factors of genetics.
6) Poor sleep
Not sleeping enough or too much can play a part in abdominal fat. This is also due to the fact that not getting enough sleep can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, like emotional eating.
7) Smoking
While no one is quite sure that smoking directly causes belly fat, some researchers believe this to be true. According to Medical News Today, smokers had more visceral belly fat than people that did not smoke.
Breathing Exercise For Core Strength
We’re obsessed with this exercise for core strengthening. Although we know we can’t directly spot treat, to a certain extent, a strong core allows for more muscle, which in turn means less fat. This exercise from Erica Bloom Pilates will burn away your midsection and help tone your core. A strong core is essential for not only abdominal muscles but a center of balance, and stability, and it distributes your weight evenly so no part of your body is having pressure put on it.
- On an inhale, focus on engaging the diaphragm and releasing the pelvic floor.
- On an exhale, focus on engaging the pelvic floor and wrapping and tightening the deep transversus abdominis muscle.
