This Is the Scientific Reason Why Belly Fat Is So Hard to Ditch
Updated: Apr. 14, 2021
It's not because your body just doesn't want to grow out of that cummerbund.
For your health and for your wallet, losing weight is always a good choice. But even after months at the gym and plenty of progress, there always seems to be something amiss, an anatomical anomaly which fails to reflect all the hard work that you put in. This, of course, is your gut. Why is it that stomach fat is always so hard to lose? (You might want to try incorporating some of these flat belly foods into your diet, ASAP.)
Cosmopolitan spoke to an expert on the topic, Dr. Luke James, a staffed specialist from the U.K. health insurance company Bupa. Ultimately, a lot of it comes down to the specific type of fat which tends to congregate around your navel, a body fat which is tough to melt away.
“To put it simply: it’s more difficult to shift belly fat because it has a higher amount of fat cells that don’t respond as easily to the fat-breakdown process (lipolysis),” says James.
When it comes to fat, the human body has two types: alpha and beta cells. These two breeds (love) handle your latest workout routine differently due to their designed purpose; alpha cells are designed to restrict blood flow to cells and stymy the fat-burning process, while beta cells increase blood flow and stimulate the fat-burning process.
Someone’s concentration of alpha versus beta cells comes down to genetics, so some people may be more predisposed to weight loss than others. This is by evolutionary design, but when it comes to dropping weight, it can make certain areas slim down quicker than others.
“When you’re actively trying to lose fat, you may see changes on your legs, face, and arms first because these areas have more alpha cells,” but eventually, he says, your body will catch up. “With regular, intense exercise, an increased intake in protein and less sugar in your diet, you should start to notice a change after three months,” he said.
It may be slow going at first, but it ultimately is out of the exerciser’s hands. Check out these exercises to lose belly fat and get started!
[Source: Cosmopolitan]
