After Looking At Over 100 Different Cases...These Are The Top 5 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing FAT

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CES--Level 1 Certified Precision Nutrition and Certified Personal Trainer

You’re doing everything you can…

You have cut your portions…you have worked out a little harder this week (or month)…and you have started to have more fruits and vegetables.

But: The fat seems to be sticking put.

So what gives?

Well, here are five possible reasons why you’re holding on to the fat:

1. You’re Getting Older

For a moment, let’s face some cold hard facts: We are getting older, and there is not much we can do about that.

As each year passes, our metabolic rate decreases, which means we don’t need nearly as much food to eat each day.

However, that doesn’t stop us from topping our plates and taking seconds and thirds.

This could lead to excess fat gain, therefore making it that much harder to keep your weight down.

TIP: Although you’re getting older and your metabolism is a record low, it doesn’t mean that you can’t lose weight.  By making smart choices with your eating (more lean proteins, less processed carbs, and more fruits and vegetables), you could see positive changes in your body.  

Also, including exercise into your day could prevent the age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) from slowing your metabolism even further and increasing your risk for falls.  You should be doing some form of exercise most days of the week, with strength training included.

2. (For Women Only): You’ve Hit Menopause

Menopause is a time in a women’s life where there is a sharp decrease in the production of estrogen and progesterone.

Plus, you also have a decline in your testosterone levels, only complicating matters.

And the worst part of menopause (besides the hot flashes and mood swings): You tend to store excess calories as belly fat.

Why?

Well, the out-of-control hormone levels could cause many women to store their weight in their bellies.

This increases the size and shape of their bellies, plus, increases the risk for different chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

TIP: At this point in a woman’s life, hormones and muscle mass start to decline, often leading to weight gain.  However, it doesn’t have to be a situation where you let the weight run your life.

Even though your metabolism may be a little slower, you can still achieve weight loss by lowering the amount of calories you eat.  Including more lean proteins, less starches, and more fruits and vegetables could lead to a dramatic shift in your weight.
Now, according to some published studies, a low-carb diet may be very beneficial and could help you lose body fat (especially in the belly) and inches of your hips and thighs.

This just goes to show that even though you’ve hit menopause, it doesn’t have to be a weight loss nightmare.

3. Are You Doing The WRONG Workout?

Everyone likes a good butt-whipping from a group cycling class or an intense step class.

And although great for your heart, this type of workout may not be great for your fat burning.

Why?

Well, you’re skipping out on the most important aspect: strength training

Strength training increases your lean muscle mass, which could give a much-needed boost to your metabolism.

Plus, the combination of a solid strength training workout may give you a much leaner, toner look than a straight cardio routine could give you.

So, in order to stimulate fat loss by working out, you need to include a strength training AND cardiovascular workout.

This could enable your body to burn calories any time of day – even when you’re sleeping!

TIP:The combination approach to exercise could be the best method for boosting your weight loss.  Strength training boosts lean muscle development and cardiovascular helps to expend calories, therefore tapping into your body fat.

You should be doing 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each day and at least 3 days each week of strength training.
If you do this every week, you could see a lean, trimmer, and toner you in a matter of months and not years.

4. And Speaking Of Exercise…

If you’re a person who tends to go into the gym and do the same thing day in and day out…

Well, I have news for you: You’re probably not going to lose any fat anytime soon!

In order to change and torch your belly fat, you need to vary your workout and change it up periodically.

This places a different stress on your body, which could be enough of a push to burn more calories and put your metabolism into overdrive.

You could change up the exercises and include more intense exercises (sprints or high-intensity intervals), which could torch extra calories, therefore giving you a flatter, more defined mid-section.

5. (For Men Only): Your Hormones Are Out-of-Whack

Guys, just like women, you also may experience a slip in your testosterone levels.

However, unlike women, the decrease in testosterone is gradual and slow.

After you hit the young age of 30, your testosterone levels may start to decline by 1 percent per year.

This could lead to less muscle mass, less energy, and increases in body fat.

If you want to boost your testosterone and slash some of that belly fat, then you should check out these foods that boost your T levels naturally!

TIP: There are plenty of ways to boost your testosterone, which could lead to changes in your muscles, boosts in your metabolism, and a loss in body fat.

Eating the right foods could do wonders for boosting testosterone levels.  Including eggs, lean red meat (grass-fed), ginger, garlic, oysters, tuna, and beans could be easy additions to your diet that could give your testosterone levels a boost.

Also, including more strength training with compound lifts (squats, bench press, cleans, etc.) could also boost your testosterone.

Conclusion

There are lots of people who are trying to lose the fat.

And they do everything – from cutting calories to exercising more – all in the hopes they can shed the fat and look leaner and toner this month, next month, and beyond.

However, if you are having a harder time losing the stubborn belly flab, then you may have one – if not all – of these situations occurring right now.

And this could be keeping the fat instead of burning it.

However, if you eat a healthy diet, monitor your portions, and do a challenging workout most days of the week, you may see a spike in your metabolism and even greater losses in your belly fat.

READ:
Could This Help Strip Away Years Of Stubborn, Unwanted Fat?