5 Reasons You’re Not Losing Belly Fat
It’s always good to question and look at why the things you are doing are not working, especially after your training your ass off and not seeing good results.
But the thing is that sometimes it’s good to have a different perspective come your way so you can overcome that hurdle, and I think it’s especially beneficial if you take out your frustrations in your workout and really push hard to the next level.
Hopefully one or two of these 5 tips will help you see some pretty damn good results….
Trying to Lose Belly Fat? Here’s What You’re Doing Wrong…
1. Too Much Cardio
That’s right – you may be doing too much cardio! Cardiovascular exercise can definitely help you burn belly fat, but it can only take you so far. Plus your body gets bored over time, and eventually your metabolism stops responding in the same way.
The Fix: Cut your cardio workouts in half, and replace that time with weight training. Not only will you tone your body, you’ll also increase your resting metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn a lot more fat throughout your day. I recommend starting with my Total Body Workout in 30 Minutes.
2. Drinking Soda
Think diet soda won’t interfere with your fat burning efforts? Think again. Diet soda is full of artificial sweeteners and ingredients that just throw your metabolism off track, leading to hunger spikes and cravings. Regardless of what the drink says, read the label and look at the primary ingredients. I’ve unfortunately found that even drinks like Vitamin Water are absolutely terrible, read my article “Is vitamin water really good for you?” to get enlightened.
The Fix: Replace the soda with beverages that actually help you burn more belly fat. Water’s the best natural detox for your body, or try reading my article Lemon Water Benefits.
3. Poor Sleep
Clients are often surprised by this tip, but one night of poor sleep really does a number on your metabolism. Not only will you burn less fat, you’ll also end up with non-stop cravings for everything bad. This is because sleep plays an important role in regulating key hormones related to hunger and metabolism.
The Fix: Make sure you’re getting a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night, and make sure it’s good sleep! If your sleep is off track, take a look at my Quick Sleep Remedies for some simple solutions.
4. A High Sodium Diet
Although sodium doesn’t necessarily contribute to belly fat, it does cause your body to retain water. This bloating is just going to make your midsection look bigger than it is, and hide all your hard work at the gym.
The Fix: This one has a simple solution – cut out the salt. Try adding others seasonings to your foods. Fresh herbs and spices like cayenne pepper will actually help you burn more calories and fat!
5. Drinking Alcohol
The problem with alcohol is that it’s really high in calories, regardless of what it’s mixed with. When consumed on a regular basis, it’s definitely going to interfere with your belly flattening efforts.
The Fix: You don’t have to give it up altogether, but try to cut down on how often you drink. Definitely cut down on high calorie drinks like beer, sugary mixes like margaritas, and anything mixed with juice or soda. When you do drink,vodka or a gin and soda are on the lowest calorie side of drinks.
Looking for more ways to beat belly fat? Read my article on How to Torch Belly Fat in 6 Weeks here.
Have any questions or feedback about these 5 Reasons You’re Not Losing Belly Fat? Please leave a comment below…
Sign up to the weekly Weight Loss & Training Newsletter & get a 50 Smoothie Recipes PDF for FREE!
Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.