CAUSES OF BELLY FAT
- GENETICS "Apple" and "pear" are two common body types. If you seem to store more fat in your stomach (middle area), then you would be dubbed as "apple shaped". If you seem to store more fat in the lower parts of your body, than you would be considered "pear shaped". Your genetics play a role in this. People who have overweight relatives that are "apple shaped", usually follow suit and the same goes for people with "pear shaped" relatives.
- MENOPAUSE - Fat storing itself around the tummy is common after menopause in women.
- BREAST CANCER RISK - Overweight women (particularly in the stomach area) have higher estrogen levels. Breast cancer stems from too much estrogen in the body. Research has found links between breast cancer and stomach fat. In addition, belly fat also increases insulin levels which is also linked to breast cancer.
- SLOW METABOLISM - Our metabolism slows down the older we get, which means we have a more difficult time burning calories than we did when we were younger. A slower metabolism in someone can also cause an extra storage of fat around the middle.
- STRESS - This is one that many people don't think of. The hormone "cortisol" is released when your body is under stress. This hormone causes your liver to produce excess sugar that your body doesn't need. This makes you feel hungrier and you end up eating more. Most of these calories go straight to your stomach area.
- IMPROPER DIGESTION - Improper digestion (usually caused by stress) can cause many types of gastrointestinal problems, which make you gassy and bloated. This can cause the "bloating effect", which can make your belly look larger.
- LATE NIGHT EATING - You should try not to eat within 3 hours of your bedtime if you want to control stomach fat. It is important that your food has a chance to digest before you go to sleep. Try to eat something healthy, like a bannana if it is within 3 hours of bedtime. Fat tends to store itself around the middle area if you go to bed with a full stomach.
