03/08/2023
5 reasons that you may be struggling to shift belly fat, and what to do about them:
1. Your metabolism has naturally slowed down with age - The reality is that as we get older, our body's capacity to burn excess calories gradually declines. This is due to the gradual loss of lean muscle mass overtime, and is the reason that resistance training or at the very least, not being sedentary, is so important as you get older. Your lean muscle helps you to burn more calories at rest, so it's preservation is fundamental in being leaner.
2. You're eating calorie dense foods that don't fill you up - Have you ever noticed how easy it is to plough through snacky kind of foods like chocolate/crisps and yet not feel full? I know that personally I can eat an entire pack of cookies even after already eating a meal if I want to. This is because they are calorie dense but do not fill you up, so you are able to consume a monumental amount of calories in a short space of time. The answer to this is not to seek to remove these foods completely from your diet, but to be aware that they won't fill you and have a slightly more structured/aware approach to them.
3. You're trying to eat no junk food at all - The reality is that this is simply not a very realistic goal for 98% of people. Junk food is absolutely everywhere and also isn't necessarily inherently bad, although it's nutritional value may be bad. In order to be lean, it is fundamental to have a more relaxed approach to what you consume on a weekly or monthly basis. Being a perfectionist is likely to backfire and make you feel like you can't stick to your plan.
4. You're doing exercise programs that you don't enjoy - Whenever I'm asked what is the best training regimen to get leaner or to tone up, my first answer is always the one that you can do consistently over an indefinite period of time. It may be the case that you don't enjoy any kind of physical activity, and that's ok. But there is always some kind of movement that you can enjoy. Another thing that can be useful to remind yourself is that you are very lucky to have a body that is healthy enough to be used, so why not find a way to use it.
5. You're not sleeping right - This can be a tough one as there are a myriad of reasons for struggling to sleep properly. But it ideally should be a priority to sleep 7+ hours per night, as this keeps your metabolism and hormones working as they should, and gives you the physical and mental energy that you need to pursue your fitness goals.
