Losing belly fat is a goal you are very focused on: you do hours on the treadmill every day and always opt for soup, sushi or a salad with plenty of tuna for dinner.
However, his belly remains there, indefeasible. This is because some habits that you believe are effective in eliminating fat in this region may sabotage your weight loss.
Does he doubt it? So check out a list of factors that can take you further away from the dream of conquering a dry and defined abdomen!
You Sleep Poorly
Poor sleep can keep you from getting that flat stomach you’ve been dreaming of, which can happen for several reasons.
The first one is that getting little sleep makes us feel hungrier. When you don’t get enough rest, your body increases the production of a hormone called ghrelin, which tells your body that it’s time to eat.
In this way, the brain takes time to let us know when we are full, and we increase our daily caloric intake, normally opting for more fatty and sugary foods, true villains of good shape.
Plus, a bad night’s sleep robs you of the energy you need to get out and exercise.
Another negative consequence of lack of sleep for those looking for a defined shape is that the deprivation of rest increases the production of cortisol. This hormone makes us store more fat in the abdominal region. So don’t give up sleeping between 7 and 9 hours a night!
You Exercise Inappropriately
The scene is quite common: the person spends hours on the treadmill at a low speed, feels like they’re dedicating a considerable amount of time to getting the body of their dreams and… doesn’t lose belly fat.
Suppose your goal is to reduce your fat percentage. In that case, the great idea is to skip long bouts of walking and invest in shorter but high-intensity aerobics like HIIT (high-intensity interval training), or high intensity, in English.
Also, please do not give up doing specific exercises for the abdominal region, as they strengthen the muscles under the layer of fat. When it is eliminated, achieving the long-awaited defined belly will be easier.
Also, it’s important to remember that the more muscle you build, the more calories your body naturally burns to stay active. Therefore, combining aerobic exercises and weight training is the most efficient way to achieve your goal.
You Exaggerate The Consumption Of Some Food Groups
If you want to flatten your abs, you must remember that your diet is a fundamental part of the process. Of course, exercising and sleeping well is very important, but taking these precautions and not investing in a clean diet can make all your efforts in vain.
Avoid, for example, consuming sugar and simple carbohydrates — such as bread, pasta, pizza and sweets. In addition to being very caloric, when consumed in excess, they increase insulin in our body, a hormone responsible for controlling blood glucose and making us more susceptible to accumulating fat.
Also, try to leave out heavily processed foods, which increase inflammation in the body, and give preference to natural ones, such as vegetables and lean proteins.
Another good idea is to invest in fiber-rich foods, such as granola and oatmeal, which help those with lazy intestines and help reduce the feeling that their belly is bloated.
You Live Under Stress
Not just lack of sleep increases cortisol levels in the body. Ingesting too much sugar and being constantly stressed, whether physically or mentally, has the same effect on hormone production.
In addition to favoring the accumulation of fat, especially in the abdominal region, cortisol also decreases muscle mass, throwing away a part of the efforts made during training sessions.
Another problem is that stress can help trigger episodes of binge eating in those who live with the problem, making the scales go up. So relax and find time to take care of your sleep, food and general well-being!
You Don’t Get Important Vitamins And Minerals
A deficiency of some important minerals, like chromium, in your diet can undermine your chances of achieving a flat stomach.
This is because chromium helps restore insulin levels, decreasing weight gain linked to fluctuating hormone amounts in the body. In other words, chromium makes you less likely to feel that sudden, urgent craving for sweets and carbohydrates.
Another important mineral for anyone looking to lose belly fat is magnesium.
You Don’t Choose The Right Fats
It’s not uncommon to find someone who focuses on getting a flat stomach and takes the fat off the menu for good – which is not a good idea.
In addition to playing an important role in the absorption of certain vitamins, such as A, D and K, fats also serve as a source of energy in low-carb diets, help protect the brain and heart and act in the health of hair and the skin.
In this way, the best strategy for those who want to lose weight without losing health is to exchange the “bad fats” for those that are good for the body.
You Consume Too Much Sodium
To have a flat and defined abdomen, you must stay away from excess sodium. Consuming foods with an excess of the mineral, in addition to being harmful to those with high blood pressure, also makes you feel more bloated.
Excess salt in the body causes water to move from the bloodstream to the skin.
Therefore, do not exceed the recommended amount of 4 grams of the mineral per day and stay away from foods rich in sodium, such as packet soups, soy sauce and even canned tuna, one of the diet darlings, which counts with 238 mg of sodium in a single serving.
Also Read: Flat Stomach: How To Have It Effortlessly
