What Are TheThings That Make Your belly Jiggle?

It’s Saturday night, and you are on your couch, relaxing and watching a movie. Suddenly, an ad pops up – for green tea! The actor unzips her jacket to show off her flat belly, and you look down on your own. You can pinch and hold your belly fat!

What Are TheThings That Make Your belly Jiggle?

You run to catch the local train, walk to the station to the office, and even eat your veggies. So, why do you have belly fat?

Well, there are some things that directly contribute to that extra meat on your stomach. Here’s a list of them.

Sugar

Love cookies, cakes, and candies? Well, they sure do enjoy settling over your belly! Studies have shown that excess belly fat and intake of high sugar food and beverages are directly related. These include packaged juices, muffins, frozen yogurt, and soda.

Fast Food

If your daily breakfast is white bread and ‘diet’ soda, well, that’s another cause of belly fat. French fries, potato chips, ice cream and chocolate (milk chocolate) contribute to increased belly fat. Let’s not forget the crowd favorite – Pizza!

There are multiple studies tracking how all the above junk food are contributing not only to belly fat but also to coronary heart problems. Keep away from them, and you will live healthier and longer.

Alcohol

Red wine, in moderate amounts, may help lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But don’t rejoice yet. The keyword here is – Moderate.

High alcohol intake can cause inflammation, liver disease and other health problems, including addiction. There is a reason the term ‘beer belly’ came into existence. It is because excess calories from alcohol are partly stored right in your belly.

Trans Fats

Trans Fats are the worst type of fats to ever exist. Unsaturated fats are mixed with hydrogen for stabilization purposes. They cause inflammation leading to insulin resistance, coronary diseases and disorders, and various other diseases.

Baked goods like cakes, cookies and pies, frozen pizzas, fried foods like fries, burgers and doughnuts, and even microwaved popcorn contain trans fats. 

Stress

That looming deadline making you sleepless? Well, it could be another reason for your belly fat. Cortisol is a hormone that helps the body drive a stress response. Unfortunately, excessive production of cortisol can also lead to weight gain. 

Stress eating is a term we have heard or personally experienced. Instead of storing all that excess calories all around the body, cortisol stores it in the belly, causing belly fat.

Genetics

It has been recognized that genetics plays a very important role in determining risk of obesity. It is believed that genetics also influences the tendency to store fat in the stomach.

However, more research is required to completely understand this.

Lack of sleep

We all love staying up late, binge-watching Netflix shows and horror movies. But did you know it could be making you fatter?

Poor quality and short duration sleep have been linked to weight gain by a study. It will also lead to other unhealthy behavior such as stress, disturbed eating behavior, etc., which will lead to the accumulation of belly fat.

Inactivity

We are a generation who sit in front of our computers and on calls forever. It is called a sedentary lifestyle.  Multiple studies have found that inactivity results in weight gain. Even if you do lose weight, going back to inactivity will lead you to quickly gain weight.

In simple words, if you consume more calories than you can burn, you will gain weight. There are many apps, such as HealthifyMe, which can help you track your calorie consumption with every morsel of food or beverage you eat/ drink.

It is very difficult to get rid of belly fat. You can follow some of the following tips to slowly chip away at that extra meat on your stomach.

• Change your diet. Avoid sugar and sugar-sweetened foods. Avoid fried food especially fried food from restaurants and hotels.

• Increase protein intake in your daily diet. According to studies, protein can boost your metabolism and reduce cravings by 60%. Protein will also help to reduce the risk of regaining weight. Also, increase your intake of soluble fiber. They also have a palpable effect in reducing belly fat.

• Avoid over-indulgence with alcohol. Stop smoking. It will not only improve your overall health; you will reduce belly fat and improve your lifestyle.

• The last is to exercise. Regular exercise is a must to not just reduce belly fat but also ensure minimal weight gain in the future. It also keeps the various parts of your body and organs well-oiled and healthy.