So, you’ve got yourself an absolutely gorgeous dress to wear for a party two weeks from now. However, there’s a little bit of a problem – there’s no way of hiding your bulging belly fat in that tight dress. Not sure how to trim down in order to do some justice to that awesome bikini waiting in your closet? Check out these seven habits that can cause belly fat – and be sure to do the opposite, so you can shape up and lose those unsightly bulges as fast as possible!
1. Skipping meals
Starving yourself in a bid to become skinnier is an invitation for the fat cells to build a home in the belly as the body tends to store more calories. Depriving one’s body of food slows down the metabolism causing fewer calories to get burnt.
2. Eating late at night
Like the rest of the body, the digestive system needs to go for rest when it sleeps. When you eat late at night, the body won’t burn all the calories it consumed with the possibility of acid reflux or indigestion.
3. Inadequate sleep
If you’re not getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep, the belly is likely to expand. The body increases the production of the stress hormone called cortisol when it does not get the required amount of sleep. Cortisol causes sugar-cravings which leads to the consumption of many empty calories which causes the belly to bloat.
4. Sitting for a long time
Sitting for eight hours at a desk without breaks means you’re losing out on a physical activity that can help you burn calories. It also decreases the activity of the fat-burning enzyme lipoprotein lipase. This eventually leads to a bloated belly.
5. Excess intake of alcohol
Studies have shown that alcohol suppresses fat burning and the excess calorie from alcohol are partly stored as belly fat. Hence, you hear the term “beer belly”. If you have that, then it’s time you cut down on the alcohol.
