I lost so much weight but I still have belly fat! Nutritionist response.

Losing weight is hard but it’s not impossible. Many people who have lost weight find that their belly fat is still there.. maybe a bit smaller but still noticeable. It’s understandable that it’s annoying.

Hey! My name is Paula and I am a nutritionist from Nutrition2change. I am looking to dig into the belly fat subject today and crack it open so you can finally start getting rid of it.  

Firstly, what’s up with belly fat right? Why is so stubborn? 

So, it seems that the belly is the last area your body will actually lose weight from. This means that even if you have lost a lot of weight and became skinnier in other areas, that leftover belly fat will still be there until you lose more weight. This may be annoying for some because the belly fat may be sticking out more due to other areas being much smaller. 

I feel you, but sadly you can’t target fat loss. Your body will simply use up fat stores from all over the body and you don’t get a say.

At the beginning of a weight loss journey, the body will actually use more of the belly fat and thigh fat but as you lose more and more weight, the body will begin to use up fat stores from other areas like the back, thighs and arms. This may be due to the fact that these areas carry more fat and although the stomach also carries fat, the body keeps it there to protect the organs.

What do you need to do to lose belly fat? 

Belly fat is just one of those things that are not only annoying in appearance but it actually affects our health quite significantly. 

Belly fat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, affects lung function and increases migraines and headaches. 

It is so important to lose the belly fat to a normal body weight and protect your health. 

But what do you do?

The first thing is first, you MUST be in a calorie deficit. For calculations, see this post! 

The second thing is just as important as the first, you need to manipulate macronutrients. These are protein, fats and carbs. I’ve created another post that gives you 5 simple steps to mastering macronutrients for weight loss. Take a look at the article here. 

Both of these articles will guide you through calorie deficit and macronutrients! However, if you don’t feel comfortable doing the calculations yourself or maybe you’d prefer a professional to take care of your diet then I’d be happy to help! Check out my personalised diet programs here. 

The second stage of losing belly fat is exercise. You simply need to perform a mixture of aerobic exercise and weight training in order to reshape your body and lose the belly fat. You can also take a look at my exercise programs here which will help you reach your goals. 

Summary

To summarise, belly fat is stubborn and it is the last area a body will burn the belly fat. To lose it, you must be in a calorie deficit with appropriate macronutrient intake, and you must perform aerobic exercise as well as weight training.  I hope that this helps, please don’t forget to check out my programs to help you achieve your goals!