I Am Unable To Lose Belly Fat

Belly fat is one of the most dangerous types of fat. According to Science Daily, the fat that gathers around your midsection, known as visceral fat, can increase your chances of developing diabetes and heart disease. Around 1/3 of all Americans have too much fat in their midsection, but many seem to be unable to lose effectively weight from this area.

Not Enough Exercise

If your metabolism slows down due to a lack of exercise, you may gain extra pounds around your midsection, according to the OC Register's fitness expert, Robert Inglis. Aerobic exercise and strength training build muscle and burn calories, but most people don't get nearly enough exercise. A 2010 survey published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine analyzed data from telephone surveys from 2003 to 2008 asking Americans what they did during the previous 24 hours. The majority of survey participants reported that they performed mostly sedentary activities, with only 5 percent stating that they had done any vigorous physical activity. Upping your activity level may help to burn not only belly fat, but fat from your entire body.

Age

As you age, your body tends to shift the areas where it stores fat. According to Harvard Health Publications, your difficulties increase if you're a woman. Women tend to gain weight even more than men around their abdominal area as they get older. Your body shifts fat storage from the hips and thighs to your upper body, particularly your waist, as you age. What's even more problematic is that even if you don't actually gain weight, you may still gain inches around your midsection due to the shifting of fat storage. Plus, as you age, you lose muscle, so your body isn't burning as much fat as it once did.

Genetics

In the end, it may simply be a matter of genetics. According to a 1999 study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, certain people may just be genetically unlucky. The study found that people who have a genetic tendency to gain belly fat are also subject to insulin resistance, which can make losing belly fat extremely difficult.

Too Many Calories

You might simply be eating too much. If your caloric intake exceeds the number of calories you burn each day, you're going to gain weight. Where you gain this weight depends on several of the other factors related to weight gain in the belly area, such as genetics and age. In order to lose overall body fat, you need to increase your level of physical activity and create a caloric deficit so that your body burns more calories than you take in, according to MayoClinic.com.

Hormones

Hormones may be to blame for excess belly fat, especially for women, according to MayoClinic.com. After menopause, your body may experience a change in the way it breaks down and stores fat due to a hormonal shift, leading to an increase in belly fat.