5 Reasons Your Belly Fat Isn’t Budging — and What to Do About It

Women who don't sleep enough are at risk for excess belly fat, Mikka Knapp, RDN, LDN, CLT, founder of Bright Body Nutrition in Sarasota, FL, told POPSUGAR. But here's the kicker — women who sleep too much are also at risk for carrying extra belly fat. "The sweet spot for sleep and less abdominal fat falls between seven to eight hours a night," Knapp says. "Too much or too little sleep results in cravings for simple carbs and an imbalance of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which help signal hunger and fullness." Try this trick to help you fall asleep faster.

Everyone deals with some level of stress on an average day, but if you find yourself feeling like you're constantly frazzled, that may result in the accumulation of belly fat, Nazirber De La Cruz, RDN, CDN, CDE, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Elmhurst Digestive and Liver Diseases in Queens, NY, told POPSUGAR. According to Cruz, chronic stress promotes inflammation in the body, similar to how too much added sugar does. Fat cells in the belly produce and react to cortisol hormones and other proteins that drive inflammation, which promote cell growth and can lead to weight gain. Try these stress-busting techniques to naturally lower your cortisol levels.

A study published in Nature found that naturally lean women have more bacteria called bacteroidetes in their gut, and women who carry more fat tend to have more gut bacteria known as firmicutes. "The good news about this is that you can influence your personal bacteria by eating more fibre," says Knapp. "Fibre breaks down into short chain fatty acids that feeds the bacteria bacteroidetes," she adds. Aim for five cups of fruits and vegetables (combined) a day to help boost this lean bacteria and ward off belly fat. Start with these 10 high-fibre foods, and try to eat them every week.

"Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are hormone-disrupting chemicals found in many foods, beauty care products, and plastic containers," says Knapp. "They're also referred to as 'obesogens' because they're now understood to interfere with healthy processes of metabolism, resulting in obesity and extra fat around the abdomen," she adds. Among these obesogens are phthalates and BPA, which are in many plastic and aluminium containers. Knapp says she tells clients to choose aluminium cans that are clearly marked BPA-free and to use glass containers over plastic to avoid excess exposure to obesogens. Pick up one of these reusable water bottles to make sure you're staying hydrated and healthy.