Battling The Bulge: Why Your Fat Isn't Going Anywhere

You've done the hard work: you've changed your diet, your eating habits, and portion sizes. You've joined a gym and exercise faithfully, and you've lost the weight you wanted to lose -- but you're still looking in the mirror and seeing bulges that won't budge. If belly fat and love handles are getting you down, here's a look at why they're not moving and what you can do to get rid of them.

Your Hormones Are Changing

As people age, their hormones change. This is especially true for women as they near and reach menopause. Estrogen and progesterone drop off dramatically, and the small amount of testosterone women have slows as well. These hormonal changes also slow the metabolism, and if you're stressed then the extra cortisol will also play a role. The combined effect of all of these is holding on to belly fat.

You're Not Exercising Right

Going for a power walk, riding a bike, or even going to a Zumba class is never going to get rid of your pockets of fat. Adding strength training to your aerobic activities will help, but as it's entirely possible to have six-pack abs under a layer of fat, exercise alone won't usually get rid of it.

You're Eating The Wrong Kinds Of Fat…Or Not Enough Fat

Fat has been given a bad rap. While eating an excess of saturated fat like butter or red meat isn't good, cutting fats out completely in favor of no-fat and low-fat products is even worse. For example, full-fat dairy keeps a person full longer, thus reducing the overall caloric intake for the day. Some people become so hypervigilant about their fat intake that they don't get enough, which tricks your body into thinking you are starving, which in turn means it holds on even more to the fat you have. Skip the no-fat, low-fat products and eat healthy fats like those found in avocados, fish, and olive oil.

So What Can Be Done To Get Rid Of Bulges?

When you have done everything you can, you can either accept that this is how it is or you can take advantage of new technology to help you. Coolsculpting is a non-invasive procedure that uses extreme cold to freeze your fat cells. It's not a surgical procedure, it doesn't require any downtime, and it's safe and FDA-approved. Usually only a few treatments are required before you see results. The frozen fat cells die, and your body sheds them along with your saddlebags or belly fat bulges. For more information about coolsculpting, contact clinics like the Countryside Dermatology & Laser Center.