As we mentioned above, triggering belly fat burning is a bit tricky and that’s why crunches, herbal teas that promise to reduce pimples, wouldn’t really work. The breakdown of fat occurs through a process called “lipolysis”. Work the Fat Burning Process Further – Certain chemicals like adrenaline and noradrenaline enter fat cells and attach to the alpha or beta receptors in those cells, stimulating the release of fat molecules from within. These fatty acids are then used as fuel in the event of a calorie deficit (fewer calories are expended and more calories must be burned primarily through food). Research in this area has shown that alpha receptors hinder the fat burning process, while beta receptors facilitate it. Fat cells with beta receptors are more sensitive to fat burning while those with alpha receptors do not actively respond. For this reason, belly fat, which is mostly made up of fat cells with more alpha receptors, is not involved in fat burning. We now know that the fat cells around the belly don’t respond so well to this process because belly fat cells have more alpha receptors than beta receptors which readily respond to the fat burning process and therefore belly fat is stubborn and would therefore require much more effort to get rid of.
In women, an increasing waistline is sometimes taken for granted with age, especially after menopause. But belly fat poses serious health risks. Excess abdominal fat is extremely unhealthy and increases health problems. Belly fat is a factor in many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, respiratory problems and even cancer.
Removing stubborn fat isn’t as easy as the weight loss industry would have us believe. Our bodies are complex chemical laboratories, not bank accounts, which completely negate the popular philosophy that reducing localized fat deposits is as simple as “calories in, calories out.” Numerous factors beyond an individual’s control, such as sex, genetics, and hormones, all affect where our bodies gain weight and whether or not that weight responds to diet or exercise.
