When it comes to weight loss, we all have our "trouble spots." For some of us, it’s our hips and thighs. For others, it’s our underarms. For many, it’s the stomach. There’s no question that for most people, the stomach is one of the key areas they want to zero in on when on a new fitness and diet plan. Often it’s those pesky love handles that are driving you to want to lose weight in the first place, so it’s no surprise that this is the area you focus on.

So when you begin losing weight from everyone but that area, it’s no wonder you become slightly frustrated. On one hand, you are definitely excited about the fact that you are in fact losing weight, but on the other hand, you’re not really accomplishing your main goal here.

What gives?

Below are some of the main reasons why you may not be losing weight from your stomach and what you can do to help resolve that.

You’re Stressed Out

The first reason you may not be losing weight from your stomach like you should be is that you’re highly stressed out. There’s no question, stress is a major game player in the name of fat loss.

And, stress impacts belly fat loss the most. When you are highly stressed out, your body is going to be secreting cortisol, which in turn leads to an increased risk of belly fat accumulation.

So even though you are dieting, if you are very stressed out, this excess cortisol is not going to be doing you any favors. If you are losing weight everywhere else then clearly you are already in a calorie deficit, so you aren’t doing anything "wrong" per se, so it very likely could be a hormonal issue causing the problem.

Dealing with your stress is something that should help you see better progress moving forward.

You’re Not Sleeping Enough

Next up you have your sleep habits. Did you know that lack of sleep is also something that causes the release of cortisol? Many people are not fully aware of this, but it most certainly does.

Not sleeping enough will drive cortisol levels upward, which not only mean less fat loss from the belly region but it also means that you may notice you start losing lean muscle mass as well.

Your appetite may also change for the worse when you aren’t sleeping enough, so that’s another reason why it’s important that you pay attention to the amount of shut-eye you're getting.

Many people take sleep for granted and believe that they really don’t need to get those 8-9 hours a night. But, if you aren’t losing fat from your stomach but are everywhere else, you may want to reconsider.

Your Genetics Aren't Helping

Also, consider your genetics. Do your parents have large stomachs? Some people just naturally store fat here and it becomes very challenging to remove. If your belly is typically the first place you put on fat then it will also likely be the last place you take off fat.

In this case, there may be nothing wrong with your body or your approach — you just need to give yourself more time. You’ll see your belly fat moving along better the further along your diet you go.

You Have Food Insensitivities

Finally, last but not least, you may have food insensitive. For instance, if you are sensitive to dairy, you bloat up quite bad after eating it. This could make it seem like your stomach is larger than it is.

Likewise, too much dietary fiber can lead to stomach distention, making it look like you’ve gained weight and fat when you really haven’t. Don’t rule these out as well.

So there you have the main points to know and remember regarding your weight loss and current state of your belly fat levels. Sometimes the two are not exclusive and it takes a bit of extra effort to really get that fat melted from your stomach.

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