Why is it Difficult to Lose Belly and Thigh Fat?

Most of us must have noticed how even after exercising and following a proper diet, the fat accumulated around our bellies or thighs does not go away. If you are on a weight loss journey you might want to know how belly fat and thigh fat are different and one might be easier than the other to lose. So let us break down how fat accumulation and reduction in these two areas of our bodies work.

Belly Fat

Fat around the belly occurs because of the same reason one gets fat build-up anywhere on the body which is when one is consuming more energy than their body is using. Excess energy leads to more fat stores. According to Cosmopolitan, women on average have 6 to 11 percent more body fat than men. It is because oestrogen reduces a woman’s ability to burn energy after meals and as a result, more fat is stored around the belly or on thighs. We have two types of cells in our bodies: alpha and beta. They both react to fat differently. Dr Luke James from Bupa UK explains that areas with more beta fat cells will be more difficult to shed excess fat. “When you’re actively trying to lose fat, you may see changes on your legs, face and arms first because these areas have more alpha cells,” said Dr Luke. However, areas like the hips, thighs and belly have more beta cells, therefore it makes it harder to lose weight in those areas. Besides this, there are other factors like hormones, genes, and metabolism that could contribute to belly fat.