Here�s why your daily habits might be sabotaging belly fat loss

Belly Fat: More Than Just a Matter of Looks

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around one in six Europeans is classified as obese. In France, for example, research by Inserm shows that nearly every second person is overweight. The main culprits? Too much time spent sitting and diets overloaded with ultra-processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats. This combination doesn’t just make our jeans tighter; it ups the risk of heart and metabolic diseases as our waistlines grow.

That?s why a new metric?the Body Roundness Index (BRI)?has been introduced. Unlike the traditional Body Mass Index (BMI), the BRI specifically highlights the effects of visceral fat (the kind that settles deep in your abdomen) on your health. This public health concern is explored by JB Rives in his book Gras du ventre, la solution (Thierry Souccar Editions), which aims to help readers tackle belly fat and get their metabolism back on track.

The Two Types of Belly Fat (and Why They Matter)

You might not realize it, but belly fat comes in two very different forms:

• Visceral fat: This is the deep internal fat that tends to make your belly round and firm. It’s the more problematic kind for your health.
• Subcutaneous fat: The more superficial layer under the skin, which makes your stomach feel soft and creates love handles. It’s stubborn?especially as you get older and your metabolism slows down.

Subcutaneous fat is especially resistant to change. Stress and hormonal shifts can cause your body to stockpile this type of fat, which then becomes harder and harder to shift with age.

Why Daily Habits Secretly Sabotage Weight Loss

It all happens gradually, the result of daily habits whose impact we rarely notice. To quote the author:

When I was young, I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining a single ounce?then everything changed! I moved to a new city for college, partied and drank a bit, ate anything and everything. When I started working, eating for comfort or a boost of energy became my daily routine: oversized lunches, sugar cravings to battle fatigue or stress. My mornings started with sugary breakfasts, triggering blood sugar spikes and repeated cravings all day long, followed by snacking on cheese or chips while preparing dinner.

Slowly but surely, the weight creeps on. And the problem is, it?s easy to feel like you aren?t doing anything wrong. But those small, everyday habits can mess with your hormones and slow your metabolism over time.

When trying to lose weight, the fallback is often strict calorie restriction. But our bodies are complicated machines?they need a certain amount of nutrients to work properly. Eating less just isn?t a magic solution. Many people reach for a small plate of salad, but end up starving themselves, missing out on crucial proteins, minerals, and healthy fats. These nutrients are essential for hormone regulation, appetite control, and a humming metabolism.

The result of this never-ending cycle of diets? Sure, you lose some weight?mostly water, a little fat, and, worryingly, muscle. But when the weight comes back on?and it almost always does?it?s mostly fat, not muscle. This yo-yo effect slows your metabolism, and repeated cycles can make it virtually impossible to lose fat later on, since you?ve lost so much muscle.

The Path Forward: It?s About What (and How) You Eat

The first step isn?t to eat less, but to eat better. Instead of calorie restriction, consider calorie dilution: pack your meals with healthy, filling ingredients that crowd out the bad stuff. Eat larger, more satisfying meals to balance out your hunger hormones and keep those impulsive snack attacks at bay for the long haul.

To avoid the habits that have slowed your metabolism, keep in mind:

• Avoid ultra-processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats.
• Don?t eat meals that are too light or lack enough protein and good fats.
• Start your day with a savory, protein-rich breakfast. This helps you feel full, keeps your blood sugar stable and prevents sugar cravings later in the day. The foods you eat first thing actually affect your hormones for the next 24 hours.

Looking back, the author shares:

During the period I gained a lot of weight, I used to have hypoglycemic crashes at 11 am. It took me years to realize it was because of my sugary breakfast, which triggered a rebound hypoglycemia as a direct result of what I was eating. Most people don?t realize that all-day snacking often starts with too much sugar in the morning, while proteins and healthy fats actually boost the hormones that help us feel satisfied.

Intermittent fasting is another strategy. The key is to break your fast with nutritious foods, not something sweet?whether you?re eating breakfast or lunch.

This approach can help the body mobilize visceral fat, the type that wraps around the organs and is especially bad for your health. If you find your stomach is hard and bloated, that?s a sign that your diet is too rich in sugar and fat and that you?re in energy overload. Intermittent fasting gives the liver a rest and lets your body burn off this dangerous fat. Constant grazing, on the other hand, keeps you in a perpetual state of digestion and storage.

That?s why intermittent fasting often helps people jump-start their metabolism and lose visceral fat?the worst but thankfully most reversible kind.

As for subcutaneous fat (the stubborn, squishy kind), eating a better, higher-protein diet and staying physically active is key. No need to run marathons?simply walking after meals and keeping active through the day helps. If you enjoy sports, focus on muscle-building exercises. HIIT or resistance training are great ways to rebuild the muscle lost during frequent dieting.

And perhaps the best news of all: There?s no age limit to losing weight. It?s normal to feel stuck, unmotivated, or low on energy, but you?re never too old or too heavy to take charge of your health again!