Stubborn Fat

Stubborn fat can be tough to shift. This type of fat often collects around the hips, thighs, buttocks, and stomach or the face and under the chin. While some people will maintain a healthy lifestyle and endure vigorous exercise regimes, sometimes this isn’t enough to eliminate the fat in these areas.

What Are The Symptoms?

As you fluctuate in weight, your fat cells expand and shrink accordingly. However, sometimes these fat cells accumulate in unwanted areas and don’t appear to diminish with weight loss.

Stubborn fat can accumulate in many areas like under the chin (double chin), around the back and bra line (bra rolls), on the chest (gynecomastia), around the navel and stomach, on the hips (muffin top), on the thighs and arms.

Who It Can Affect

Some people are predisposed to fat distribution in certain areas. For example, the unforgiving layer of extra fat around the chin is something that is often linked with genetics, and the aesthetic appearance can also worsen when you have skin laxity and a weak jawline.

Weight fluctuations happen to everyone and are affected by diet and exercise, though certain factors can play a part in how the fat settles on the body. Hormones like oestrogen and androgens can encourage the retention of fat, while hormones like leptin can affect your appetite.

Additionally, as you age, metabolism slows down, and you’re more likely to put on weight.

Causes

Diet and exercise can cause stubborn fat which is also known as subcutaneous fat. This type of fat can tend to deposit in unwanted areas and can be difficult to shift through diet and exercise alone. The amount of stubborn fat you have will be mostly dependent on a poor diet and lack of exercise, so to lose weight, you should introduce a calorie deficit and do any exercise that will increase your heart rate.

Certain types of hormones can encourage fat to accumulate and distribute in unwanted areas. Those who are obese or overweight will have higher concentrations of certain hormones present. They can also influence your appetite and metabolism. With a slower metabolism, you’re more likely to gain weight.

Diets that are high in sodium can cause water retention and bloating areas like under the chin, exaggerating the increase in size. The aesthetic appearance can also be affected by loose skin.