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  How to Get Rid of Lower Belly Fat Everyone has a unique body type and stores excess fat in different areas. But there's one common area that many people seem to struggle with: the lower belly. No matter how much they exercise, they just can't get rid of it. Although belly fat can be frustrating, there are some very good reasons why we store excess fat in this area. Understanding the biology of your body and other contributing factors will help you accept the things you cannot change and shift your focus to attainable health and fitness goals. Causes of Lower Belly Fat People tend to store an extra layer of fat in their lower belly due to age, body type, and other factors. Genetics: Genes determine body type and that controls how body fat is distributed.1 For example, an apple-shaped body tends to store more fat around the belly, while a pear-shaped body will tend to store more fat in the hips and thighs.2 Menopause: The hormonal changes of menopause can lead to an increase in

  10 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight Weight loss is a process—one that doesn't always happen as quickly as you might like. While safe, healthy weight loss does take time, there are reasons you might not be losing weight that are worth considering as you gauge your progress. For example, maybe you're committed to a regular workout, but you're not burning enough calories. Or maybe you're burning enough calories but you're then consuming too many in return. Perhaps you are exercising enough and eating well, but you have a medical condition interfering with your ability to lose weight. Many things can influence weight loss, some of which may be more obvious than others. It's worth considering all of them as you work to make changes that will get you results. 1 Not Getting Enough Sleep Tired woman Blake Sinclair / Getty Images Lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain. A 2018 review found those who slept fewer than seven hours a night were more likely to have

  8 Ways to Move More During the Workday Getting enough movement into your week if you have a sedentary job can be very challenging. Research shows that the average person gets a little over 5,000 steps per day, with some reports indicating the average to be as low as 3,000.1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults get a minimum of 150-minutes of moderate or 75-minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise (or an equivalent combination of the two) as well as 2 days of resistance training that targets every major muscle group each week.2 If you are only getting 5,000 steps per day, you likely are not reaching those goals. The Importance of Movement A large portion of the energy burned through the day comes from a type of activity called non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This type of movement accounts for all non-planned or intentional exercise. It includes any kind of walking, fidgeting, or other calorie-burning activities that are a byproduc

  How to Walk 2,000 More Steps a Day and Keep Weight Off If you want to be less sedentary but aren't sure where to start, why not try walking more? For those who aren't ready to commit to a full-on workout program, simply getting in some extra steps every day is an excellent goal. Using a little creativity, it's possible to increase your daily steps without taking extra time out of your busy day. Walking 2,000 steps is equivalent to about a mile, depending on your stride length. Make a conscious effort to move more throughout the day to boost your total mileage. How to Count Your Steps Track your total daily steps with a pedometer, activity monitor, a watch with GPS, or pedometer app on your mobile phone. This can help you understand how many steps you're typically getting, and track your progress as you work to accumulate more steps. Choose your tool: Buy a step-counting pedometer or activity monitor, or download a pedometer app. Set it up: Set your pedometer or app, s

  What Is the Average Calorie Intake for Men? Both men and women should understand their daily calorie needs in order to make sure they are meeting their dietary needs. Calories provide energy in the form of heat so that our bodies can function. The average calorie intake for men will vary depending on factors such as age, activity level, and goals. To determine how many calories you should consume in a day, you should decide if you want to lose, gain, or maintain your current weight. You will also need to calculate your daily energy requirements. The more specific information you can provide, the more precise your calorie number will be. The Average Calorie Intake for Men You can use estimates to guess your caloric intake. For example, the USDA uses a 2,000 calorie per day diet as an example on the Nutrition Facts label. The number is used to provide information about Daily Values and Percent Daily Value (%DV).1 But it is not a recommendation to eat 2,000 calories. The use of a calori

  A Practical Guide to Losing Weight for Your Wedding Many people want to lose weight for their wedding day, but that doesn't mean you should feel pressured to do so. If you are hoping to look and feel like your best self on your big day, it's important to look beyond a certain number on the scale. Instead, you can modify your lifestyle to include a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight for the long term. As your wedding day approaches, you may be feeling more motivated than ever to reach your weight loss goal—perhaps even in a short timeframe. But it's important to pursue your goal safely. Getting Started Weddings can cause jitters for everyone. Jumping straight into a crash diet will only add to your anxiety. So-called "crash" or "fad diets" are often based on eating far fewer calories than is sustainable. With these diets, you may see a change in the scale, but it can be deceiving. Often, your body is losing water ra