Fasting has been shown to help burn fat in mice. However, intermittent fasting, when you fast every other day, may have a hard time burning off that belly fat.
Researchers from the University of Sydney found that the belly fat around the stomach actually became resistant to intermittent fasting over time.
Belly fat is the visceral fat that surrounds organs such as the stomach. This type of fat is what gives people the appearance of that big, protruding gut. Another type of fat is called subcutaneous fat that is beneath the skin.
Both of these types of fat undergo changes during fasting by releasing fatty acids to provide energy to the body. The researchers think the visceral fat is actually adapting to the the fasting bouts.
“While most people would think that all fat tissue is the same, in fact, the location makes a big difference,” Dr. Larance, the senior author of the study.
This study is published in the journal Cell Reports.
For those trying to lose weight with fasting, hope is not lost. By understanding how belly fat becomes resistant to fasting, researchers may be able to come up with ways to make belly fat burn faster in the future!
