If you’ve been eating “right,” cutting calories, maybe even exercising — yet your belly fat refuses to go away you’re not lazy, broken, or undisciplined. The truth? Some of the biggest causes of belly fat are rarely talked about. Let’s uncover them. 1. Chronic Stress (Even When You’re Not “Busy”) Stress doesn’t have to look dramatic to affect your body. When you’re constantly worried about money, family, health, or life in general your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone. 👉 High cortisol tells your body to: Store fat (especially around the belly) Break down muscle Crave sugary and salty foods This is why calm people often lose belly fat faster than stressed people even with the same diet. 2. Poor Sleep (Not Just Short Sleep) You can sleep 8 hours and still gain belly fat if your sleep quality is poor. Poor sleep: Disrupts insulin sensitivity Increases hunger hormones (ghrelin) Reduces fat-burning hormones Late-night phone use, light exposure, and irregular sleep time...