Get Our Latest Updates
Alpro Group Head Office & Distribution Centre
Unit V1-A, Lot 45880, Jalan Techvalley 3/2, Sendayan Techvalley, 71950 Bandar Sri Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan.
health
Post-Raya Weight Gain? Your Body Might Be Stuck in Fat-Storing Mode!
By Alpro Clinic
April 4, 2025
SHARE:
🎶 “Kuih dan muih, beraneka macam..
Makanlah jangan hanya di pandang..
Ketupat rendang sila nikmati kawan..
Penat memasak malam ke pagi.” 🎶
Ahhh, the sweet nostalgia of Hari Raya songs! Just hearing these lyrics makes us imagine a table full of colorful kuih, crispy bahulu, fragrant dodol, and, of course, the legendary ketupat and rendang. 🍪🥮🍗
Still Feeling Bloated and Heavy After Raya? It’s Not Just the Food!
Still feeling bloated and sluggish after Raya? Your hormones might be the real reason why. Clothes feeling tighter, energy levels crashing, and that stubborn belly fat refusing to budge? Before you blame the ketupat and rendang entirely, let’s talk about something deeper—your hormones.
Let’s face it—Raya is a season of feasting. From satay to dodol, kuih raya to kuah kacang, everything is irresistible. But once the celebrations are over and reality kicks in, that stubborn belly fat becomes the unwanted souvenir. The truth is, post-Raya weight gain isn’t just about calories in and calories out—your hormones could be in Fat-Storing Mode, making it harder for you to shed those extra inches.
Belly Fat: The Silent Saboteur
Not all fat is created equal. The deep abdominal fat known as visceral fat is not just sitting there—it’s metabolically active and capable of disrupting your body’s delicate hormonal balance. Here’s how it happens:
1. Insulin Resistance: When Your Body Stops Listening to Insulin
Visceral fat isn’t just a storage unit—it releases inflammatory compounds like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) that interfere with insulin function. This means your cells become less responsive to insulin, making it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar. The result? More sugar in the bloodstream gets stored as fat, especially around your belly!
2. Sluggish Metabolism: Why You Feel Tired and Struggle to Lose Weight
Visceral fat doesn’t just sit there—it actively disrupts mitochondrial function (your body’s energy factories), reducing ATP production (your body’s fuel source). This slows down your metabolism, making weight loss harder than ever.
3. Cravings & Constant Hunger: When Your ‘Fullness’ Signal Breaks
Have you noticed that the more weight you gain, the hungrier you feel? That’s because visceral fat messes with leptin, the hormone that tells your brain when you’re full. When leptin resistance develops, your brain no longer gets the message to stop eating—so you keep craving and snacking, even when you’ve had enough.
4. Cortisol Overload: How Stress Keeps Your Belly Fat Locked In
Whether it’s work stress, lack of sleep, or daily life struggles, your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels tell your body to store more fat—especially around your belly—because it thinks you’re in ‘survival mode.’
How to Escape the Fat-Storing Cycle
If hormones are the root cause, then the solution isn’t just about eating less and exercising more—it’s about resetting your hormones so your body naturally switches to Fat-Burning Mode. Here’s how:
1. Balance Your Blood Sugar
Cut down on refined carbohydrates and sugar to improve insulin sensitivity. Focus on fiber-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, and protein to keep your blood glucose stable. (Step away from the last jar of kuih raya!)
2. Manage Stress Like a Pro
Chronic stress = chronic cortisol = stubborn belly fat. Try deep breathing, meditation, or even just taking a walk to lower stress hormones. (If all else fails, distract yourself with a satay skewer—just one!)
3. Get Proper Sleep (No More Late-Night Scrolling!)
Lack of sleep throws both leptin (hunger control) and cortisol (stress hormone) off balance. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep to help your body recover and regulate its hormones. (But don’t overdo it—waking up at noon means you’ll be starving again!)
4. Exercise Smarter, Not Longer
Forget spending hours on the treadmill—studies show that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training help regulate hormones and boost metabolism far more effectively than just cardio. (No need to train like an athlete, just avoid becoming a ‘Couch Potato Champion!’)
5. Check Your Visceral Fat Levels
Instead of guessing, get a clear picture of your body’s fat distribution with the Tanita machine. It uses bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your visceral fat levels—giving you real data to track your progress. (Maybe it’s time to weigh more than just your post-Raya regrets!)
Don’t Guess—Check Your Fat Levels Today!
Weight loss isn’t just about diet and exercise—it’s about hormonal balance. If your belly fat is still hanging on after Raya, it’s time to reset your body’s hormones and take control of your health. Stop guessing! Check your visceral fat levels today with the Tanita machine.
References
Kahn, B. B., & Flier, J. S. (2000). Obesity and insulin resistance. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 106(4), 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI10842
Tam, C. S., & Ravussin, E. (2012). Energy balance: An overview with emphasis on children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(3), 673–676. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.036376
Schorr, M., Dichtel, L. E., et al. (2018). The influence of leptin and insulin on hunger and satiety in humans. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 103(4), 1291–1299. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01780
