10 reasons why you might be gaining weight in your stomach

• Gaining weight solely in your stomach may be the result of specific lifestyle choices.
• The two S's — stress and sugar — play a significant role in the size of your midsection.
• Certain medical conditions and hormonal changes can contribute to abdominal weight gain.

Do you ever feel like your stomach takes on a life of its own? From bulging and bloating to flat and firm, the shape of your midsection changes daily. But what happens when the size of your stomach seems to keep growing, without any relief in sight?

If you're gaining weight in your stomach, it could be related to your diet or it could be the result of a new medication or other health issues. INSIDER spoke to experts to determine the more common reasons you're gaining weight in your stomach.

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Genetics plays a role in body type.

You can't talk about the size and structure of your body without factoring in genetics. Dr. Khalid Saeed, a doctor of osteopathic medicine, told INSIDER that genetics definitely plays a role in where you store fat.

"If your family tree shows a tendency towards apple-shaped individuals, then you may have to be extra diligent about getting enough physical activity and limiting your caloric intake," he explained. So, how do you know if you are apple-shaped? Well, if you have a larger waist and tend to carry a lot of your weight around your abdomen, there's a good chance you're considered apple-shaped.

Stress leads to increased fat storage.

Stress is a normal part of life. That said, it's important to find productive ways to manage stress, so it doesn't negatively impact your health

Registered dietitian Michelle Shapiro, RD told INSIDER that one of the root causes of abdominal weight gain is stress, and in order to address the issue, you need to target stress first.

When you experience stress, you release cortisol (the fight or flight hormone). Shapiro said repeated excess circulating cortisol could lead to increased abdominal fat storage.

"Cortisol enables the body to mobilize fat and energy from other areas and direct them to the abdomen, where cortisol can make energy readily available for vital organs," she explained.

Excess sugar quickly leads to fat gain.

 Shapiro explained that when our cortisol levels are elevated, we tend to crave sugar because our body wants quick energy in case of an emergency. This added sugar, however, could increase central weight gain.

"So, we get stressed, release cortisol, gain weight in our abdomen and crave more sugar, eat more sugar, and gain more weight," she said. Her suggestion? Get adequate sleep, eliminate foods that you may be intolerant to (including sugar), manage stress through mindfulness and meditation, and turn to something besides sugar (like friends) when you're feeling stressed or emotional.