Many of us suffer from belly fat, and even people who are relatively thin can have a belly. It is a stubborn type of fat and the hardest to lose because it provides a quick energy boost, something our bodies like. Getting older doesn’t help either, as our metabolisms slow down, resulting in weight gain if we don’t cut calories and exercise more.
Having too much belly fat isn’t good for us as it can cause health problems, in particular heart disease and diabetes. So, what can we do about it? In this blog, we will look at seven ways of reducing the amount of belly fat that we have. Try them and see the differences they make.
1. Change Your Diet
Your diet could be the main reason why you have belly fat. Perhaps you eat lots of carbs and foods containing sugar. Yes, you can have some of these, but in moderation.
One of the best ways to reduce belly fat is to eat plenty of soluble fibre which makes you feel full, stopping you from eating too much. It also stops constipation and helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Good sources of fibre are fruits, vegetables, beans, and oats.
Avoid eating too many foods with trans fats as they are associated with belly fat. They are found in processed foods like biscuits, margarine, ice cream, and fried foods cooked in hydrogenated oils. Stick to monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and cook food from scratch, instead of getting pre prepared dinners which have lots of additives.
A high protein diet also helps to reduce belly fat as it speeds up your metabolism and makes you feel fuller than if you base your diet on carbohydrates. Carbohydrates don’t satiate you as well as proteins, so you tend to eat more of them, and this adds up to more calories. If you do eat carbs, eat them in moderation and consume unprocessed starchy carbs like wholewheat bread and pasta, whole grains, beans, and vegetables, which will help to fill you up. Protein can be found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. If you are vegan, make sure that you eat foods such as tofu, nuts, and beans that are full of protein as well.
Refined sugar is linked to belly fat as well as heart problems, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Keep it to a minimum and even restrict natural sugar like maple syrup and honey. Cut down on sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, fruit juices, and sweet teas. It is easy to drink too much of these, especially in warmer weather, increasing the chance of belly fat. Instead, drink water, sparkling water, and unsweetened teas. Green tea is a good choice as it contains an antioxidant that speeds up your metabolism. It also contains no calories unless, of course, you add sugar. It is even better if you drink green tea with an exercise programme.
Fatty fish is a good choice of food as it contains omega-3 fats, which help to reduce belly fat. If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are plant-based omega-3 supplements that you can take. Probiotic foods, such as kimchi, tempeh, and strained yoghurts are good choices, as bacteria helps you lose weight around your belly.
2. Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is high in calories, as much of it is laden with sugar and so leads to belly fat if you drink too much. It also can damage your health, particularly your liver. If you do like to have a drink, women should only have one measure a day, while men can have two. Avoid cream liqueurs as they are the highest in calories, as are many cocktails such as a Pina Colada. Stick to dry white wine or spirits such as gin, vodka, or brandy.
3. Get Some Exercise
All types of exercise help you to lose weight as long as you are eating healthily. However, if you combine cardio exercise with resistance training, you will lose most belly fat. Cardio exercises include power walking, running, swimming, cycling, and rowing. All reduce body fat. In addition, they lower stress levels and help to stop diabetes 2 from occurring. Try walking to work instead of taking the tube or, alternatively, cycle.
Resistance training includes Pilates and weightlifting. Pilates makes you more flexible and strengthens your core muscles so reducing belly fat and giving you good posture.
4. Get Rid of Stress
Yes, this can be easier said than done if you have a busy lifestyle, but if you are stressed, the hormone, cortisol, is released and this makes you gain belly fat. Women who are already fat around the middle, produce more cortisol and therefore, gain even more belly fat.
You will need to de-stress. You try practices such as yoga and meditation which help to unite body and spirit, making you much calmer. Other methods to de-stress include controlled breathing. You should also make time for yourself, even if it’s just half an hour a day. Do something that you really enjoy doing during this time. If you feel that you are too busy and this is leading to your stress levels rising, learn to say no sometimes when people demand your time.
5. Get Enough Sleep
You can face all sorts of health problems if you don’t get enough sleep and one of these is a gain in belly fat. Medical tests have been performed and have shown that if you sleep less than five hours a night, you are at risk of gaining weight. People who sleep for more than seven hours have less of a chance of putting on weight.
Sleep apnea can also make you gain belly fat. This is when you stop breathing for a few seconds while asleep. You should see your doctor if you have this problem as it is dangerous.
Having a certain bedtime routine can help you to sleep better. Go to bed and get up at the same time, switch off electronics an hour before you go to bed, and instead meditate or do some yoga. Reading a physical book is another option to help you sleep better.
6. Take up Fasting
We’re not telling you to give up food for days on end but fasting for 24 hours once a week can help you to lose belly fat. Of course, it does mean that you should eat healthily the rest of the time and not binge on sweets and cakes. Another way of fasting that has had good results is fasting for 16 hours each day and eating all your meals within the other eight-hour period. Again, you should eat healthily during those eight hours.
7. Track Your Progress
It is a good idea to track how you’re doing, as then you can keep an eye on your success rate. If you see an improvement, it will spur you on to lose more belly fat. If you’re not losing much weight, you’ll know that you will have to step it up.
One thing you can do is measure your waistline. Don’t do this every day as you probably won’t see dramatic results each day and may be disheartened. Do it once a week.
Take photos of yourself and compare them. Again, do this just once a week. Take the photos from different sides and angles.
One of the easiest things to do is to try on clothes and see if they are getting any looser.
Before you start your new programme, have a blood test to measure such things as blood pressure, blood sugar, and bad cholesterol. Then have a test every month to see if these factors are improving.
As can be seen, there are plenty of ways to lose belly fat, a combination of exercise and diet probably being the top choice. It just takes a little willpower to get the body you crave.
