Tips for losing belly fat & getting a flatter tummy

You just bought a new pair of jeans and you are trying them on for the first time. You love the cut and the color and they fit great on your thighs. But when you to get to buckling them, they feel tight and uncomfortable around the Belly and waste area. It’s that stubborn Belly Fat again!

You see, abdominal fat is not only a nuisance when putting on clothes, it is also harmful for your health. Since it is also termed visceral fat, it is that type of fat that puts you at risk of serious health problems including diabetes 2 as well as heart disease.

So how do you reduce this excess abdominal fat? Below are some effective tips, backed up by science, that could really help you out.

Effective ways to lose belly fat:

• Eat enough soluble fiber

Studies show that soluble fiber absorbs water thus slowing down food as it passes through your digestive system. This makes you feel full faster. Moroever, soluble fiber can decrease the amount of calories your body absorbs. Make it a point to consume high fiber foods on a daily basis. Legumes, blackberries, avocados and flaxseeds are just a few examples you can try out.

• Avoid foods with trans fat

Trans fat has been linked to a number of health issues including heart disease, inflammation, insulin resistance as well as abdominal fat gain. To protect your health and get a flatter stomach, you need to avoid eating any food that contain trans fat. This includes store bought donuts, cookies, crackers, margarine and fast fried foods.

• Cut down your alcohol consumption

Having a glass of wine or even two is fine. However, drinking in excess can seriously harm your body in ways you can’t even begin to imagine. If you really want to cut down your waste size, you need to cut down your alcohol consumption.

• Eat high protein foods

Protein is a very powerful nutrient when it comes to weight control. When you eat a diet with high protein, your body releases the fullness hormone PYY. This hormone promotes fullness and decreases appetite, which means you will end up eating less than usual. Furthermore, protein helps raise your metabolic rate and retain muscles while trimming down the fat.

See Also: How to Get Firmer Arms in 5 Simple Steps

• Stress less

I personally hate this one as I think it is easier said than done! However, listen to this: stress can trigger your body to release cortisol. Studies show that cortisol is responsible for increased appetite as well as increased abdominal fat storage. So if you are really serious about losing that belly fat, you need to practice some stress releasing activities such as yoga or meditation.

• Cut down the sugar

When I was exercising every day, I cut out sugar from my diet completely. You won’t believe what difference it made to the overall shape and look of my body. To decrease your abdominal fat, you need to cut down refined sugars, sugary drinks and even healthier sugars. This includes real honey as well.

• Do cardio

A great way to improve your health and burn calories as well is by doing cardio around 5 hours per week. Although results are mixed about whether you should go for high or moderate intensity cardio, research suggests that cardio is the way to go if you are serious about losing belly fat.

• Cut back on refined carbs

Here’s the truth about carbs: they are not all bad for you! You can keep eating carbs on a regular basis if you can manage to replace refined carbs with unprocessed starchy carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa and barley.

See Also: 8 Reasons Why Weightlifting is Important for Women

• Use coconut oil for cooking

Coconut oil is by far one of the healthiest fats you can consume. It also has a long list of other benefits you can check out here. Moroever, medium-chain fats in coconut oil were found to boost metabolism and decrease fat storage. Just keep in mind that coconut oil is high in calories. So make sure you replace some of the fats you already consume with it and not just add it to your diet.

• Practice some weightlifting

I was never a fan of lifting weights until I realized its importance for preserving and gaining muscle mass. To decrease belly fat and get a healthier more fit body, make sure that you add weightlifting to your regular exercise routine.

• Get restful sleep

Many people underestimate the importance of sleep for their overall health and their weight loss goals. When in fact, failing to get enough sleep can actually contribute to more gain weight, especially in the belly area. Not only do you need around 7-8 hours of sleep, you must also make sure that you are getting sufficient quality sleep.

• Track your exercise & food intake

We all know that in order to lose fat, we need to consume fewer calories than our bodies need. To do this right, take time to track your calorie intake on a daily basis. Also, make it a point to record your exercises and and physical activity to better understand your body and stay on track with your fitness goals.

• Add apple cider vinegar to your diet

Apple cider vinegar has amazing health benefits including lowering blood sugar levels. Moroever, the acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar has been known to reduce abdominal fat. Just take 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar a day while following the rest of the tips we mentioned above and see what a difference it can make.

• Love your probiotics

Probiotics have all sorts of health benefits including enhanced immune function and improved gut health. Moroever, research has found that the bacteria found in probiotics can help in weight regulation as well as belly fat loss.

• Try intermittent fasting

I have heard a lot about this one yet haven’t tried it myself. What it is is basically cycling between periods of eating and periods of fasting. This could be fasting for 24 hours every week or fasting for 16 hours daily then having all your food within a period of 8 hours.

• Drink your green tea

If you are a coffee drinker, it’s time to spice things up and add green tea to your preferred list of beverages. Not only is it a natural antioxidant, green tea also helps boost metabolism and aids in weight loss.

Finally, what other habits, tips and advice can you share with our readers about losing belly fat? Have you tried something we haven’t mentioned? We look forward to hearing from you in our comment section below.  

The post How to Get Rid of That Stubborn Belly Fat appeared first on The Global Now.