The reason why you should lose belly fat is more than just cosmetic. The fat below your skin is not the kind of fat you need to worry much about; unless, of course, you are aiming for a ripped body. But, the kind of fat that builds up in your belly, known as visceral fat, is the one you need to get rid of without any delay. This kind of fat builds up in between your internal organs and around it; hence the name “visceral fat”. It is the most stubborn kind of fat and is linked to heart diseases, diabetes and even cancer.
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| How to Lose Belly Fat: 9 Surefire Ways |
Even a person with a healthy body weight could have visceral fat. You will often come across people who are otherwise slim, but have a lot of fat around their midsection. So, simply losing weight is not going to cut the deal. You have to incorporate ways that target ‘belly fat’. You will have to make these part of your lifestyle and slowly you will see the “muffin top” disappear.
1. Cut Down on Sugar Intake : Your liver can only metabolize certain amount of sugar in a day. Beyond that, it gets stored as fat and mostly around your midsection. Excessive intake of sugar is related to a number of metabolic problems. If you have a sweet tooth, it is time to start watching your sugar intake. Avoid sugar in your tea or coffee. Most people are known to cross their daily quota through tea or coffee itself. Do not have aerated beverages and colas. They have twice the amount of sugar than you should be consuming in a day. Check food labels for sugar and do not replace sugar with artificial sweeteners. If you stay within a daily limit of two tablespoons, you should be fine.
2. Protein vs. Carbs : If you are trying to get rid of belly fat you need to cut down on carbs and up your protein intake. That being said, by no means should you eliminate carbs from your diet completely. Remember, a healthy, balanced diet has no alternative. You need to ensure, you are having complex carbohydrates. Increase the protein intake in your diet. If you are a vegetarian, you need to include some source of protein in the form of milk, legumes, tofu etc. Non-vegetarians can go for egg whites, low fat chicken (without skin) etc. Stay away from red meat, if you are trying to eliminate belly fat.
3. Eat Clean, Eat Fiber : By increasing your fiber intake, you can give your weight loss from the belly region the impetus it requires. Go for plant foods. Add a lot of greens to your diet. Eat whole fruits instead of juicing them. Fruit juices are just sugar and do not do anything to aid weight loss. In fact, fruit juices are only slightly better than aerated drinks and sugary beverages. Choose food that have more fiber. It is not very hard to figure it out. Choose whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Choose brown rice over white rice. Add nuts and whole grains to your diet. Start your meal with a salad. These are few tips that you can incorporate to lose belly fat quickly.
4. Aerobic Exercises : Target the exercises, which just do not work. They can be done alongside other exercises. But, they have no magical effect on your belly fat. If you are especially trying to lose weight around your midsection, make sure you add some form of aerobic exercise to your daily exercise routine. Training just your abdominal muscles will not help you lose even an inch. Examples of aerobic exercises include brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, playing a sport etc. These exercises are known to reduce inflammation and control blood sugar levels. They are known to cure metabolic abnormalities and help in sustainable weight loss.
5. Do not Skip Meals : While weight loss does occur on the principle of calories required vs. calories consumed, skipping meals to bring down your overall calorie consumption could have quite the opposite effect. Skipping meals slows down your metabolism and stores fat; mostly around your midsection. People who eat at regular intervals are the ones who do not have belly fat. The trick is to eat every 2 to 3 hours. Eat small frequent meals and you can see a sharp drop in your body fat levels. If you are cutting down on calories, make sure you are not consuming less than 1200 Kcal a day, if you are a woman and not less than 1500 Kcal a day if you are a man.
6. Breakfast: Most Important Meal : Never skip breakfast, if you are trying to lose belly fat. Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism and prepares your body for weight loss throughout the day. In fact, eat your first meal within 30 minutes of waking up. Breakfast is also the time when you can experiment with food the most. It also happens to be the best time to cheat on your diet. But, make sure you do not make it a habit. Eat your breakfast first and then have your tea or coffee, if you want to lose belly fat.
7. Yoga for Reducing Belly Fat : Yoga in combination with regular aerobic exercises can help you achieve that toned belly you have always wanted. Yoga has almost magical benefits, when it comes to helping you tone up your midsection. That being said, you will still have to incorporate all the above mentioned points to be able to reap the benefits of yoga for reducing belly fat. Start with a ‘Tadasana’ or warm up and follow it up with the ‘Surya Namaskar’ or Sun Salutation. The ‘Padahatsana’ or Standing Forward Bend and ‘Paschimottanasana’ or Seated Forward Bend could be done next. The other yoga poses that work in reducing belly fat include ‘Pavanamuktasana’ or Wind Relieving Pose, ‘Naukasana’ or Boat Pose and ‘Ushtrasana’ or Camel Pose, to name a few.
8. Increase Water Intake : Drink lots of water throughout the day and more to aid weight loss. We often confuse thirst with hunger and end up eating more than we should. Keep water close to you and keep sipping on water throughout the day. Water also increases metabolism and brings down your weight. Drink a glass of water before every meal. You will end up eating less. Flavor your water with fruits if you find it boring to drink water throughout the day. Replace sugary drinks with water. Drink water before and during your workout for maximum benefits. Do not go overcompensate by drinking too much water at one time. Keep drinking small amounts throughout the day to realize maximum benefits.
9. Maintain a Food Journal : Most people who successfully lose weight from their belly are known to have maintained a food journal. A food journal is something where you note everything you eat during the day. So, in this way you can have a more realistic idea of where your diet is going wrong. Sometimes what we think we have eaten and what we have actually consumed is not the same. A food journal bridges that gap and helps you make those tweaks that your diet needs. To reduce belly fat successfully, you need to start tracking what you eat and how much you eat. You will see the results faster.