Seeing that most people want a healthy lifestyle, which brings us to one of the smartest ways to do it, losing belly fat.
Generally, people look into losing body fat to keep fit. Even though some fats might have few functions, the fats in the belly and between the internal organs tend to pose a great risk to the organs.
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, can produce chemicals and toxic substances that are harmful to the body. Belly fat occurs when we consume too many calories and have little or no physical activity.
It can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and other serious health complaints.
Everyone has belly fat, even thin people, though they might just have a small amount. While some people might want to lose belly fat, it should be essential to do it healthily and sustainably.
Though losing belly fat can be difficult, here are some effective fat-loss tips to look into:
Reduce alcohol intake
To lose belly fat, we have to reduce our alcohol consumption. Alcohol can hinder weight loss in many ways, including the fact that high alcohol intake can result in food intake. Most alcoholic drinks often have added sugar and have been linked to excess fat in the body.
According to recent studies, one might not give up alcohol totally to reduce belly fat, but to reduce consumption to two or few drinks per day.
Increased intake of soluble fibre
Soluble fibre is best known for weight loss because it helps slow down food as it passes through the digestive system.
It makes you feel full and eat less, therefore reducing belly fat.
Research shows that people who eat 10 grammes of soluble fibre per day are bound to lose belly fat more quickly than others.
Research also shows that people who consume more soluble fibre are more likely to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, which can be great for reducing visceral fat.
Examples include
- fruits
- Vegetables
- Oats
- Legumes
Exercise (cardio)
Exercising can lead to losing fats in the body, including around the belly
While cardio is a form of exercise, it is an effective fat-loss tip. Since physical activities help lose belly fat, and exercising is a physical activity which allows one to burn more calories and lose fat generally
The amount of exercise you do should depend on how much you want to lose weight.
In short, exercise will make you lose belly fat, making them more defined.
Exercises such as sit-ups,
- Running
- Hiking
- Biking
- Squatting
- Deadlift
- Jumping jacks
- Push-ups
- Jump squat
- Bumpees
Avoiding food with trans fat
Trans fat has recently been associated with abdominal fat gain, inflammation, and heart gain. Since it is so unhealthy, so many countries have banned the use of trans fat. Trans fat is common in margarine and food preservatives
Consuming healthy fat instead is a sustainable belly fat-loss strategy.
Healthy fats include
- Avocados
- nuts
- Olive oil
- Fatty fish
- Eggs
Reduce stress level
Stress can make you gain belly fat by increasing your appetite and leading to abdominal fat storage. Since most people deal with stress by eating more, eating food to ease your stress is a whole lot better than facing your stress.
Engaging in activities that relieve or reduce stress should be a priority to lose belly fat. Those activities include meditating, meeting friends and family, doing yoga, and resting.
Avoid sugary foods
Excess sugar is one of the major causes of belly fat in most people. A diet high in sugar should be mostly avoided. Since most foods, like processed foods, are heavy on added sugar, sugary foods might not be easily avoided.
Precautions should be taken while deciding on the foods we can eat for belly loss.
Cut back on refined carbohydrates
Research shows that substituting refined carbohydrates with unprocessed starchy carbohydrates is one of the healthy ways to trim abdominal fat.
When it comes to losing belly fat, choosing the right diet is one of the most effective aspects.
You should stay away from refined carbs like spaghetti, white rice, pizza, white bread, and cakes. Instead, you should mostly get involved with healthy carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans, barley, brown rice, and whole grains.
High-protein diet
As protein is very important in our diet, it helps to decrease appetite, so we eat less, resulting in belly fat loss. Studies have shown that people who eat more protein tend to have less belly fat than people who do not.
Since we have fewer appetites and cravings, we automatically lose belly fat. Proteins to eat include beans, soy, seafood, eggs, nuts and seeds
Intermittent fasting
While people opt for fasting to lose belly fat, it is important to combine it with proteins. Although intermittent fasting could cause some negative effects, it could be one of the most effective ways.
Supplements
Probiotics are bacteria that have been declared healthy and play a role in balancing weight loss, including belly fat. Though some probiotic supplements haven’t been regulated, it is safe to confirm with your healthcare provider.
Natural supplements such as caffeine, green tea, protein, and fibre supplements are good options to lose belly fat.
Resistance training (lifting weights)
Also known as strength training, it boosts metabolism and reduces belly fat.
Engaging in this training will automatically help build body and muscle mass by reducing fat in the body. Adding strength training to your daily routine is an effective belly fat reduction strategy.
As long as the body is active, you will continue to gain calories. Some resistance training includes bicep training, squatting, deadlifting, tricep kickbacks, bicycle crunches, abdominal crunches, leg lifts, etc
Restful sleep
Research shows that not having enough sleep can cause obesity, therefore increasing belly fat. One should have enough sleep, a minimum of 7 hours per night. While sleeping too much is never healthy, getting enough and the right amount of sleep is important while trying to lose weight.
Eat fatty fish
Since they are rich in proteins and omega-3 fats, some studies have proven it is effective to consume them for losing belly fat. Fatty fish to consume include:
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Herrings
- Salmons
- Mussels
- Anchovies, etc
Change lifestyle
Boosting your overall activity while having healthy habits, being active, and disengaging from stressful activities are some of the many ways to lose belly fat.
Tracking food intake and carefully selecting your choices of foods to eat to avoid unnecessary fat in the body Tracking your workout routines, going to the gym, or having a gym instructor help with the basic exercises to reduce fat in the body
Track your calories
Since most people want to lose belly fat, one of the most convenient ways is to track their calorie intake. Weight loss or belly loss has to do with burning more calories than we consume daily. There are different ways you can track your calories. For instance, there are devices like a smartwatch that can track the number of calories you have burned while active.
Conclusion
Excess belly fat could be dangerous since it surrounds our internal organs, putting us at greater risk of developing some health issues. Therefore, it is convenient and healthy for one to want to lose belly fat. While it might not be easy for some people to lose fat easily, there are simple and healthy methods for belly fat reduction.
