I know they say to not target specific areas on your body for weight loss, but seriously, Belly fat is hard to get off! In fact, Belly fat ranks high on the list of weight loss targets for most men and women of all ages. Belly fat seems to stubbornly refuse any efforts at banishing it! If you have failed in ridding yourself of belly fat in the past, the following 10 tips will give you hope that you can lose that belly! Try these 10 Steps to Beating Belly Fat below:
1 – Fiber fuels belly fat burning. A high fiber diet regulates a healthy digestive system. This means you process fat instead of storing it. Eat nuts, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and fruits, aiming for 25 grams (g) of fiber per day for women, 38 for men.
2 – Drink lots of water. A properly hydrated body keeps all of your internal systems working efficiently. This means a lower chance of you storing fat, a healthy metabolism that burns fat and calories properly, and very little belly fat that results from an unhealthy digestive system. Most health professionals and fitness experts agree 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is sufficient for proper hydration.
3 – Sleep 6 to 8 hours each and every night. When you start the day tired you fill your coffee with sugar. You grab sweet, sugary, energy-boosting snacks and drinks throughout the day. That sugar gets stored as fat. Studies have shown that there is no “catching up” when you miss sleep either. So make sure you get plenty of rest nightly.
4 – Increase your protein levels at meals. Getting 20 to 25 g of protein each meal is a good idea to keep belly fat at bay. Shoot for 10 to 20 g of protein per snack as well. Those are good numbers for women, and men may want to add 5 or 10 g of protein to those recommendations. Constant protein doses throughout the day keep your blood sugar balanced and insulin levels low, meaning that your body handles appetite control and fat loss properly.
5 – Just say no to stress. Sometimes you cannot control the stress you encounter. In many cases however, you create your own stress. The cortisol which is released as a stress response can cause you to overeat, and even decreases your ability to lose fat in your belly and elsewhere on your body.
6 – Remember this weekly exercise rule – 3 to 5 times for 20 minutes. That is all you need to burn calories and fat, crank up your metabolism and begin building lean muscle mass. Muscle burns fat and calories quicker than fat does. Don’t worry, you do not need to develop a muscled bodybuilder physique to benefit from this belly fat busting tip. Just make sure that strength and aerobic training at a moderate to intense level become a part of your weekly exercise regimen.
7 – Cut back on the salt. Limiting your sodium intake delivers a lot of health benefits. It can cut down on your risk of contracting heart disease, strokes and cancer. It also causes you to bloat, and is often in extremely high concentrations in processed, fatty food. Try not to eat more than 500 mg of sodium per meal, aiming for no more than 1,600 to 2,200 mg of sodium daily.
8 – Don’t believe the sugar-free weight loss fallacy. Sugar-free foods and drinks typically contain artificial sweeteners that are not processed properly by your body. These chemical fats go straight to your belly, and can lead to a long list of cardiovascular and digestive problems. Avoid the misleading phrases sugar-free and fat-free, especially in highly processed foods (any food with a wrapper).
9 – Eat more often. Seriously, the old “3 big meals a day” nutrition guidelines are a fat booster. You burn more belly fat, and fat all over your body, when your metabolism is cranked up. This happens every time you eat. Accompany 3 main meals with sensible portions with 2 or 3 snacks every day. Just do not overeat. Make sure that those 5 or 6 daily meals/snacks hit your target caloric intake, and your metabolism will be crunching calories and burning fat all day long.
10 – Cut back on the beer and alcohol. The term “beer belly” is not really accurate. It makes you think that drinking beer causes belly fat. That is just not the case. A glass of wine, an alcoholic beverage or a couple of beers 2 or 3 times a week will not promote weight gain. The problem is when several alcoholic drinks or beers are consumed in one sitting. Just like any other calories, beer calories add up quickly if you are not careful. A single beer has between 130 and 180 calories, so you can enjoy one now and then, but don’t overdo it.
Let me know in the comments if they have or are working for you!
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Thanks for your article and tips on losing belly fat. They were all very valid tips.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the tips, I need to lose some belly fat!
These are really great tips. I’ve implemented most of them when I decided I needed to change my life and lose weight. That resulted in a 92 pound weight loss in 2013. So please trust me. This works! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this really does work! What an accomplishment for you to lose 92#. Congrats and way to go!
I am doing a 30 day water challenge. It’s day 4 and going well so far. Hope it becomes a habit.
I have a hard time with getting all my water so for you to do a 30 day water challenge! Way to go!
Can’t cut back on alcohol since I don’t drink any. I swim 3 times a week, sleep well and drink lots of water.
slehan at juno dot com
You are doing great!
Thank you for sharing this. I have some belly fat to lose. These suggestions are great
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I need to add many of these to my every-day list 🙂
sounds great in theory! If only it were that easy. I guess it’s worth trying some of these steps!
Losing ANY weight is not easy….but I’ll cheer you on!
This sounds good, as whatever and all I’ve been doing isn’t working, and before we know it, it is going to be bathing suit time again!!
I live by 9 of these rules and learned a new one. I didn’t know that constant protein doses throughout the day keeps blood sugar balanced. Thank you!
Great I could help you learn something new Daniela!
thanks for this post! I struggle with belly fat. 🙁
So do I! 2 C-Sections and major hysterectomy haven’t helped my belly!
I’ve always had to eat a high fiber diet for my IBS and think it really helps keep my waist slim. I don’t tend to gain weight in that area (not apple but would tend to gain in a more pear shaped fashion) so it does depend somewhat on body type.
You are lucky! But I do think genetics and body type to play into how difficult it is to lose belly fat.
Great tips. I do pretty much all except the more protein tip. I really need to add more protein. Thanks for the write up and the reminder. 🙂
Your welcome.
thx info