Fat is fat. There is no such magic thing about belly fat. It just happens to be on your belly. True, belly fat is the most associated with cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol levels, visceral fat, and the fat surrounding your internal organs.
Still, in the end, belly fat responds well to the usual fat-burning treatments out there to lose weight.
Do not make the mistake of considering fat in your belly or any other body part as a localized issue. Just like men will not get rid of men boobs by doing endless push-ups for their pecs, so women will not get rid of belly fat by simply doing endless crunches.
Fat is not a local problem but a whole-body issue, even though it may appear that fat does have a “personal preference ” in storing up in your belly or thighs or wherever.
The main point is to crank up your metabolism, reduce calorie intake and do some exercises to boost calorie expenditure; this is the key to losing weight. Then fat will fall off from the areas where it is more abundant, like your belly, and then gradually shedding off from your whole body.
So how do you boost metabolism, and what should you eat for this to happen? The most important thing is, of course, reducing your calories. The more fat you need to burn, the fewer calories you should eat. Later, you will need to up your calories once again when you have already lost belly and body fat.
But what should you eat then? The answer is simple: you should eat the less white carbohydrates and sugars (like bread, pasta, rice, pizzas, and candies) you can get away with and, strange as it seems, replace them with healthy fats like olive oil or peanut butter, aside from eating more fiber-rich vegetables and proteins.
Foods To Lose Belly Fat
Carbs and sugars convert very easily into fat, much more so than fats. They make you feel full and stop your craving for carbs and sugars. Make a priority to include in your diet nuts, like almonds, cashews, likes, or low-calorie smoothies.
Eat plenty of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflowers, spinach, and the likes; they make up for many volumes, fill your stomach, and have next to 0 calories.
Mix your veggies with high-quality proteins like tuna, chicken breast, or fish to feed your muscles while on restricted calories, and make sure to eat more at breakfast than at lunch
Have just a small meal for dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed so it will not sit in your stomach while asleep, and your body will then use its fat storage to burn calories at night time.
Workouts To Lose Belly Fat
I order to enhance your metabolism you should also exercise. Time and time again, short bursts of high-intensity cardio or resistance training followed by low-intensity bouts in quick succession have shown to be way more effective in boosting metabolism and activating fat-burning than traditional, endless cardio or treadmill sessions.
Long, boring slow cardio is more and more frequently superseded by interval training not just because it is more fun but also because more effective.
This is because interval training not only does raise metabolism while you exercise but also for many hours afterward, keeping your body in fat-torching mode. Regarding resistance training, it would help if you strived to implement back-to-back sets non-stop for all major body parts.
A full-body workout with sets performed in sequence without rest between body parts (or the shorter rest you can get away with) will tax your system like no other method and quick start your metabolism like never before.
Remember, check your doctor first for an all-clear, then hone in gradually and have the guidance of a professional trainer or gym instructor as interval training can be very demanding on your body, especially if you are unfit.
However, even by just changing your eating habits and food selection, reducing calories, and better structuring meal times, you will see your stubborn belly and body fat steadily shrinking before your eyes.
My name is Deborah Foster and I am a Weight Loss Coach with a background in Nutrition Coaching and Personal Training. I specialize in helping women and men break through the yo-yo diet cycle and lose weight for good, without being miserable in the process.
