One of the most common questions I get is how to lose belly fat. Belly fat is actually the most dangerous type of fat – besides aesthetics, large waist lines are indicators of –disease-disease-disease. However, there are some tricks you can employ to give your body the best chance in your fight against the flab. but making some dietary changes and switching up your training approach can and will.
The tummy area consistently ranks among the top body parts that people most want to change. However, boasting a flat belly or defined abs need not remain in the realm of imaginings. You can lose weight, shed the belly fat and work on that abs. It’s just that, like everything else, there are hard and easy ways to set about losing belly fat. Although you cannot spot reduce, that is do exercises that specifically target belly fat, there are things that you can do to make it easier to lose fat from the belly area/ make your belly smaller and things you might be doing right now that are stopping you from losing belly fat. In order to burn belly fat faster and reach those six pack abs, we need to get rid of those bad habits and pick up ones which support the diet and the workout routine. These are tiny steps, but they can help to lose belly fat faster.
Eat 3 hours before Going to Bed:
This was my biggest mistake. When we sleep, the metabolic rate is slower. This means if you eat before going to bed your body accumulates the unnecessary nutrients and transforms it to body fat. If you go to sleep at 10pm, eat before 7pm.
Sleep:
To lose belly fat, get plenty of quality sleep. Sleep deprivation is stresses the body and can raise fat-storage hormone cortisol. Research by Columbia University showed that women who only get 5 hours sleep are almost twice as likely to be obese than women who get 7 hours sleep. The hormones (leptin and ghrelin) that control hunger are also thought to play a role, as insufficient sleep increases appetite, while reducing the feeling a satiety.
Drink water:
Water may contain zero calories, but its power extends well beyond simply being a low- (or no-) calorie beverage. Studies show that water can actually help you lose weight. Research shows that drinking just 2 8-ounce glasses of water before meals can help you lose weight, because you eat up to 90 fewer calories. But more than helping you lose weight, drinking water can help you lose belly fat. Why? Dehydration may raise cortisol levels, which inhibits your efforts to lose belly fat. So, stay well hydrated!
Eat Slowly:
It has been proved that those who eat faster take in more foods than the ones who do not. Take time to chew your meals totally. It has positive effects on your digestive system and the nutrients can assimilate better.
Eat smaller meals more frequently:
While there is a lot of literature out there that debates the benefits of eating meals more frequently for weight loss, I always find that eating smaller portions throughout the day helps prevent bloating. It also helps keep my blood sugar in check so I don’t crave unhealthy snacks in between meals.
Fat-burning Beverages:
As with the roster of fat-burning foods, there are countless cocktails (and some of them are downright nasty!) which are purported to burn belly fat. Example is Matcha Green Tea, Ginger Tea, Fruit Juices.
Get plenty of vitamin C:
Vitamin C can help balance the cortisol spikes that occur while you’re stressed. And as well as being a good way to boost you immune system and prevent colds, Vitamin C is also essential for making carnitine, a compound that helps your body with the process of turning fat into fuel. However, don’t just neck a load of orange juice to up your intake. Try including more chilli peppers, tomatoes, kale and kiwi fruit in your diet. These all have even more vitamin C than oranges, along with a host of other healthy nutrients.
Stuff Your Sandwiches Full Of Vegetables:
In case you make a sandwich, a hamburger or anything like that, you should stuffed with greens such as tomatoes, cucumbers, paprika etc. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very important parts of your diet. Tomatoes are especially good since they contain special substances, which control hunger. Use only a little mayonnaise, ketchup etc., they are full of calories.
Change You Snacks:
Most of the snacks we eat while we watch TV are full of artificial components and calories. These are typical junk foods. I know, it is so fabulous to sit and chew something, but they are one of the main reasons for obesity. Get rid of snacking and eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, yogurt etc. It may be hard at first, but you will get used to it.
Eat Healthy Fats:
Our bodies need essential fatty-acids (EFAs) to properly synthesize the hormones responsible for metabolizing fat stores. Try some of these sources of EFAs to help you burn belly fat faster: like Coconut Oil, Cold-water Fish, Nuts and Seeds
Top up your nutrients:
Another trick for supporting digestion and fat loss is to make sure you have adequate stomach acid to break down food. Take a hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplement to improve acid levels in the stomach and to allow your body to completely break down food. The increased acid levels in the stomach will improve the absorption of protein, calcium, vitamin B, magnesium, zinc, iron and other basic nutrients.
No crash diets:
Avoid crash diets/ very low calorie diets, especially for extended periods, as it stresses the body and increases cortisol. Very low calorie diets can also trigger the body’s starvation response, which slows down metabolism and causes the body to hold onto fat reserves more tightly.
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