What is Belly Fat?
The most dangerous type of fat is the fat in the abdominal region.
We understand if you want to improve your appearance and will give you the tools to get the flat stomach you want.
However, it is important to be aware that not all fat is created equal. Some types of fat, like visceral fat, are more harmful and dangerous than others.
While having fat on your arms or thighs may be unsightly, it is belly fat and waist circumference that is linked to heart disease, diabetes, increased cortisol release, and a whole bunch of other undesirable conditions.
In other words: It’s very dangerous to have. It is important to get rid of excess fat not just for appearances, but also for health and vitality.
What is the most effective way to lose belly fat fast?
What Causes Belly Fat?
Having lots of visceral fat is caused by a few different factors:
Overeating
This is the problem hidden in plain sight. Eating too much food will obviously result in weight gain and more stomach fat.
Although the ‘calories in, calories out’ method is important, don’t focus on it too much. If you eat the right foods, you will eat less.
Hormone Imbalances – Specifically Cortisol
The hormone cortisol has been linked to the higher distribution of abdominal fat.
To reduce belly fat, it is important to get your hormones under control and reduce stress in your life.
Bloat
Bloating is often overlooked as a contributing factor to a protruding stomach. However, bloating can cause the stomach to appear and feel larger than normal.
This is typically caused by consuming high amounts of salt and carbohydrates and can be a sign of difficulty digesting certain foods.
Aging
Aging doesn’t help with stomach fat.
Although it is possible to get a flat stomach at any age, it is usually more difficult to achieve this later in life.
Even if you’re not quite old enough for the AARP discount, don’t get too discouraged. As long as you have the right plan, it doesn’t matter how old you are–you can still maintain a fit and trim waistline.
Alcohol Intake
The final contributor to stomach fat is alcohol intake.
Studies have once again shown that alcohol and certain types of alcohol are linked to high levels of abdominal fat.
As a general rule of thumb, you should out alcohol when losing weight. You should only reintroduce the diet once you reach your desired weight.
Biggest Mistakes Most People Make When Trying to Lose Belly Fat
Believing Too Heavily in the “6 Meals/Day” Mantra
There isn’t. There is no evidence that eating more often boosts your metabolism.
A huge study that looked at data from many other studies found that there is no connection between how often someone eats and how many calories they burn or how much weight they lose.
If you enjoy eating six well-balanced meals each day, that is terrific. If you are eating extra meals or snacks when you are not hungry, it is not doing you any good.
Those additional calories are hurting you. Try intermittent fasting instead.
Trying to Crunch Your Way to a Six-Pack
A study found that 6 weeks of training just the abdominal muscles had no measurable effect on waist circumference or the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.
When you look at the stomach’s anatomy, it makes perfect sense.
The sad reality is that if you’re overweight and do a lot of crunches, you’re more likely to end up with a bigger waist. This is because you’re building larger abdominal muscles under the layer of fat.
Crunches will not be effective until your body fat percentage is low enough.
Believing Body Wraps are Going to Fix the Problem
If the goal is long-term success, overnight fixes are not effective.
Body wraps may lead to a temporary reduction in waist circumference, but they will only last for a day or two. Put that energy elsewhere.
Now you are ready for the main event.
36 Ways To Lose Belly Fat Fast And Keep It Off For Good
1. Eat more protein
Protein requires more energy to digest than carbohydrates. Approximately 25-30% of the calories in protein are lost during the digestive process, while only 6-8% of carbohydrate calories are burned during digestion. You can save 41 calories by substituting 50 grams of protein for an equal amount of carbs.
2. Read labels
You should try to avoid eating foods that have high-fructose corn syrup listed as one of the ingredients. Since 1971, the consumption of sugar substitutes has increased by more than 350% in the U.S. This is parallel to the rise in obesity.
3. Get off your ass
Do every exercise standing instead of sitting. Joe Stankowski, C.P.T. says that you could burn up to 30% more calories by drinking cold water. The solution for the bench press? Dips.
4. Mix up your movements
When you lift weights, try doing supersets where you alternate between sets of lower-body exercises and upper-body exercises. In other words, your lower body will take a break while your upper body is doing the work. Sets that are done with very little downtime between them allow you to work your muscles to their fullest potential, according to Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S. This makes for a quicker, more effective workout overall.
5. Exercise blind
If you want to feel like you’re really doing something while on the elliptical trainer, then try letting go of the handles and closing your eyes. If you don’t have something to look at for balance, your core muscles will have to work harder, and you’ll end up burning more calories.
6. Embrace yardwork
Any physical activity, even ones you try to avoid, such as mowing the lawn, is an opportunity to burn fat and improve your fitness. (Just make sure you use a push mower.)
7. Snack on dill pickles
They have one calorie per slice.
8. Take larger steps
On the stair climber, only use every fifth step. Next, take a large step with the opposite foot to return to your regular walking pattern. When you recruit more muscle, you will see an increase in fat loss, says Cameron McGarr, C.S.C.S.
9. Rent motivation
Once a week, watch a movie that makes you want to exercise. Rocky, American Flyers, Hoosiers, Chariots of Fire, and Without Limits are all examples of movies that can inspire you to stay fit.
10. Break a record
Every time you work out, try to run just a little bit further than you did last time- even if it’s only an extra tenth of a mile. This will make sure you always use more energy during one workout than you did during the last one.
11. Smash your dinner plates
And buy smaller ones. If you use this method, you will end up eating less food, even if you fill your plate.
12. Cut carbs
Yes, you’ve heard it a zillion times. The reason: It works. The Journal of Nutrition found that men who reduced their carb intake to 8% of their daily calories lost 7 lbs of body fat and gained 2 lbs of muscle in six weeks.
13. Lift first, then run
According to McGarr, if you do cardio after you’ve already lifted weights, you’ll be more tired and the same speed or intensity will have a greater effect.
14. Change directions
Ride on the elliptical trainer for 30 seconds as quickly as possible, then change directions and ride for an additional 30 seconds just as quickly. Rest for 60 seconds, and repeat. Cosgrove says that using momentum to your advantage will help you burn fat more effectively. He explains that by going from a dead stop to full speed and then back to a dead stop again, you are essentially putting your body through a strenuous workout that will help you to burn more fat in the long run.
15. Fill up on high-fiber foods
Consider them “good carbs”. The amount of space that they take up in your stomach makes you feel full and causes you to eat less. Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber, with 8 grams per 1/2 cup serving. According to research, guys who ate 12g of fiber a day lose fat around their love handles, without making any other changes to their diet.
16. Top your salad with vinaigrette dressing
Studies have found that acidic foods, such as vinegar and lemon juice, can increase the body’s ability to burn carbs by up to 40%. The researchers believe that the acids can help to minimize the spikes in insulin levels and can help to slow down the rate at which food leaves the stomach. Other sour options for food include pickles and yogurt that have gone through fermentation.
17. Don’t skip meals
If you do not eat for long periods of time, your body will start breaking down muscle tissue for energy and conserving fat.
18. Try the VersaClimber
You burn more calories when you are more vertical during cardio.
19. Don’t be a couch potato
If you love watching television, figure out how many hours you spend doing it right now and eliminate all reruns, even if there are episodes of your favorite show that you’ve never seen. Use the extra time you have to spend more time outside or working out.
20. Hit the weights
If you’re not motivated to work out, know that it’s not as bad as you think. Just doing some lifting for 10 minutes a day, three days a week will help. Professor William Kraemer of the human performance laboratory at Harvard’s Hadley Research Center says that 30 minutes of weight training a week for 12 weeks has a greater reduction in waist size than almost any other variable.
21. Pass on the potatoes
You can enjoy potatoes in many different ways, such as mashed and baked potatoes, as well as French fries and potato chips. They raise levels of insulin in the blood which tells the body to stop burning fat and start storing it. Sweet potatoes are acceptable. They have more nutrients and fiber.
22. Eat your biggest meal of the day after you lift
It takes calories to digest food. The University of Nevada found that weight training makes your body use 73% more calories processing food.
23. Chug H2O before a meal
The water will take up room in your stomach, causing you to feel fuller and reducing your appetite, says Christopher Mohr, M.S., R.D.
24. Request substitutions
If your restaurant meal comes with a side of pasta, potatoes, or rice, you should ask for vegetables instead, says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. The server will be happy to help you with anything you need.
25. Join a league
This means joining a sports team like softball, soccer, or even kickball. The app will automatically schedule exercise sessions into your week, and because you’re part of a team, you will have peer pressure that will ensure you keep showing up.
26. Break between scoops
If you cannot live without desserts that are high in calories, then have one scoop or one small slice. Then, if you still want more, wait 20 minutes. While you’re waiting, you’ll usually find that hormones go into effect and make you feel full, so you don’t want a second helping.
27. Brush your teeth more often
The study found that men who brushed their teeth frequently were leaner than men who did not. The minty flavor of gum can help to reduce your urge to snack between meals.
28. Eat an unbalanced diet
You can keep your metabolism active by cycling your calorie intake, and eating fewer calories one day and more the next. This will help you maintain a high rate of fat burning. The average person should consume 2000 calories per day over the course of a week.
29. Dial up an incline
You use your own force to propel your body weight forward when you run outside. The belt on a treadmill helps you run by providing a surface to run on. The English study found that walking or running on a 1% incline is nearly equivalent to running outside.
30. Stick to no-calorie drinks
This includes coffee, tea, diet soda, mixes such as Crystal Light, and water.
31. Have breakfast every day
Obesity rates are lower for people who eat breakfast regularly, by 35%-50%, according to research from Harvard and Boston’s Children’s Hospital. Nutritionists believe that eating in the morning helps regulate insulin levels and hunger, so you’re less likely to overeat throughout the remainder of the day.
32. Avoid foods that come in a bag or box
These are typically highly processed carbs—foods that quickly raise blood-sugar levels and shut down your body’s ability to burn fat.
33. Snack between meals
If you eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, you will be less likely to overeat at lunch and dinner. This also keeps your metabolism going since your body is always processing food.
34. Buy a TiVo
And only watch the shows you record. You can watch less TV by setting a season pass for the shows you care about and fast-forwarding through the commercials.
35. Load up on yogurt
When researchers at the University of Tennessee put a group of volunteers on one of two diets—one high in calcium and one not—and cut each group’s calorie intake by 500 calories, they found that the people getting calcium lost twice as much weight (an average of 13lbs) compared with people on the standard diet. The researchers found that the group who was on the diet high in calcium lost twice as much weight as the group on the standard diet, even though both groups had their calorie intake cut by 500 calories. The study’s author, Michael Zemel, believes that calcium helps the body burn fat and prevents it from being stored.
36. Order appetizers
And avoid the bread bowl at all costs. If you’re very hungry when you sit down to eat at a restaurant, it’s better to order a side salad or appetizer right away, instead of being tempted by the free food that’s unlimited and high in calories.
