What is the secret to losing belly fat quickly? Is there an answer? Many people are frustrated with their battle with the bulging waste line and beer gut. They go to the gym, exercise regularly, do crunches until their stomach burns but still don’t see any results. The truth of the matter is that if you are doing 100s of sit ups daily and doing cardio but still have a fat belly, then you are probably doing something wrong. Belly fat is the most persistent kind of fat to accumulate on the body. To lose belly fat quickly you should go through this checklist and make sure you incorporate these tips into your daily exercise / diet routine. If you follow these general guidelines you should see quick results and a trimmer waistline.
Cut down on your fat intake – fat doesn’t get converted into anything by the body except fat, so you will want to watch how much fat you are eating. Cut down on mayonnaise, butter, vegetable oils, salad dressings, and high fat meat in general. We are not saying stop eating any fat products at all, that would not be reasonable, more try to eat less of it and be conscious of what you are putting in your body. the next time you have a sandwich, consider a lean check sandwich and hold the mayo. Feel like drinking milk or having latte? Try 2% fat instead of whole milk. If you have a steak that is fine, just consider trimming the fat off the sides.
Increase your fiber intake and eat more fruits and vegetables. Fiber is important in that it helps to reduce the fat that gets stored in you body and belly. Eating a high fiber diet helps digest food faster and moves fat through your digestive track more quickly. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals and getting your proper nutrition will help your body burn calories more efficiently. Also fiber will keep you hydrated and help with water retention, making you feel more full and help you eat less.
Eat more protein – protein takes the most energy for the body to break down and digest, this is why high protein diets like Atkins and Southbeach work so well. As a rule eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound you weigh. Not having enough protein while dieting can be bad because your body may start to burn your muscles for energy instead of fat, which will leave you a skinny person with a fat belly.
Try not to eat red meat when possible and substitute with chick or fish or dairy – Red meat is hard to digest and tends to sit in the stomach and is more likely to be undigested. Red meat gets stored as fat more easily and too much of it causes constipation. Trying eating poultry, fish or milk when possible. These are excellent sources of protein and digest well, resulting in less waste in your body and a more regular digestive system. Keeping yourself regular and your body in rhythm is important to losing fat.
Try to cut out refined sugars from your diet – Refined sugars are absorbed quickly into the body and get stored as fat more easily. Also refined sugars such as high fructose corn syrup is prevalent in processed foods, take out, fast foods, and creep into our diets every day. So to reduce your intake of refined sugars start by cutting out candies and ice cream. If you want something sweet try an apple, grapes or strawberries. If you feel like having a bagel with cream cheese try toasted whole grain bread with cream cheese. Also watch out for the calories you drink. Cut out sodas and try instead plain old water. You’d be surprised, if you count the amount of junk calories you consume every day, the sodas and the candies it would easily add up to hundreds of unnecessary calories that will probably get stored as belly fat. Also read ingredient labels more closely, if you see high fructose corn syrup in the food you are buying try to toss it away and buy a food that doesn’t contain this junk.
Drink water with every meal – water is calorie free and will help keep you hydrated and aid in digestion. Also taking in water with your meals will keep you feeling more full while eating less so you end up consuming less calories. Water will also keep you hydrated and your bowel movements regular. There is also the added benefit of having clean skin.
Exercise more and stop doing all those crunches – Sit ups and crunches only go so far. They are great abdominal muscles that will tone up your gut and are needed to get the six pack abs look. But if you have layers of belly fat around your waist you will never see those great abs. To lose belly fat you have to do more strength training and gain more muscle mass. Consider lifting weights and doing cardio. A healthier, more muscular body is important to losing fat.
Eat less carbohydrates – Carbohydrates and an essential food that provides energy. In general though people tend to eat more carbs than they need and the excess calories get stored as fat and may find it’s way to your belly. Cut down on potatoes pasta and rice during each meal and eat more protein, fruits and vegetables. However it is okay to have carbs post workout to refuel your body.
Stay motivated and be more aware of your body weight – studies have shown that people who weigh themselves more often tend to lose more weight. So start weighing yourself more regularly so you get in the habit of being more conscious about your weight. The goal is not to become obsessed about looking skinny or having a six pack but more about staying motivated and keeping a goal to lose weight in your mind. As you lose weight you will be more motivated to stick to your routine and keep body in the great condition your are working so hard for.
