Excess belly fat can be difficult to lose. In addition to unsightly, fat stored around the stomach or around the organs of the body can also harm your health. This type of fat, also called visceral fat, can increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea (a sleep disorder that stops breathing). Besides being able to make you more confident, losing fat around the stomach can also improve your overall health. While you can't reduce body fat "in one place," you can reduce excess belly fat with diet and exercise. You can achieve your desired goals by changing your diet, exercise routine and lifestyle.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Get Rid of Excess Fat
Step 1. Reduce calorie intake
If you want to lose weight, you can't lose fat at a certain point, or lose weight in only one area of your body at a time. If you want to lose belly fat, you must lose overall weight by reducing the number of calories you consume.
- Cut about 500 to 750 calories from the food you eat each day. Reducing this small amount of calories can help you lose about 0.45 to 0.9 kg each week.
- Health professionals recommend that you do not lose more than this amount in one week.
- Use a food journal or an online eating tracker to find out how many calories you consume each day. Subtract the total number of calories you currently consume by 500 to 750 calories so you know how many calories you need to consume to lose weight moderately.
Step 2. Increase the consumption of protein, vegetables, and fruits
Several studies have shown that in addition to helping you lose weight fast, following a low-carb diet in particular will also reduce the amount of belly fat you have.
- Include about 85 to 113 grams of protein in each meal (this is equivalent to one deck of cards).
- Choose non-starchy vegetables (such as bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, cauliflower or lettuce) and eat one or two servings of these at each meal. Also eat 1 or 2 cups of leafy greens.
- Eat 1 to 2 servings of fruit daily. Fruits are higher in carbohydrates, so they can slow down weight loss (though it doesn't stop it).
- Some examples of low-carb foods include: a mixed green salad with raw vegetables, 142g of grilled chicken with an oil-based dressing, 1 cup of Greek yogurt with nuts and 1/2 cup of fruit, or grilled salmon with a little steamed broccoli and salad.
Step 3. Limit consumption of whole grains
Some foods such as rice, bread, and pasta are part of a healthy diet. However, these foods have a high carbohydrate content compared to other food groups. Limit these foods so you can focus on sticking to a low-carb diet.
- Some foods to limit include: rice, bread, pasta, quinoa, oats, crackers, chips, tortillas, English muffins, etc.
- If you still want to eat whole grains, try to eat no more than one serving of about 28 grams or 1/2 cup.
- In addition, try to choose 100% whole grains. These foods are high in fiber and other nutrients that are part of a healthy diet.
Step 4. Avoid added sugar
Studies show that sugar (especially added sugar) is one of the main causes of belly fat accumulation. Limit foods that contain lots of sugar.
- Added sugar is sugar that is added to a product during the manufacturing process. Examples of foods that have added sugar are cakes or ice cream.
- Natural sugars are sugars that are not added and are found in foods naturally. For example, fruit or yogurt also contains sugar, but natural sugar. Foods that contain natural sugars are a good choice because they usually contain greater amounts of essential nutrients.
- Get in the habit of reading food labels, and be aware of hidden sugars in packaged foods. Look at the amount of sugar in the product and read the ingredient label to find out if the food contains added sugar or natural sugar.
- If you like sweets, choose healthy options such as honey, dark chocolate, dried fruit and Greek yogurt to satisfy your cravings.
Step 5. Drink lots of water
Do not let your body lack fluids so that the body continues to function normally. Some studies show that drinking lots of water can also help you lose weight faster.
- Part of the reason is that water helps keep you full so you eat less.
- Try to drink at least 8 to 13 glasses of water every day. Drink one to two glasses of water before eating to reduce appetite and make you feel full faster.
Part 2 of 4: Get Rid of Belly Fat with Exercise
Step 1. Do exercise in the morning
Some studies show that exercising in the morning before eating breakfast can burn a lot of calories in the form of fat (not calories in the form of stored glycogen).
- Actually you don't need to get up too early to exercise in the morning. Try setting the alarm 30 minutes earlier than usual.
- Some of the other benefits of exercising in the morning include: avoiding traffic jams when you finish working out at the fitness center, and training can be completed earlier so you can focus more during the day, and be free to do anything in the afternoon.
Step 2. Do aerobic exercise
Cardiovascular exercise will burn calories and help increase your metabolism so you can lose weight faster.
- You should do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 days a week, or the total amount in one week is about 150 minutes. However, if you want to lose belly fat, some experts recommend that you train for up to 60 minutes a day.
- Exercises you can do include jogging, cycling, brisk walking, swimming, dancing, and hiking.
- Try to find an exercise that you enjoy. If the exercise you're doing is enjoyable, you're more likely to be able to stick with it.
Step 3. Combine it with strength training
It's also important to add resistance or strength training for a few days. This can help tone muscles and maintain muscle mass when you are on a diet.
- We recommend that you include strength training for about 2 to 3 days each week. Make sure you choose exercises that work your entire body and all major muscle groups.
- While you won't be able to lose weight at some point, incorporating strength training that focuses on your midsection (abdominal and back muscles) can help you achieve a firmer, leaner-looking stomach. Do exercises like: planks, crunches, or v-sit.
Step 4. Do interval training
Several studies have shown that people who do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can lose more fat around the abdomen than people who only do regular cardiovascular exercise.
- HIIT is an exercise that is done in a short time, but trains the body harder. Alternately, you should do very high-intensity exercises, followed by moderate-intensity exercises.
- Include HIIT workouts for 1 to 2 days each week. It can also be considered as a cardio workout.
Part 3 of 4: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Deal with your stress
Stress increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that makes the body store excess fat, especially in the midsection. Stress can also cause a person to eat emotionally, or eat to feel comfortable, not because of hunger.
- If possible, try to avoid people or things that can trigger stress in your life.
- You can also reduce the level of stress and anxiety you feel every day by managing your time better so you don't have to rush to complete your tasks.
- If you're struggling with stress, take a few minutes each day to sit down, close your eyes, focus on your breath, and get all thoughts and busyness out of your head.
Step 2. Get more sleep
Some studies show that lack of sleep can increase appetite and increase body fat. If you don't get enough sleep, you run the risk of gaining weight and increasing belly fat.
- Adults are advised to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours each night. Besides being able to help maintain health, this amount of sleep also helps you to get a good rest.
- Make sure you turn off all lights and electronic devices (such as a computer, cell phone or tablet).
Part 4 of 4: Track Progress and Stay Motivated
Step 1. Find a friend to go on a diet or exercise with
Losing weight alone can be difficult, especially if the people around you are eating unhealthy foods.
- Find a diet buddy so you can both motivate each other, share tips and tricks, and get to work out together.
- Some studies show that people can lose more weight and maintain that weight for a longer time if they have a good support group.
Step 2. Keep a food journal
Research shows that people who track the food they eat by keeping a log tend to lose weight faster and keep it off than people who don't keep a food log.
- Part of the reason is that keeping track of everything you eat will force you to take responsibility for everything you do. Make sure you keep the journal as accurate as possible.
- Try using an online calorie calculator/diary, or just keep a handwritten journal yourself. These journals and internet sites can help you keep track of the foods you eat and can be used to check the calorie content of various foods.
Step 3. Take measurements
Track your progress by measuring your waist or weighing yourself before you start a diet.
- Weigh yourself weekly to see how much progress you've made over time. Try to weigh yourself every week on the same day and at the same time to get the most accurate picture of progress.
- Periodically, also measure your waist or hips to see how much fat you have removed around the stomach.
Tips
- Always consult your doctor before you try to lose weight. Your doctor will tell you whether weight loss is safe and appropriate for you or not.
- Maintain the lifestyle that you have lived while on a diet so that the loss of weight and fat can last for a long time. If you go back to your old habits, you can gain weight again.
- Remember that you can't lose weight at some point. There is no way you can lose weight only in the lower abdomen. Focus on losing weight all over, having a healthy diet and doing exercise to get rid of belly fat.
