If you are overweight that doesn’t mean you are equally unhealthy. There are plenty of people who are overweight but have excellent health. Many normal weight people have the metabolic problem which leads to obesity. Fat under the skin is not a big problem, the fat in the abdominal cavity that causes the biggest issue. If you have a lot of excess fat around your waistline, even if you are not heavy then you need to take simple steps to reduce that fat. Belly fat has measured the circumference around your waist, you can easily do it t your home. If the waist of men is above 40 inches and waist of women is about 35 inches it is known as an abdominal cavity. You can use these tips to reduce belly fat.
Ways to Reduce Belly Fat:
1.) Eat Protein to Lose Weight
There are three macronutrients called protein, carbs, and fat. Protein is the most important macronutrient when it comes to reducing belly fat.
- It has been shown to reduce craving by 60 percent and boost your metabolism by 90 to 100 calories per day. It also helps to eat up to approximately 450 fewer calories per day.
- If your goal is to lose weight and reduce belly fat, then adding up the protein in your diet is the single most effective change you can do to your diet.
- It not only help you to lose weight but it will help you to avoid regaining weight if you ever decide to abandon your weight loss.
- Studies found diet protein is particularly effective against belly fat. Those people who eat more protein had much less belly fat.
- Another study found that protein was linked to significantly reduce the risk of belly fat gain over a period of 5 years.
- Studies have also shown that refined carb and oils were linked to increased amount of belly fat. But fruits and vegetables linked to reduced amounts.
- You should take 25 to 30% of calories from protein.
- You should increase your intake of high protein foods such as egg whites, seafood, fish, legumes, meat, nuts, dairy product and some whole grain. These are the best protein sources.
- You can also take protein supplement like whey protein in your diet, it is a healthy and convenient way to boost your total intake.
- Consider cooking your food in coconut oil. Some studies have shown that 2 tablespoon of coconut oil per day reduces belly fat slightly.
2.) Avoid Sugar to Reduce Belly Fat
Studies have shown that sugar has a harmful effect on metabolic health. Sugar is half fructose and half glucose. Fructose can only be metabolised by the liver in a significant amount. When you take a lot of amount of fructose so your liver gets overloaded with it and turn it into fat. Studies have shown that excess sugar mostly due to a large amount of fructose can lead to fat in the belly.
- Liquid sugar is considered even worse than solid sugar because it is not registered by the brain the as the same way as solid calories. So you end up with taking more calories.
- Studies have shown that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to a 60% increase risk of obesity in children.
- You need to make a decision to minimise the amount of sugar you take in your diet and completely eliminating sugar drinks including fruit juice.
- But keep in mind that none of this applies to whole fruit. They are extremely healthy and have plenty of fibre which reduces the negative effect of fructose. The amount of fructose you get from fruits is negligible as compared to what you get from a diet high in refined sugar.
- If you want to cut down the refined sugar then start reading labels of packed foods.
3.) Cut Carbs to Lose Fat
Cutting your carb intake is very effective way to reduce belly fat. Studies have found that when people cut carbs their appetite goes down and they lose weight easily.
- Studies have also shown that low carb diets lead to 2 to 3 times more weight loss than a low-fat diet. low carb groups were allowed to eat as much as they want while the low-fat groups were calorie restricted and hungry.
- Low carb diet also lead to a quick reduction in water weight which gives the instant result to people. You can see low carb diet result within few days.
- Low carb diet specifically targets the to reduce belly fat and around the organs and liver.
- Avoid taking refined carbs such as pasta and white bread. If you want to lose weight fast. Drop your carb intake up to 20 gm per day. this will put your body into ketosis and kill your appetite and make your body start burning fat as a fuel.
- Low carb diet has many other health benefits besides just weight loss. It has life-saving effects in type of diabetic
4.) Eat Food rich in Fiber to Reduce Belly Fat
Diety fibre is mostly indigestible plant matter. Eating plenty of fibre can help to reduce weight. But you need to keep in mind that not all the fibre help to weight loss.
- Mostly the soluble and viscous fibre have and effect on weight loss and reduce belly fat. These are the fibre that binds water and form a thick gel that sits in the glut. This can slow the movement of food through your stomach and small bowel and slow down the digestion and reabsorption of nutrients and gives feeling of fullness and reduce your appetite.
- One study suggests that additional 14 gm of fibre per day liked to 10% decrease in calorie intake and weight loss of 2 kg with in 4 months.
- A study conducted 5 years found that 10 gm of soluble fibre per day was linked to 4% reduction in the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity. Bu it has no effect on the amount of fat stored under the skin.
- It shows that soluble fibre is effective to reduce particularly harmful belly fat.
- Food like vegetables and fruit, legumes and some cereals like oats are the good source of fibre.
- You can also take a supplement if you unable to take it from the food.
5.) Reduce Calorie Consumption to Lose Weight
It takes 3500 calories to lose one pound. So you have to either burn off 3500 calories through exercise or have to eat 3500 calories less to lose a pound in a week. You can aim to lose two pounds in a week.
- Losing more than that can be unhealthy for you which will lead to rapidly gain back. If you will abandoned exercise or diet.
- You need to keep a food dairy to lose weight and reduce belly fat. Most people tend to underestimate how much they eat but you should keep an honest assessment of your eating habits by writing down everything you consume in a day. You can use an online calorie calculator and figure out how many calories you consume in a day.
- Men try to consume only 2200 calories and women should try to consume 2000 calories per day from a healthy diet, not more than that. This is sufficient for you to lose one to two pounds in a week.
6.) Exercise to Reduce Belly Fat
When it comes to lose weight and reduce belly fat, exercise is very important. It is one of the best things you can do if you want to live a long and healthy life.
- Losing fat in one spot is not possible. Doing the endless amount of crunches will not make you lose fat from the belly.
- According to one study, 6 weeks training of just the abdominal muscles, had not measurable effect on the circumference of waist or the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.
- You need to do also other types of exercises. Aerobic exercise like running, walking, swimming etc. It shows the major reduction in belly The study found that exercise completely prevents people from regaining abdominal fat. Exercise is particularly important for weight maintenance.
7.) Drink Plenty of Water to Reduce Weight
Studies suggest consistently drinking plenty of water through a day increase your metabolism. It also helps your body to flush out the waste toxins and improves your overall health.
- Try to drink at least 8 glass of water per day.
- Carry a water bottle with you so that whenever you will feel thirsty you can take a sip.
- When your urine is almost clear, understand that you are drinking enough water. If your urine is still yellow, you need to drink more water.
- Reduce alcohol consumption as much as you can and sugary drinks.
8.) Eat Good Fat to Lose Weight
Fat is also essential for your body. But you need to consume monosaturated fats. Studies suggest that diet which has a high ratio of monosaturated fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, chocolate, and soybeans can prevent weight gain and reduce belly fat. Trans fat present I cookies, crakers, margarine or anything made with partially hydrogenated oils result in fat which is deposited in the abdomen. Avoid these as much as possible.
9.) Get Sleep to Reduce Belly fat
Studies have shown that getting sleep less than five hours or more than 9 hours per day increase weight. studies have also suggested that not getting enough sleep increase the craving for high-calorie food and lead to an overall increase in calories intake. An adult should not take seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
10.) Avoid Stress to Reduce Weight
Stress causes the body to crave for fatty foods. Sometimes in emotional stress, people tend to eat a lot more food than the normal. Stress can also lead to snacking even if your body is not hungry. You can do yoga and meditation to lower your stress level. It will help you to lose weight faster and reduce belly fat.