Some people have serious concerns about the appearance of extra weight in their stomachs.
Both the visceral fat that surrounds your organs and the subcutaneous fat that lies just beneath your skin influence how big your waist is.
Visceral fat is more dangerous even if subcutaneous fat may represent what we see when we look in the mirror.
More than just improving your appearance, keeping a slim stomach may also lengthen your life.
Larger waistlines are linked to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and possibly other diseases as well.
Additionally, trying to lose weight, particularly belly fat, enhances blood vessel performance and sleep efficiency.
The body mass index (BMI) is widely used in the medical field to categorize weight and determine the likelihood of developing metabolic diseases.
This is untrue, though, as people with excess belly fat are more dangerous even if they look to be in good shape.
Even though it can be difficult to lose fat from this area, there are a few things you can do to reduce additional abdominal fat.
10 Ways To Lose Stubborn Belly Fat
Some of the several methods for reducing belly fat that could be used in our daily lives and yield benefits include-
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Begin The Day Early
Don’t let extra time spent in bed prevent you from getting a flatter stomach.
Even though getting enough sleep helps speed up your metabolism, staying up late can counteract any advantages of gaining a little extra sleep.
As per this study,[1] lack of sleep could counteract weight loss goals, and people tend to eat more and gain weight who sleep for comparatively lesser time.
Lack of sleep is related to obesity. A diminished amount of sleep results[2] in excessive belly fat.
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Eat Foods High In Fiber
Even while fiber is indigestible and doesn’t stay in your system, it forms a gel in your stomach that sits there and slows digestion, making you feel fuller and reducing your hunger.
According to this study[3], dietary fiber encourages weight reduction and reduces belly fat by making you feel full, which causes you to eat less naturally.
The outcome could be that your body absorbs fewer calories from food. Incorporate high-fiber foods into your daily diet.
Flax seeds, avocados, lentils, and blackberries are fantastic sources of soluble fiber.
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Everyday Walking
Walking is a relatively decent entry point for folks who don’t already have a regular workout program.
There are health advantages to walking farther than you have been, even if your starting location is one minute away.
Walking helps[4] improve cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of heart-related diseases.
Individuals often try to do too much too fast and burn out when trying to reduce their weight, which is one of the most common mistakes made.
A simple strategy is to take a brief, 10-minute walk after supper and gradually lengthen the stroll as you grow accustomed to regular exercise.
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Increase Your Protein Intake
As a result of protein’s ability to raise satiety-inducing hormones, it causes you to feel filled for longer than you may with other foods.
Protein helps[5] muscles and bones to develop. It serves as the foundation and is necessary for the growth of muscles.
Protein helps you gain muscle and speed up your metabolism, which might help you burn more calories overall.
Increasing your protein intake by using the methods below:-
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I prefer Eggs To Cereal
Cereal portions are frequently much less than the size of a typical bowl, resulting in overeating and little protein. Instead of cereal, choose eggs.
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Substitute Low-Fat Cheese For Junk Food
Rather than nachos or other junk food, reach for a cheese stick if you’re craving something rich, creamy, and indulgent.
Low-fat string cheese contains the same amount of protein as a glass of milk while having fewer calories per serving (under 200).
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Make Puddings And Baked Goods With Chia Seeds
When baking, you can replace the eggs with chia seeds and water when you’re becoming vegan.
They will add creaminess and flavor to your baked products and puddings and provide roughly five grams of protein per ounce.
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Meals Should Include Peas
Green peas provide roughly eight grams of protein per cup, which is more than many other vegetables.
You can add them to stews, soups, and even hummus and dips for an additional boost of plant-based protein.
If you’re seeking a plant-based protein powder, take pea protein into account.
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A Baked Potato
It’s reassuring to understand that the starch is not quite as harmful to you as you may believe because a standard potato also offers a surprisingly high amount of protein, 8 grams per giant spud.
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Select Wholesome Carbs
Carbs are given a poor image. But not all carbohydrates are unhealthy. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice, and beans.
The low-carb diet also had the added advantage of producing good weight loss. Whole grain carbs may[6] aid in providing fiber, b vitamins, copper, zinc magnesium.
Both diets resulted in an additional weight reduction of 2 to 3 pounds of healthy lean tissue. Lean muscle is commonly lost along with fat during weight loss, which is undesirable.
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Perform Aerobic Exercises
A great way to enhance your fitness and burn calories is through aerobic activity (cardio).
Furthermore, research[7] shows that it’s one of the finest exercises for decreasing belly fat.
Nevertheless, results on whether moderate or vigorous exercise is better for you are conflicting.
Regardless, the quantity and duration of your workout routine are more important than the degree of difficulty.
Moreover, as per this study[8], aerobic exercises affected liver fat and visceral adipose tissue by a small amount that did not include weight loss.
So aerobic exercise is an excellent way to lose weight.
Having said all that, dancing is also one of the better forms of maintaining a proper weight.
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Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
Too much alcohol could be deadly. According to research,[9] heavy drinkers are more likely to have belly fat than social or occasional drinkers.
Alcohol can lessen your inhibitions in addition to adding calories to your diet when you consume it in excess.
Alcohol consumption might be decreased to help you lose weight. Reducing how much you drink each day, even if you do not have to stop totally, can be good.
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Prepare Meals More Often
As long as you’re using the appropriate ingredients when you cook, investing extra time working in the kitchen can assist you in losing belly fat.
According to this[10] study, eating more than five meals at home each week reduced the risk of having a high BMI by 28%, and the risk of carrying too much body fat by 24% compared to eating just three meals at home.
However, they also concluded that home cooks consumed more veggies and fruits used healthier meal preparation techniques, and indulged less in high-calorie and sugar-containing items.
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Avoid Processed Foods
Crisps, chips, and frozen meals frequently contain more sodium and saturated fats than other foods.
As per this study,[11] there’s a connection between degeneration of brain cells as well as a decline in intelligence and consumption of commercially processed foods.
It might be challenging to reduce weight because prepackaged meals and snack meals frequently contain high amounts of trans fats, added sugar, and salt or sodium.
The likelihood of having hypertension is also increased by foods high in saturated fats and sodium.
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Emphasize Getting Good Sleep
It’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Among other things, it can strengthen your immune system, elevate your mood, and increase productivity.
The hormones and weight loss are interrelated as hormones like ghrelin and leptin stimulate appetite, and could be impacted by sleep when it concerns belly fat and weight loss.
According to this study,[12] there is a connection between sleep deprivation and a higher propensity to gain weight, including belly fat.
The less sleep you get each night, the more time you have for snacking and other unhealthy choices that could hinder your efforts to lose weight.
Although the amount of sleep each person needs to function at their best varies from person to person, try to get at least seven hours a night.
Put sleep first by putting technology away an hour before bedtime, and try to stick to regular sleep and wake time.
Conclusion
There are no quick fixes for getting rid of belly fat. Losing weight always requires effort, commitment, and determination on your part.
Additionally, you might be able to lose belly fat if you are consistent with workouts, followed up by consuming healthy meals.
Losing weight should be a fun and enjoyable journey and shouldn’t feel like a punishment. You should enjoy the weight loss process.
References/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Esther López-García , Raquel Faubel, Luz León-Muñoz, et al. Sleep duration, general and abdominal obesity, and weight change among the older adult population of Spain. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb;87(2):310-6. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/87.2.310. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18258619/
- Guglielmo Beccutia and Silvana Pannaina. Sleep and obesity. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2011 Jul; 14(4): 402–412. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0b013e3283479109
- James M. Lattimer and Mark D. Haub. Effects of Dietary Fiber and Its Components on Metabolic Health. Nutrients. 2010 Dec; 2(12): 1266–1289. Published online 2010 Dec 15. doi: 10.3390/nu2121266
- Walking for good health. Available from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health
- Dietary Proteins. Available from https://medlineplus.gov/dietaryproteins.html
- Whole Grains. Available from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/
- K Ohkawara , S Tanaka, M Miyachi, K Ishikawa-Takata, et al. A dose-response relation between aerobic exercise and visceral fat reduction: systematic review of clinical trials. Review Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Dec;31(12):1786-97. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803683. Epub 2007 Jul 17. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17637702/
- Shelley E Keating, Daniel A Hackett, Helen M Parker, et al. Effect of aerobic exercise training dose on liver fat and visceral adiposity. Randomized Controlled Trial. J Hepatol. 2015 Jul;63(1):174-82.doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2015.02.022. Epub 2015 Apr 8. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25863524/
- Helmut Schröder , Jose Antonio Morales-Molina, Silvia Bermejo, et al. Relationship of abdominal obesity with alcohol consumption at population scale. Eur J Nutr. 2007 Oct;46(7):369-76. doi: 10.1007/s00394-007-0674-7. Epub 2007 Sep 20. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17885722/
- Ala’a Alkerwi, Georgina E. Crichton, and James R. Hébert. Consumption of ready-made meals and increased risk of obesity: findings from the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX) study. Br J Nutr. 2015 Jan 28; 113(2): 270–277. Published online 2014 Dec 9. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514003468
- Joel Fuhrman. The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018 Sep-Oct; 12(5): 375–381. Published online 2018 Apr 3. doi: 10.1177/1559827618766483
- Christopher B Cooper, Eric V Neufeld, Brett A Dolezal, et al. Sleep deprivation and obesity in adults: a brief narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018; 4(1): e000392. Published online 2018 Oct 4. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000392
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Louise Rodriguez is a full-time health and fitness writer. She considers herself a gym rat and takes pride in showing her biceps. She dedicates most of her time to her health. With the time left, she spreads information regarding health and fitness among the masses. Harry Potter is her first love.