Belly fat is not only unflattering, it is also a threat to our health. When excess weight accumulates around the waistline it can lead to diabetes and increase the risk of other illnesses. Independently of your motivation to reduce belly fat, you need a weight loss plan that will assist you along the way. Here are 9 tips that will help you achieve a flat belly.
1. Regular exercise
Exercise still remains a vital input in any weight loss program. Exercising helps burn the excess calories that have been stored as fat. The fat around your belly is no exception. Regular exercise will ensure that all that fat is converted into energy that your body will need to sustain you as you exercise. The accumulation of fat around your waist is mainly a result of you eating and remaining immobile for a long time. To remedy this situation you can do both high and low impact exercises depending on your preferences and overall fitness level. You can walk, jog, hike or swim. Aerobics will also produce excellent results. These activities should be carried out regularly and slowly but surely become part of your routine because just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, building a fit body will also take time.
2. Eat healthy foods
You may exercise regularly but never shed the extra weight off unless you watch what you eat. Exercising and then gobbling a whole bowl of ice cream or wash down an extra-large plate of fries won’t help. Exercise must be coupled with healthy food. Avoid partaking in meals that contain too many calories and instead eat proteins, vegetables and fruits. Remember to couple healthy foods with lots of water.
3. Drink smoothies
Smoothies are a thick paste derived from blending fruits together. For example, a smoothie can be made by blending apples, mangoes, ginger and oranges together. If you add some powdered cinnamon, this will help your blood sugar levels to remain stable. Moreover, when you drink a smoothie, you feel fuller hence the urge to overeat will decrease or be eliminated altogether. It follows that fat no longer continue to accumulate. Whilst smoothies made with fresh fruit can help, be careful to those you buy as these contain added sugars.
4. Squeeze lemon in your water
You must have heard about detox before. This is the cleaning of your system to rid it off all toxins. Lemon water helps detoxify the liver thus enhancing metabolism. When the liver is functioning properly, metabolism will be at optimum levels hence ensuring that stored fats are burnt. Each morning, take a glass of warm water and squeeze a fresh lemon into it. This mixture of water and the fresh lemon juice, should be taken at least half an hour before anything else is eaten.
5. Spice things up
Rumor has it that the reason why most Indians are able to remain remarkably slim throughout their life is because their meals are almost always laced with chilli or hot pepper. There is however no way of establishing whether this is true. What’s sure is that chilli can help you shed extra fat by increasing your metabolism as well as reducing your appetite. Now when metabolism rates are increased, more fats are being converted into energy hence fewer are being stored. On the other hand, a reduction in your appetite means a lower calorie intake hence a reduction in the risk of fat being stored. In the long run, regular consumption of chilli will help burn stored fats as well as prevent any further accumulation.
6. Eat more fish
Apart from being a rich source of proteins, fish also helps the body breakdown fats. This means that when you eat fish, your body will be able to breakdown the fat accumulated around your belly thus helping you shed extra weight. You should eat fish twice a week. However, if you are unable to get a supply of fish, you can consider taking a spoonful of fish oil on a daily basis.
7. Avoid stress
According to research, stress is one of the major causes of weight gain. People who are stressed tend to overeat and most of the time feel too low or have no time to exercise. This is why if you are trying to shed off some weight, you should try to avoid stress. This will help ensure that you have enough energy left to work out while still ensuring you do not stock more calories by overeating.
8. Consume ginger regularly
When you consume ginger, your body temperature rises thus leading to burning of fats. Ginger tea is made by adding ginger into boiling water and leaving it to boil for a while. Afterwards, add the lemon juice and honey. This should be drunk on an empty stomach at least 3 times a day.
9. Use garlic
Garlic ensures that no pre-fat cells are converted into fat cells, thus reducing the storage of fat. Garlic should be eaten raw to increase its effectiveness.
If you are trying to eliminate belly fat, the good new is that there are many healthy and natural ways of doing it effectively. These strategies mainly lie in diet and exercise. If you choose your food wisely and exercise regularly, you will be able to lose belly fat rapidly.
Katleen Brown is a health & beauty writer. She loves to publish her articles on various health related websites. In her spare time, she likes researching a variety of health topics. Recognizing the unity of body, mind and outlook, she helps empower women to tune into their innate & inner wisdom to transform their lifestyle and truly flourish. Get in touch with her on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.
