Belly fat, otherwise known as beer belly, abdominal fat, muffin top, or simply fat is the most dangerous type of fat. The fat that develops in the lower abdominal area is called visceral fat, it surrounds your organs and makes you more vulnerable to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and even cancer. The belly fat develops due to poor food choices, insufficient exercise, hormonal changes, stress and other factors.
Reducing lower belly fat requires a lot of effort as losing fat from this area can be difficult. Even though it is difficult, there are a number of things that can be done to reduce excess belly fat.
Here are a few effective ways that can help you reduce lower belly fat in a healthy way.
- Maintain a Healthy Diet
Add a lot of fruits and vegetables to your diet, especially foods high in protein and soluble fiber as they reduce appetite and help you feel full for a longer duration. It may also help in reducing the number of calories that your body absorbs from food.
Protein-rich foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, and whey protein are ideal for shedding excess fat around your waist.
Sources of soluble fiber include Brussels sprouts, avocados, flax seeds, legumes, and blackberries.
- Limit Portion Size
You gain weight even when you make healthy food choices, the trick is to control the size of your portions. Consuming lesser calories than you burn each day helps you reduce overall weight which in turn reduces the fat accumulated near the abdominal area.
- Drink Water
The body needs an adequate amount of water every day. Many studies have indicated that drinking enough water can help you in losing weight, maintain weight and may even increase the number of calories you burn each day.
To reduce lower belly fat, it is advised that you drink water at least 30 minutes before each meal as it can decrease appetite and help you intake fewer calories.
- Exercise
It is difficult to target belly fat when you only rely on a healthy diet. However, losing weight overall can help you in reducing the excess fat around your waistline and this can be achieved when you engage in some sort of physical exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. And of course, you need to burn more calories than you consume.
Aerobic exercise, otherwise known as cardio is an effective way to improve health, burn calories and reduce abdominal fat.
- Perform Resistance Training
Resistance training (weight lifting or strength training) is essential for gaining and preserving muscle mass. It has been pointed out by health experts that combining resistance training with aerobic exercise led to a reduction in visceral fat.
However, if you decide to include strength training as a part of your workout regime, it is always a good idea to consult a certified personal trainer.
- Limit Sugar Intake
Sugar may feel good on the taste buds and may give a temporary feeling of happiness and satisfaction but in reality, it becomes our enemy when consumed in excess on daily basis. Diet with high added sugar is linked to heart disease, weight gain (particularly lower belly fat), diabetes and other diseases.
Limiting sugary foods and beverages, especially those with artificial and refined sugar may help you lower your risk of developing these health conditions and will also improve other aspects of your well-being.
- Drink Green Tea
Green tea is known for its antioxidant properties, making it a healthy beverage. Instead of drinking sodas and other sugary beverages, you can have green tea.
Regular consumption of green tea is linked to weight loss however, drinking it every day without engaging in any physical activity or a healthy diet will make your efforts go in vain.
- Manage your Stress Levels
Managing stress plays a key role in weight management. More often than not, people with high levels of stress engage in unhealthy ways of dealing with it, the most common one being stress eating.
De-stressing through meditation and breathing exercises will help you in coping with stress in a healthy and better way.
There are no magic solutions when it comes to losing belly fat, weight loss always requires some commitment, effort and perseverance on your part.
Incorporating the above-mentioned strategies into your fitness regime will help you lose the excess fat around your belly. If you were missing out on any of these strategies, then you can start following them now because It’s better late than never!
