If you clicked on this link because of the headline, then you are in the right place because you want to lose your excess belly fat. Excess abdominal fat, also called visceral fat, can increase your chances of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer.
So, yes! You should burn that fat away.
But you are wrong in thinking that it will be easy to lose it without effort. When it comes down to it, getting rid of your abdominal fat is difficult, but it is not impossible. Here are some tips on how you can achieve this:
Watch What You Eat & Drink
If you want to burn your stomach fat, you need to be more mindful of what you eat.
- Kick out trans fat.
Trans fat can be found in margarine, and baked goods like cake and pastries. It has also been linked to an increase in abdominal fat.
- Say No To Refined Carbs & Sugar
Carbonated drinks, fruit juice and sweetened foods are good for increasing your belly fat. You need to cut them off completely. You can replace them with water, water with a slice of lime or lemon, or unsweetened ice tea. Refined carbohydrates in fast food are also not helpful. Eat more of whole grains like corn, millet, brown rice, and oats.
You should also eat food containing soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can help you lose weight by making you feel full earlier. You can get soluble fiber in avocado, beans, apple, and carrots.
- Easy On The Booze
Excessive intake of alcohol is linked with having a big tummy. While it is heralded as a “sign of good living”, it really is a health hazard that also makes it difficult for your clothes to fit. Reduce your alcohol consumption to avoid building a paunch
Work Hard & Rest Hard Too!
It is important for you to not get caught up in the rat-race of working till you drop, with little time for rest. Studies have shown that those that get too little sleep have more belly fat than those that get adequate sleep.
You also need to rest to avoid building up your stress levels. Increased stress can cause your body to produce cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol can drive up your appetite and increase your abdominal fat too! So, find healthy ways like meditation and hobbies to de-stress.
Exercise!
Yes! In addition to the tips above, you need to burn that fat by engaging in exercise. Aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, cycling are good ways to do this.
30 minutes of aerobic exercise about 5 times a week is the ideal way to go.
You can also lift weights as part of a resistance training regimen. This will help you burn fat and lose weight faster. Ensure that you lift weights under the supervision of a fitness expert, better still, join a gym program.
By Dr. Okonkwor Oyor C.
