How To Lose Belly Fat
By Jyoti Pachisia
What is Your Health Goal: Weight Loss or Reducing Belly Fat? Well, most people think it is the same! No, it is not the same! Weight loss means losing the overall weight of your body, while reducing fat implies a specific health goal or losing fat from a specific area of the body. However, it’s not easy to target just the belly fat while on a diet plan. But, losing overall weight could be much more effective and reduce the layers of fat on your belly as well. I would suggest eating foods like oats, barley, apples, avocados, nuts, broccoli, Greek yogurt, and asparagus to help reduce belly fat.
With COVID-19 lockdowns and working from home, outdoor activities have become zero, with the added redundant unwanted kilos to our couch potato selves. While regular exercise and working out are pivotal to seeing a difference in our weighing scale, some attainable changes to our diets and simple tricks can speed up the weight loss process.
Ways To Lose Belly Fat?
Sticking to a diet becomes veritably delicate when one is trying to do low carb and low fat at the same time hence, it's important to tweak how and when we take some meals and use some simple tricks to lose weight swiftly. Check these tips to reduce your belly fat fast:
1. Lukewarm Water With Honey
Drinking lukewarm water with honey after waking up melts the unessential fat, and creates a hormonal balance and boosts the immune system.
2. A High Protein-Fat Breakfast
Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast. Eating a high protein-fat breakfast reduces the calorie input while keeping cravings in check. Cut down on refined carbohydrates and starches to get instant. Serve yourself with a plate of high-fiber veggies (both cooked and raw salads), one-quarter of good quality protein (whole grains, legumes, chicken, fish, eggs, etc.), and one-quarter or less of complex carbohydrates or fermented probiotics like curd. Prepare your food with healthy fats rich in MCTs like coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, etc.
3. Exclude All Forms of Sugar
Exclude all forms of sugar sources from your diet, both white and brown. Refined sugars supply empty calories to the body with no proven benefit. Avoid honey and jaggery, as they contain the same amount of calories as table sugar. A diet loaded with sugar is nothing but eventually converted to stored fats. Move off from processed/ packaged foods as they are loaded with trans-fat, sugars, and sodium, altogether everything that hinders fat loss.
4. Indulge In Physical Activity
An active physical routine fastens the process of healthy weight loss and ensures a healthy metabolism. Start with physical activities like brisk walking, jogging, yoga, Pilates, Zumba, gym, etc. Also, specific belly-centered exercises like crunches, leg lifts, planks, lunges, sit-ups, etc. target belly fat. Workout increases Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) that induces growth and strengthening of muscles, thereby improving the overall mood of mind and body. With this, you lose overall body fat, especially your belly fat. I recommend engaging in a daily exercise routine for at least 30–45 minutes.
5. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Avoid candied drinks and fruit juices rather than switch to plain water, effervescent water, and herbal teas (green tea, chamomile tea, gusto tea, etc.) as they flush out toxins from the body and supply antioxidants. Avoid carbonated drinks and alcohol.
6. Rehearse Mindful Eating
Avoid any form of distractions while having your meal. Set your plate and concentrate on the food to make a healthy relationship with it. Eat mindfully! Also, check on the portion size and track your calorie input. Plan your meals while keeping the macros in mind.
7. Say “NO” to Stress And Anxiety
Stress and Anxiety spikes “cortisol” hormone production that eventually leads to visceral obesity. Practice a good sleep cycle and give yourself at least 7 hours of peaceful sleep.
8. Eat An Abundance of Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber forms a gel with water that slows down food as it passes through your digestive system. This type of fiber promotes weight loss since it helps you feel full for a longer time, thereby preventing unnecessary food intake. Peas, apples, and carrots are high in soluble fibers.
9. Avoid Alcohol
While alcohol can have health benefits when consumed in limited quantities, it can be dangerous if consumed in excess. One way alcohol can negatively impact your body is by accelerating the danger of abdominal adiposity. Cutting back on it may help reduce one’s waistline size. While there is no need to give it up altogether, limiting the amount of alcohol consumed regularly is a must!
10. Drink Green Tea
A genuinely healthy drink, green tea contains the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that boosts metabolism. Drinking green tea in moderation with proper guidance can help you shed pounds.
The bottom line is that no diet routine works magically overnight as a harmonious and sustainable way of life is the key to achieving your health aspirations, and a combination of all such good practices accelerates success. Losing weight differs from person to person. Two persons trying to achieve the same health goal can have different diet plans as a diet plan depends on a person’s health, gender, metabolism, BMI, any underlying health issue, etc. So, do not practice what others are taking up for their dietary requirements. Consult with a registered dietitian to get your personalized diet plan and routine.
