How to lose belly fat is a question about which one hears from almost every woman at some point of her life. The main reason for this is the ease by which belly fat manages to tighten its grip over one’s body, and refuses to leave until they’ve tried hard enough to get rid of it.
The key to start figuring out how to lose belly fat:
Causes for belly fat can be plenty. It can be hereditary for some and extrinsic for the others. Hormones play a huge role in belly fat fluctuation as when the amount of stress in one’s life increases, more fat is stored in the body, owing to a hormone named Cortisol. Another hormone responsible for the same is insulin. If large quantities of greasy food are eaten, the level of insulin in the body increases and stores fat, which leads to the aforementioned problem.
Even if the calories consumed are cut down to a level at which one becomes nutrient deficient, belly fat takes its toll. Excessive calories tend to do that too, but it’s a misconception that consuming less than sufficient calories helps in getting rid of it.
Belly fat increases proportionately with age and thus it’s very important that it should be controlled. It increases as menopause approaches.
Other than these, there are plenty of reasons causing the problem of belly fat for a woman, viz., lack of exercise, lack of proper digestion, excessive intake of alcohol and psychological factors. If you find yourself unable to control your alcohol intake there are great alcohol treatment centers that will give you and provide you with the help you deserve.
Belly fat not only causes a serious amount of inferiority complex among women who possess it but also makes them prone to diseases. These may include heart diseases, diabetes and cancers. So how to lose belly fat is the question? Let us see what can be done to get rid of this unsightly fat that can hide your gorgeous curves.
How to lose belly fat? The big question answered:
Here are a few steps that will solve your belly fat problems. If you are looking for a quick solution to ‘How to lose belly fat’ then be rest assured that there is none. Losing weight around the belly takes time and determination. Follow these simple steps and you will see results in no time!
- The first step towards the solution to ‘how to lose belly fat’ is to control one’s diet. It’s the most important part of the whole process. Junk food, sweet treats and dairy products should be avoided. They should be substituted by food containing cereals, grains, nuts, brown rice etc. Sugar cravings can be fulfilled by using sugar free sweeteners and eating fruits. Fruits serve the dual purpose of increased intake of fiber and decreased consumption of sugar. The intake of low fat food should be increased and more water should be consumed. So how to lose belly fat Rule No. 1 is to add 3 to 4 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet every day.
Fibers help avoid excessive intake of calories by keeping one’s stomach full. They also keep the level of insulin in the body to a minimum. If you really want to know the key to how to lose belly fat, you must take special care of your diet. Counting calories may not sound like fun but can really help you reduce your belly fat.
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It should never be avoided. By doing so, the body does not starve and hence the meals during the day stay proportionate. Avoiding consumption of a large quantity of food in 1 serving helps keep belly fat in control. So how to lose belly fat Rule No. 2 is to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Breaking down a single large meal into several small meals helps in faster metabolism and lesser storage of fats. Food should always be chewed properly before swallowing so that one consumes fewer calories. This also prevents over eating.
- The simple how to lose belly fat Rule no. 3 is to limit your salt intake. Salt causes bloating and water retention, which makes your belly swell up and look chunkier. The same holds true for all caffeinated drinks as well.
- Getting a good beauty sleep is essential. This directly has an effect on the belly fat as well. If one is sleeping well, say for 7-8 hours a night, they are charged enough in the morning to go about the chores and work out well. If sleep isn’t taken care of, then it disturbs the whole cycle leading to a lazy day. This in turn leads to more intake of food and lesser exercise. So how to lose belly fat Rule no. 4 is to get 8 hours of sleep every day, no matter what.
Another downside of not getting proper sleep is the anxiety it follows. As the level of stress in one’s system increases, the belly bloats up a little due to hormonal changes and excessive eating. Alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum as nothing shows more fat on a person’s body than a beer belly.
How to lose belly fat – exercising
- How to lose belly fat Rule No. 5 is exercise. Ample exercise is required to burn those extra calories. The most basic forms of exercises outside the gym are jogging, brisk walking and yoga. To some people, yoga might not seem to be such a valid option for this cause; but it really does help in exercising the muscles and losing extra fat in the body. Try and incorporate forms of exercise in your daily life. For example, one can walk or cycle towards a nearby place they want to visit instead of going by car. Or, take the stairs to reach your office instead of the lift.
- In the gym, cardio helps. Along with it, abdomen exercises (pelvic lifts and crunches) should be done. Pelvic lifts are done by lying straight on one’s back, knees bent at a 30 degree angle upwards, feet flat on the ground. Once the person is in this position, the pelvis is bent upwards for about 8-10 seconds (per bend). This should be repeated for a number of times, say 5 to start with (though this number should be increased with the stamina). This exerts pressure on the belly and helps lose the belly fat.
- Repetition of a single exercise over the days slowly stops showing its effects. Therefore, one should try different exercises on different days to break the monotony and surprise the body. In this way, the purpose of losing that belly fat speeds up. The focus of the exercise should be on putting pressure on the belly. Exercise should be regular as taking a break from it, especially in the beginning, can cause cramps in the body.
The most important aspect of how to lose belly fat:
Last but not the least; one should always be motivated to lose that belly fat in order to actually achieve it. Once the motivation is lost, the consistency is broken and the will to lose belly fat is scarred and bruised. One should always remember that change is gradual and all the steps taken to reduce show their results slowly and gradually. Hence patience, determination and motivation are factors that keep an individual going to achieve the well toned belly every woman dreams of having and practically answering the question of ‘how to lose belly fat’.