Losing belly fat requires a consistent combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Commitment to these, as well as maintaining a high-fiber diet with thermogenic foods, can help to increased burning of body fat.
To lose belly fat, methods that speed-up metabolism and improve cardiovascular functions are recommended. Physical activity, and particularly strength training, can help to burn energy that is stored as fat on the body, which can lead to overall losses.
Water retention is also a significant factor in weight gain, which is why diuretics can also be beneficial for losing belly fat.
Some simple ways you can lose belly fat easily are:
1. Drinking green tea
In addition to drinking plenty of water, drinking tea can help to eliminate the toxins and excess fluid accumulated in the body. Some teas also help to speed metabolism and encourage the fat-burning process, which contributes to weight loss.
Green tea, for example, produces catechins which help to reduce belly fat. Diuretic teas, like dandelion tea, echinodorus grandiflorus, or smilax aspera, can help to decrease abdominal bloating caused by excess fluid.
Learn more about other weight loss teas you can prepare at home to help promote fat burning-
2. Exercising every day
Exercising every day is very important, not only to lose belly fat, but to also boost energy for activities of daily living. Having more energy and being active can prevent the occurrence of diseases and improve quality of life.
Running is a great form of physical activity as your body is forced to use up fat stores as an immediate source of energy. Targeted resistance training or weight lifting also helps with increasing muscle mass, which will naturally boost metabolism and encourage the elimination of stored fat.
Abdominal-specific exercises, likes plank and crunches, can also increase muscle strength and tone, reducing the appearance of belly fat. Check out our tips on how to build muscle with exercise.
3. Maintaining a healthy diet
Metabolism and fat-burning are heavily influenced by your diet. To reduce belly fat, consumption of vegetables, leafy greens, grains and fiber at every meal is recommended. You should also need avoid sweet or fatty foods, and anything pre-made.
A diet that is targeted to losing belly fat should be rich in natural foods (e.g. fruit, leafy greens) and proteins (e.g. white meats, tofu). It is important to eat several, regular meals throughout the day and to avoid having meals that are too big. This will help prevent insulin spikes, which can contribute to increased fat storage.
See which muscle-building foods you should incorporate into your diet.
4. Eating fiber-rich food
Diets that are rich in fiber, preferably from fruit and vegetables, will stimulate regular bowel movements. Being regular can prevent constipation and protect the bowels from becoming irritated, both of which can lead to increased bloating and gas.
Sesame seeds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds contain high levels of fiber and can help with regular bowel movements. It is recommended to add one tablespoon of seeds to each meal, ensuring you are also drinking about 2 liters (or about 8 cups) of water, juice or tea without sugar every day. Learn more about the top high fiber foods you can eat as meals or snacks.
5. Eating thermogenic foods
It's important to include thermogenic foods in your day-to-day diet. Thermogenic foods increase body temperature and accelerate metabolism, causing the body to use more stored energy and burn fat.
Pepper, cinnamon, ginger, hibiscus tea, apple cider vinegar, and coffee are common examples of thermogenic foods. They should be consumed daily as a part of a healthy and balanced diet.
6. Massaging your belly with a fat-burning cream
Doing localized daily massages to the abdomen can help to activate blood circulation and tone-up belly skin, and therefore this can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise. It's important to pay attention to the ingredients in fat-burning creams, as some will be more efficient in activating blood circulation and fat mobilization.
Toxins are typically highly-concentrated in fat stores, so it's important to ensure good hydration when attempting to reduce fat. Burning fat can trigger a release of the toxins through the body, which can cause swelling and lead to premature aging.
7. Sleeping 7 to 9 hours per night
A good night‘s sleep is essential for weight loss, as our sleep cycle is important for regulating cortisol production. High levels of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, can slow down metabolism and make weight loss more difficult.
Adequate sleep can also stimulate GH production. This hormone regulates metabolism to help with the burning of body fat. Check out more tips for how to fall sleep fast so that you can get plenty of rest at night.
8. Drinking plenty of water
Drinking lots of water helps with losing belly fat because water can occupy a fair amount of volume in the stomach and help regulate appetite. You should aim to drink around 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day.
Water can also help to regulate metabolism, improve kidney function and reduce water retention.
9. Other important advice
Eating several times a day in small portions (e.g. three meals with three snacks in-between), will help control insulin and sugar levels thus preventing fat storage in the belly. Check-out a sample meal plan our in-house dietitian has developed for a weight loss diet to help guide you.
Recording food intake with a food diary can also give you a better idea of what is being consumed, making it easier to identify any areas for improvement.
