The Natural Health Website for Women states that excess belly fat increases the risk of certain diseases in both men and women, such as cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Losing belly fat is therefore important for your health. You can do crunches and sit-ups, but if you have fat around your waistline, your toned stomach muscles will only be hidden by fat. You need a multi-pronged approach to get rid of that stubborn belly fat.
Tips For You
Avoid junk food and lower your sugar intake. Junk food, such as cookies and cakes, contains a lot of sugar and causes your blood sugar levels to rise quickly. It also results in an increased appetite and reduced fat burn.
Consume slowly-digested carbohydrates such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread and brown rice, instead of simple carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice. Include lean protein, such as chicken and fish, and fill up on fruits and vegetables. Read food labels and look for foods with unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and raw nuts, instead of saturated fats that raise your cholesterol levels.
Eat often, so that your metabolism keeps working throughout the day, and you're not likely to give in to cravings. Consume five to six smaller meals per day, instead of three large meals.
Avoid the release of the stress hormone cortisol, by keeping yourself relaxed and stress-free. According to the University of New Mexico website, cortisol is associated with excess fat gain around the waist.
Stimulate your metabolism to burn fat and calories by doing at least 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three days a week. Choose from exercises such as running, swimming and biking.
Include strength training exercises to your exercise routine, to keep your body toned and to decrease fat from your entire body. Perform lunges and squats for your legs; biceps curls and triceps extensions for your arms; and push-ups and chest presses for your upper body.
Tighten your abdominal muscles by doing exercises that target the stomach. Include side bends for your obliques; crunches for your upper abs, and reverse crunches for your lower abs. Focus on form instead of how many repetitions you can do. Add a challenge by performing abdominal exercises on an unstable surface, such as a stability ball.
