Do you want to have a flat stomach? Maybe you are tired of sucking in your stomach while posing for photos or tired of buying free dresses so that you can hide your belly bulge. You are not alone.
Losing fat around your midsection can be very tough. It should be taken seriously because belly fat is a risk factor for some diseases.
If you want to lose belly fat the right way and keep the fat away for good, then this article is for you. Read up and learn how to get the flat stomach you always desire:
1. Drink Protein Shakes
One easy way to add extra protein to your diet is by drinking Protein Shakes. Adding enough protein in your diet can boost your metabolism, reduce your appetite and help you lose stomach fat.
2. Cut calories
You need to reduce your calorie intake to lose weight and losing weight means losing belly fat also. To lose 1kg a week, you have to reduce your daily calorie consumption by 500 -1000 calories but don’t overdo it. Restricting your calorie intake too much can be counterproductive.
3. Limit intake of carbohydrates
Limiting carb intake promotes weight loss. Even though we have a lot of starchy foods in this part of the world, you can limit yourself to eating them once a week. If you eat less carbohydrates and consciously replace your refined carb intake with whole food, you will reduce belly fat.
4. Avoid unhealthy beverages
Sugary soda, fruit juices and energy drinks are generally loaded with sugar. These are liquid calories that you don’t need if your goal is to have a flat stomach. If you drink these sugary drinks constantly, you will be taking in empty calories that will keep making your midsection bigger. Avoid soft drinks and other sugary drinks for a flatter stomach.
5. Walking can do the magic
Be aware that a combination of diet and exercise is the most effective way to achieve weight loss and improve your waist line but you don’t need to exercise vigorously to reap those health benefits. Regular, brisk walks can effectively reduce your total body fat and the fat located around your midsection.
6. Eat foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids
Monounsaturated fatty acids are liquid at room temperature which are usually categorized as good fats. Diets high n monounsaturated fatty acids prevent the accumulation of tummy fat, the most dangerous type of fat. If you want to see changes, eat foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids like seeds, olive oil, avocados, and nuts.
7. Embrace resistance training
Doing resistance exercises regularly may prevent loss of muscle mass and also help you maintain or improve your metabolic rate. They are also effective at tightening your midsection and reducing your waist size.
8. Cardio is good for you
Doing cardio, or aerobic exercise, is a great way to burn calories and improve your health. Cardio is very effective at strengthening your midsection and reducing your waistline. It is recommended that you do 150–300 minutes of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise weekly, which translates to roughly 20–40 minutes per day.
9. Don’t forget to take probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria that play a big role in weight loss and weight maintenance. Overweight and obese people are said to have a different composition of gut bacteria which may influence weight gain and fat distribution. A regular intake of probiotics reduces the risk of weight gain and fat accumulation in your abdominal area.
10. Water is your best friend
Drinking water increases your metabolic rate, makes you feel fuller and helps relieve constipation, all of which may help you achieve your goal of a flatter stomach. Drinking water before eating your meals makes you feel fuller so you don’t overeat. Water reduces belly bloating and helps you achieve a flat belly in no time.
11. Embrace high intensity training
One popular way to do high intensity training is to perform intervals of very intense activity, such as skipping, sprinting, and jumping, with short breaks in between. Exercising this ways makes your body burn more fat and increases your metabolic rate, even long after you have finished your workout. This in turn makes your stomach flat.
12. Keep track of what you eat
Tracking your food intake is very important. It helps you lose weight by making you more aware of your calorie intake. Plan your meals ahead, know how to measure your food. You can’t achieve a flat stomach without tracking your food.
13. Eat eggs for breakfast
Eggs are healthy, high in protein and have some unique weight loss properties. A large egg contains about 80 calories. Eating eggs for breakfast as part of a weight loss diet may result to 65% greater weight loss over eight weeks, compared to other types of foods people eat for breakfast.
14. Eat fatty fish
Fatty fish is very healthy and rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids. They are also good protein. Omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish helps reduce the accumulation of fat around your waist. Omega-3 fatty acids also helps reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver and abdominal cavity. If you don’t like eating fatty fish, you can buy fish oil supplements from a pharmacy near you.
15. Get enough sleep
Getting a good sleep is essential for weight loss. People who sleep too little are much more likely to gain weight and have increased waist circumference, compared to people who enjoy 8 hours of sleep daily. According to some studies, sleeping less than five hours a night for adults and less than 10 hours for children is linked to an increased risk of weight gain.
16. Add coconut oil to your meals
Coconut oil contains a unique combination of fatty acids. It is one of a few foods that is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). If you replace some dietary fat with MCTs, you will enjoy increased energy and stay fuller. That way, you don’t consume too much calories. Coconut oil has been shown to more effectively reduce waist size than other types of fat.
17. Limit how you consume added sugar
Added sugar is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Studies have shown a direct link between high intake of added sugar and increased waist size, especially in people who drink sugar sweetened beverages. So, avoid soda, artificial fruit juices and energy drinks if you are serious about having a flat stomach.
18. Drink coffee and green tea
Green tea and unsweetened coffee are among the healthiest beverages you can consume for better health. Drinking coffee increases the number of calories you burn by about 3–11% according to some researches. Drinking black tea or taking green tea extract supplements also increases fat burning up to 17% and calorie expenditure by 4%. This means you are on your way to a flat stomach.
19. Do core strengthening exercises
Belly crunches and other abdominal exercises is beneficial to your overall health. When you do regular core exercises, you strengthen and add mass to your abdominal muscles, which may prevent back aches that result from weak posture. In addition, core exercises help you strengthen the muscles that ultimately hold in your belly, making you appear leaner.
20. Say no to stress
Stress and anxiety are very common but if not handled well, they aid weight gain. Stress is linked to the development of many diseases, and it is also a common reason why people tend to eat more or binge eat without being hungry in the first place. Stress triggers the body to produce cortisol, a stress hormone. This hormone increases appetite and leads to belly fat storage.