Many factors influence your physical appearance, such as your genes, family history, and age. While these are out of your control, there are factors you can manage; they are your diet and lifestyle. In some ways, the concept of how to lose belly fat is simple: consume fewer calories than you burn.
Belly fat, in particular, can be one of the most stubborn to shed. It often sticks around longer than fat in other areas of the body. The good news is it is possible to lose it. Achieving this will require consistency, dedication, and patience, along with a bit of extra knowledge. This article provides science-backed insights on how to effectively lose belly fat and keep it off.
Beyond the ability to fit into your favorite jeans, there are compelling reasons to lose those extra pounds. Belly fat comes in two types, and one of them is particularly dangerous. Reducing it will not only shrink your waistline, but it could also transform your health.
What Is Belly Fat?
Before we dive into how to lose belly fat, it's important to understand what it is. The extra pounds around your waist aren’t just the result of a few extra cheeseburgers. There are two distinct types of fat that can accumulate in your stomach area. Let's break them down and explore why one is far more dangerous than the other.
Subcutaneous fat
According to Merriam-Webster, “subcutaneous” is defined as being, living, or occurring beneath the skin. Subcutaneous fat refers to the extra fat that lies just under the skin, which can be found all over the body. If you can pinch it between your fingers, it’s subcutaneous fat. While it may prevent your muscles from having that defined look, this type of fat doesn’t pose the same health risks as the second type.
Visceral fat
Visceral fat is stored deep within your abdominal cavity, surrounding vital organs like your liver, stomach, kidneys, and intestines. Unlike subcutaneous fat, it’s much more dangerous and is linked to a range of serious health issues, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, and breathing problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, visceral fat is also associated with an increased risk of premature death, even in individuals who appear to have a healthy physique based on standard body mass index (BMI) measurements.
If the risk of premature death isn't reason enough to want to shed those extra pounds, here's another important one: the fat around your belly is metabolically active and contributes to increased inflammation levels. This type of fat doesn’t just affect the organs in your digestive tract; it also interferes with hormones that regulate your appetite, mood, and brain function.
Have we got your attention now? Great! Let’s dive into the causes of belly fat and provide you with some tips on how to lose it.
What Causes Belly Fat?
- Unhealthy diet
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Too much stress
- Lack of sleep
7 Steps To Lose Belly Fat According To Science
Here’s some good news: researchers have spent a lot of time studying how to help people reduce their waist circumference, and we know what works. The best part? The same thing that can help you change your body shape also comes with a variety of health benefits.
1. Follow A Healthy Diet
The first step is to watch your calorie intake. You'll need an eating plan that focuses on whole, plant-based foods. It would be best if you had a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains. And you'll need to cut back on sugar and unhealthy fats.
Here are some science-based tips for choosing healthy foods:
Add more fiber
Fiber is an essential nutrient for weight control because fiber takes a long time to digest, so it helps keep blood sugar levels low. Your body is always trying to keep blood sugar levels stable. When you eat foods high in sugar, your blood sugar spikes, when it drops, your body sends out hunger signals, which can lead to overeating.
Fiber also contributes to feelings of satiety and helps remove waste from the body. Fiber has even been shown to directly affect belly fat loss. A 2011 study found that a 10-gram increase in soluble fiber intake decreased waist size gain by 3.7% over five years.
Add high-fiber foods to your diet to get an adequate intake of soluble fiber. The best foods high in soluble fiber include:
- Brightly colored vegetables
- Green leafy vegetables
- Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
- Beans, lentils and legumes
Include healthy fats
Healthy fats, or monounsaturated fats, can reduce insulin and cholesterol levels in the blood. Sources of monounsaturated fats include:
- Olive trees
- Nuts and seeds
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Peanut oil
These healthier fats will help you fight weight gain and have positive effects on your body's health. However, they are very calorie-dense, so use them sparingly. One tablespoon per meal is adequate for your eating plan.
Increase your omega-3 intake
Getting more Omega 3 fatty acids into your body will revolutionize the way your body looks, feels, and acts. Diets rich in Omega 3s reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions. Plus, some studies show that they are an essential part of any weight loss diet.
This is what will help you increase your Omega 3 intake. . .
- Improve your insulin sensitivity
- Helps burn calories
- Speed up your metabolism
- Decreases your body's cortisol production
- Give you more energy
- Helps develop muscle mass
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in oily fish and it is recommended to eat 2-3 portions of fish a week. Add salmon, sardines, or anchovies to a green leafy salad for an obesity-fighting meal that your doctor will approve of.
Choose lean protein
Eating protein does more than just help build muscle; it also plays a key role in reducing fat gain. Protein is highly filling, which helps curb your appetite, and it has the greatest thermogenic effect of all macronutrients. This means your digestive system burns more calories processing protein than it does with fat or carbohydrates.
In combination with strength training, protein can also help reduce belly fat. That's because muscle burns five times more calories than body fat. So, the more muscular you are, the leaner you'll be!
What is the right amount of protein intake? 3-4 oz of lean meat per serving is recommended for weight maintenance.
Foods to avoid
Want to see a better number on that measuring tape? We've given you tips on what to eat, now let's talk about everything you should avoid.
- Processed foods: You probably know that you should avoid cookies, bread, candy, and sweets. However, almost all food products created by manufacturers should be avoided. They are low in nutrition but high in sugar, unhealthy fats, preservatives, and ingredients designed to increase our waistlines. Whenever possible, switch from pre-made foods to home cooking.
- Sauces and dressings: Like processed foods, commercial sauces and dressings are high in sugars, salt, and artificial ingredients. It's best to skip them from your menu. Instead, use calorie-free herbs and spices.
- Inflammatory foods: These can be types of sugar or any food that doesn't agree with you. For example, many people have digestive problems after eating dairy. This makes your body feel stressed, which can cause it to store extra fat in its cells.
- Sugary drinks: Did you know some sodas have more sugar than candy? Juices can be the same and don't have the fiber that eating fruit can provide. Low-calorie versions aren't any better; people who drink them still tend to be overweight. Cutting back on your sugar intake (even fake sugar) is key to achieving your goals. Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Try unsweetened green tea instead.
2. Lift Weights
Want a secret ingredient to transform your appearance and put your belly fat-burning efforts into hyperdrive? Okay, it's not a secret, but it's still vastly underrated. Most people associate weightlifting with building muscle. Sure, they will. But they'll help you get into your pants.
Weight training releases hormones, such as testosterone and human growth hormone, that promote fat loss. Plus, recent studies show that, if done intelligently, lifting weights can burn a ton of calories.
Completely new to exercise and fitness? You can start with an average of two days a week of physical activity with or without weights. It will help you build the strength you need for strength training and HIIT.
3. Do Cardio
In addition to strength training, you also need aerobic exercise. For best results, do cardio activities 3 times a week. This doesn't mean a ton of crunches. Do you know what burns more belly fat: cardio or weights? The answer is a combination of both. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combines intense bursts of exercise with short rest periods. You don't even need a gym! Combine a light dumbbell with an intense movement and you have a powerful workout program.
4. Reduce Your Alcohol Consumption
It's no surprise that too much alcohol can lead to a ‘beer belly'. If you really want to get rid of belly fat, you need to cut back on alcohol. Limit yourself to one drink a day, even on weekends!
Seven calories per gram may not sound like much, but one or two G&Ts later, and it soon adds up. And because the breakdown of alcohol is prioritized, its energy quickly replenishes glycogen supplies and the rest is stored as fat around the midsection.
There's another reason to stop drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your inhibitions. When you're drinking, it's easy to order unhealthy meals and greatly increase your carbohydrate intake.
5. Drink More Water
It’s all too easy to confuse hunger with thirst, so staying hydrated is an essential part of a healthy plan to decrease belly fat. But drinking water can also help boost your metabolism. In one study, participants saw a 30% increase in their metabolism simply by drinking 16 ounces of water a day.
Carry a bottle of water with you at all times. Take sips regularly to keep yourself full. If you usually reach for a soft drink, water is a great substitute to help quench your thirst.
Drinking a glass of water before every meal is also a useful eating habit to eliminate belly fat.
6. Reduce Stress
There have been fantastic studies done showing that reducing stress can reduce belly fat. How? When you are less stressed, you produce less cortisol, the stress hormone. Studies seem to show that there is a link between perceived stress levels, cortisol levels, and excess fat around the belly.
If nothing else, consider this. When your mind is stressed, you're more likely to consume unhealthy foods and drinks that lead to fat storage. After all, no one cries into a bowl of kale.
7. Get Quality Sleep
Getting too little sleep is linked to several health risks. A five-year study found that adults under 40 who slept five hours or less a night gained significantly more fat around their midsection. But too much isn't okay, either: Young adults who slept more than eight hours also added belly fat. (This relationship wasn't found in people over 40.) Evidence shows that our bodies need a balance of quality rest for optimal health.
Conclusion
These seven tips are backed by research and medical advice. Your goal is to lose weight, get rid of belly fat, and keep it off. The best way to do this is to make gradual, sustainable changes, one at a time. Instead of giving all 17 tips in the first week, stick to them gradually. That way, you'll be able to trim belly fat and keep it off for good.
Start with a diet that includes lean protein and healthy carbs and fats. Then cut out sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. Once you get the hang of it, add workouts and start tracking your stress levels. If you're having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor for help. It'll only be a matter of time before you shed that layer of stored belly fat.