What Is The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat
If reducing overall body fat, including belly fat, is your ultimate goal, aerobic exercises that increase your heart rate, such as walking, running or swimming, and aerobic exercise combined with strength training are the gold standards when it comes to exercise that supports weight loss. Luckily, there are lots of options when it comes to incorporating cardio into your workout regimen, including:
- Using an elliptical machine
- Playing sports that require frequent movement, such as tennis or soccer
If you want to increase lean muscle mass in addition to losing fat mass, adding strength trainingspecifically resistance trainingto your cardio workouts can be particularly effective.
Pre & Post-Workout Supplements For Optimal Performance
Success is the inevitable result of solid nutrition.
Drink Plenty Of Water
Drinking enough water boosts metabolism, which helps you lose weight.
Lemon water, a common favorite, may aid weight loss if you use it to replace sugary drinks. However, it has no proven added weight loss benefits over regular water.
A 2008 study of women with excess weight found that increasing daily water intake to more than 34 ounces per day, over 12 months, resulted in 4.4 pounds of weight loss.
You could drink more water by keeping a water bottle nearby, adding no-calorie, natural flavors to your water, or tracking your consumption with an app like WaterMinder.
You’re Not Eating Enough Protein
Protein is great for fat loss, according to Dr Luke. “It helps build and preserve lean muscle tissue and can increase the amount of calories you burn. It’s also a great source of energy that helps you feel fuller for longer, so you’re less tempted to snack.”
Good sources include:
Remember, though: do opt for the lean sources of protein where possible, as some can be deceptively high in saturated fat, he advises. Need some inspiration for low carb, high protein meals? Look no further.
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Reduce Refined Carbohydrate Intake
Just as you should drink whole milk because it is less processed, you should also reduce refined carbohydrate intake for the same reason. Refined carbs, during processing, are stripped of their bran and germ. The end result is food that is artificially low in fiber and nutrients and high on the glycemic index. When you eat foods with a high glycemic index, your blood sugar levels fluctuate.
Blood sugar levels spiking and crashing increases hunger and calorie consumption. This results in excess belly fat. Contrastingly, when you incorporate more whole grains into your diet, you will lose inches off your belly, lower your BMI and burn overall body fat. Replace processed cereals, white bread, and pasta with whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, oats, barley, and quinoa.
Add Berries To Your Diet
Berries contain antioxidants that help reduce inflammation throughout the body. According to a University of Michigan research, rats who were fed a diet rich in berries, shaved off a substantial amount of belly fat in comparison to a control group. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are loaded with resveratrol, the antioxidant pigment which is known to help you lose weight.
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Incorporate Probiotics Or Probiotic Supplements
According to a 2021 review, certain probiotics can aid in fat loss.
Evidence shows that probiotics may play a role in releasing hormones that regulate appetite. Research also shows that probiotics may increase levels of certain proteins that regulate fat.
One small 2013 study found that the Lactobacillus amylovorus and Lactobacillus fermentum strains of probiotics were capable of shifting body composition. In other words, these probiotic strains helped study participants lose 3% to 4% of their body fat over six weeks.
If you want to incorporate more probiotic foods into your diet, try eating more:
- Sourdough bread
You can also take probiotic supplements. There are a ton of supplements on the market, so make sure to look into the brands, ingredients, quality, and reviews.
Probiotic supplements also contain different strains, so you’ll want to research which strain is best for your specific needs. Always talk with your physician before taking any new supplements.
Combine All Of The Above
No one method is going to get rid of your belly for you, so if you want to see results you’re going to have to take heed of the above advice and make changes to your diet, training and lifestyle as a whole.
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What Foods Help Burn Belly Fat
Can we be honest? No foods can help to burn belly fat. That’s just not how it works.
There are, however, nutrient-dense foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help you load up on goodness whilst you’re aiming for a calorie deficit. They include, but aren’t limited to:
It’s also important to remember that food is to be enjoyed, so the key to a sustainable diet is creating one that’s full of produce you look forward to eating and with meals that leave you feeling satisfied and not craving more due to restriction. While the number of calories in food affects satiety , its much more complex than that, explains Dr Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University. Satiety and how long that feeling is sustained depends on numerous factors, including portion size, how long it takes to eat a food, its texture and how filling you expect it to be.’
Youre Feeling Stressed Or Anxious
Feeling stressed can wreak havoc on your body, according to Dr Luke. It can cause our body to produce the steroid hormone cortisol, which can make you crave sugary foods that provide instant energy and pleasure. Short-term bursts of cortisol are necessary to help us cope with immediate danger, but our body will also release this hormone if were feeling stressed or anxious. When our cortisol levels are high for a long amount of time, it can increase the amount of fat you hold in your belly, explains Dr Luke.
So, what does Clarissa think? She agrees, adding that by calming your stress levels, you are much less likely to crave energy dense foods.
Try and notice if you reach for foods when you are stressed, she advises. Spot this habit and ask yourself, Am I actually hungry, or am I eating for another reason, like stress, boredom or excitement?’. If your answer is the latter, try a non-food related habit, instead. Why not go for a walk, call a friend or make a cup of tea? Simple.
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Think Eating Plan Not Diet
Ultimately, you need to pick a healthy eating plan you can stick to,Stewart says. The benefit of a low-carb approach is that it simply involveslearning better food choicesno calorie-counting is necessary. In general,a low-carb way of eating shifts your intake away from problem foodsthosehigh in carbs and sugar and without much fiber, like bread, bagels andsodasand toward high-fiber or high-protein choices, like vegetables, beansand healthy meats.
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Cardio Workouts To Lose Belly Fat
- This 28-day plan by Alice Liveing will teach you the basics of strength training, helping you to build lean muscle with foundation moves.
- Or, this four-week Kayla Itsines workout plan incorporates HIIT to burn fat and tone muscle.
- PT Gauri Chopra’s four week HIIT plan will help to burn fat efficiently and increase your stamina and muscular endurance.
‘The key to continually improving and losing belly fat is to scale up your workouts every week. Incrementally increase the intensity and load of your workouts, and you will soon see improvements to your fitness,’ says Hughes.
Dial Up The Intensity
If you are looking to lose weight, then cranking up your workouts is key, says Certified Personal Trainer Jess Horton. Whether your workout is 45 minutes or an hour, adding bursts of a raised heart rate increases the quality of your workout and puts your body into fat-burning mode. Alternating pushups, sprints, crunches, and burpees on a repeat sequence will put the body into fat-burning mode, she says.
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The Different Causes Of Belly Fat
Here are four different types of bellies and what you can do about them.
The stress belly
This is when otherwise lean women gather fat around the stomach.
We know that stress may lead to weight gain and, specifically, to higher visceral fat, Natalie, of Oklahoma State University, says.
Research confirms women who have a stronger response to everyday stressors are more likely to carry excess abdominal fat, because of the way elevated cortisol levels cause fat to accumulate in the area.
What to do about stress belly fat:
You cant avoid stressful situations, but you can learn to respond more calmly to help keep cortisol levels low.
A simple research-backed technique is to regularly practise slow, diaphragmatic breathing which means breathing so your stomach moves, rather than your chest.
Its also worth trying to override any shame youve linked to carrying extra abdominal weight.
Shame, specifically as an emotion, is related to human stress response, Natalie says.
When we feel shame, our production of cortisol increases, which can lead to the accumulation of visceral fat.
The alcohol belly
Drinking alcohol can lead to general weight gain simply because its high in kilojoules, but research also suggests alcohol encourages fat to be stored as visceral fat.
So, regularly enjoying a few too many drinks and experiencing an expanding waistline might be linked.
What to do about alcohol belly fat:
Sticking to the NHMRCs alcohol guidelines is a good place to start.
Get Some Quality Sleep
A lack of decent sleep, particular deep sleep, has been scientifically shown to lead to weight gain.
Researchers in one study found that “chronic partial sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity and diabetes”. And the reason behind this is that our lack of energy and tiredness affects our appetite and glucose levels. Which in turn makes us reach for sugary treats for a quick energy hit.
“You should try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night,” advises Rob Thorp, Nutritionist and Founder of Vite Naturals. “But with this, try to make sure the quality of sleep is sufficient.
“Sleep deprivation increases demotivation, meaning you will be less engaged in sticking to a healthy diet, or participating in exercise,” he adds.
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Avoid Eating After Dinner
Stop treating your kitchen like an all-night diner and you’ll stop seeing those unwanted pounds piling onto your frame, too. The results of a study published in Cell Metabolism found that mice who only had access to food during an eight-hour period stayed slim over the course of the study, while those who ate the same number of calories over a 16-hour period gained significantly more weight, particularly around their middle. When you’re finished with dinner at night, shut the fridge and don’t look back until morning your belly will thank you. When you do head back to the kitchen in the A.M., make sure the best healthy kitchen staples for cooking are there waiting for you.
How To Lose Belly Fat: 22 Effective And Scientifically
We’ve looked at the studies and consulted the experts to uncover how to lose belly fat.
A study analysing Google searches in the UK found that ‘how to lose belly fat’ is googled over 4 million times annually. With the population seemingly obsessed with shedding the pounds from our stomachs, and keen for answers when we struggle to find diets that work fast, can’t lose weight and are stuck in a weight loss plateau.
“Losing belly fat is part of a whole-body process,” explains sports nutritionist David Stache, suggesting where we might be going wrong. “If your goal is a flatter, more toned stomach, then youll definitely be losing fat from elsewhere too, which is why you should not implement specific strategies to only lose belly fat, as this will not work. Instead, focus on strategies that will keep you on track and instill consistency. Because achieving a flat stomach is not a quick process but one you’ll have to stick out and supplement well to reach those goals.”
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Scientific Reasons For Belly Fat
We all know that eating too much and moving too little is the foundation upon which flab is built. But theres more to the belly fat equation than calories in and calories out. Certain stressors, for example, will see you scaling your belt notches with very little effort. Heres what you should look out for.
You’ve Got Too Much Of The Wrong Gut Bacteria
Most of the bacteria that dwell in your gut are pretty useful. They produce hormones, regulate your immune system, digest food, extract nutrients, control your mood, manage your appetite and much more besides.
Now, two groups of beneficial bacteria are dominant in the human gut, the bacteroidetes and the firmicutes. However, the number of bacteroidetes is decreased in obese people when compared with lean people, according to research.
In another study, scientists took stool samples from 1300 twins and found that the less diverse your gut bacteria, the more likely you are to have belly fat. Grow your gut community to shed serious timber.
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Whats The Most Weight Someone Can Lose In 2 Weeks
Is there a limit to the number of pounds a person can lose in 2 weeks? It is surprising that the amount of weight a person can lose in just 2 weeks without effort. It is truly possible to lose 20 pounds and more in just two weeks. If you have a lot of excess weight, losing only twenty pounds may seem doable.
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How To Lose An Inch Off Your Waist Overnight
There is not a safe way to lose an inch off your waist overnight. The only way is if you have excess water retention and take a water pill.
While there are plenty of exercises that help reduce the waistline, a few can show faster results. Fun activities that may help you lose an inch off your waist, which you can do at home, include:
Yoga: This form of exercise has shown remarkable results over a faster timeline. A 12-week intensive session of yoga did significantly improved the health of the studys participants. The average waist circumference also had reduced during this period. Yoga has a positive effect on the overall wellness of the human body and improves blood flow, and increases muscle strength and flexibility.
Planks: Planks have been the go-to exercise for improving the core strength of the human body for a long time. It mainly works on the abdominal muscles and helps improve the posture of the individual. As with any exercise, you should do planking with proper breathing techniques.
Crunches: This has been the age-old method to sculpt the belly and reduce the waist size. It adds flexibility to the spine and the areas around it. Crunches also affect the core muscles, strengthening them in the process. However, crunches should also be done under the supervision of a qualified trainer since there are scopes for injury. Also, you should avoid crunches if you suffer from back pain.
Here are some final thoughts on how to lose an inch off your waist.
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Research Shows Losing Weight Leads To Heart Health
A diet thats low in fat and carbohydrates can improve artery function,according to a 2012 study by Johns Hopkins researchers. After six months,those on the low-carb diet had lost more weight, and at a faster pace. Butin both groups, when weight was lostand especially when belly fatshrankthe arteries were able to expand better, allowing blood to travel more freely. The studyshows that you dont have to cut out all dietary fat to shrink belly fat.For heart health, simply losing weight and exercising seems to be key.