For women, the belly can be one of the hardest places to lose fat. The most common places women store fat is in their belly and buttocks. Although it might be time-consuming, losing belly fat can be one of the most important things you can do for your health. Belly fat can be linked to serious health conditions such as stroke, heart disease and cancer. There are many products on the market that claim they can get rid of your belly fat; however, by hard work and dedication, you can lose belly fat on your own. The key to losing belly fat is a healthy diet, exercise and sleep.
Step 1
Stop drinking alcohol. There are no nutrients in alcohol, so they only thing you are doing when you drink alcohol is consuming unnecessary calories. Alcohol damages your liver and slows your metabolism. One beer can contain as much as 150 calories. Drinking 20 beers is the same things as adding one pound to your body weight.
Step 2
Drink lots of water. Hydrating your body is important to losing your belly fat because if you are not hydrated, your liver cannot work properly and your metabolism slows down. The Mayo Clinic recommends women drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water every day.
Step 3
Get more exercise. Staying active is essential to losing your belly fat, especially in older women. When you age, your metabolism slows down, which means you either have to eat less or exercise more. Even women older than 60 should get out and get moving. Golf, yard work and house cleaning can burn hundreds of calories. The Department of Health recommends that women get at least two hours and 30 minutes of exercise per week.
Step 4
Reduce your sodium intake. If you eat too much salt, the sodium sucks up all the water in your body, bloating your belly. You get plenty of sodium from the foods you eat every day without adding salt. If you feel like your food needs seasoning, try pepper, oregano, basil or other herbs. Try to eat low-sodium versions of food if possible. The Mayo Clinic says women should try to eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.
Step 5
Get your shuteye. If you don't get enough sleep every night, you won't have enough energy to get the exercise you need to burn calories. The longer you stay up, the more you want to eat. Women who sleep fewer hours consume more calories, making it harder to lose belly fat. The National Sleep Foundation says women who don't get the recommended eight hours of sleep per night have slower metabolisms than women who are not sleep deprived.
Step 6
Eat breakfast. When you eat right when you get up, you start your metabolism burning calories, and are able to lose more weight. Women should eat a breakfast filled with protein, such as bananas, yogurt, whole-grain cereals and peanut butter.
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