Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function properly on a daily basis. If you have excess calories daily, you run the risk of developing a big belly. Although this is often referred to as a "beer" belly, it can happen with or without beer. The way to melt this fat down is through a combination of dietary changes and exercise.
Step 1
Determine your daily caloric intake and reduce it to create a deficit. Monitor your calories for five days, add your totals together and divide by five to get an average. Subtract 500 to 1,000 calories from this to get your new average. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this will create one to two pounds of weight loss per week.
Step 2
Eliminate the unhealthy foods in your diet that contribute to your beer belly. Give up the nachos with cheese, french fries, ribs, mashed potatoes, burgers and doughnuts. Eat only nutrient-dense foods such as lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.
Step 3
Eat more often during the day to boost your metabolism and keep your appetite under control. Start eating first thing in the morning and do not go more than three hours without eating the rest of the day. Combine protein and complex carbs with each meal. Lean sliced turkey breast on a whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato and light mayonnaise is a meal example.
Step 4
Replace all of your liquid calorie beverages with water. Water is free of calories and it also helps hydrate your system. Give up the beer, wine, mixed drinks, sweetened teas, dessert coffees, processed fruit drinks, soda and slushies. According to the Institute of Medicine, women should get approximately 2.7 liters of water a day and men should get approximately 3.7 liters.
Step 5
Perform cardio to burn the fat in your belly. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 60 to 90 minutes of cardio is needed to lose weight. Do any type of cardio that you enjoy, such as brisk walking, running, cycling, inline skating, kickboxing, step aerobics or racquetball. Work out four to five days a week.
Step 6
Lift weights to build muscle. Any time you build muscle, you raise your resting metabolism and burn calories at a higher rate than when you are at rest. Do exercises that target all of your major muscle groups like bench presses, military presses, back extensions, tricep dips, bicep curls and leg presses. Perform 10 to 12 reps, three to four sets and workout two to three days a week.
Step 7
Execute ab exercises that target your lower, upper and oblique areas. This will tone and tighten your belly as you lose weight. Do exercises like leg raises, reverse crunches, side crunches, bicycle maneuvers and sit-ups. Perform three to four sets, 12 to 15 reps and work your abs after your weight-training sessions.
Member Comments