Belly fat may seem like a purely cosmetic annoyance, but according to the Mayo Clinic, it can significantly raise the risk of chronic health problems such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The healthiest way to reduce belly fat and keep it off over time is to adopt a comprehensive fitness plan and healthy eating routine. Include elements of aerobics and core exercises as well as a wide variety in the diet.
Step 1
Make an effort to do some aerobic activity every day. The Mayo Clinic notes that daily aerobics of any kind are the single best way to take off belly fat. It's true that aerobics work to reduce fat throughout the body, but the exercises are especially likely to burn belly fat because so much of the body's excess fat tends to gather around the midsection, especially as people age and their metabolisms slow down. Moderate activities such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing and housecleaning are popular choices for beginners. More experienced exercisers can burn fat and calories more rapidly through intense activities such as kickboxing, soccer and jogging. Be consistent with aerobics, and try not to skip workouts. Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity daily.
Step 2
Practice abdominal and core exercises if you want to tighten and tone stomach muscles in addition to dropping belly fat. Core work and similar strength training exercises don't burn as many calories as cardio activities. However, they build and strengthen muscle, which is able to burn a greater number of calories at a resting heart rate than body fat can. Core exercises such as the plank and quadruped, which CNN and the Mayo Clinic recommend, challenge more than one muscle group at the same time, so they result in a body that may look slimmer and more toned even before losing weight. Participate in core and strength exercises about three times a week for the best results.
Step 3
Avoid high-fat foods, high-calorie items, processed foods and regular desserts, and limit the amounts of sodium, sugar and cholesterol you eat. Occasional indulgences are fine, but keep them to small serving sizes. Design a diet that you can stick to and enjoy for a lifetime. The Mayo Clinic notes that a healthy diet for weight loss around the midsection and elsewhere on the body needs to include a variety of foods that will successfully meet nutritional needs. Thus, no foods should be off-limits, and there shouldn't be large servings of any one food. One way to get variety and avoid items that could add extra belly fat is to follow the United States Department of Agriculture's food pyramid, which has five main groups--vegetables, fruits, low-fat and nonfat dairy products, lean proteins and grains, especially whole grains.
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