Losing belly fat requires cutting your caloric intake and eating the right kinds of foods at the right time. A metabolic approach to diet keeps you burning belly fat all day long without having to starve yourself. Take a lifestyle approach to healthy eating and you can learn to stay lean and fit for life. Follow a few basic dietary tips to lose belly fat.
Eat Breakfast
"The Fat Burning Bible" by Mackie Shilstone recommends eating a healthy breakfast to get your metabolism started each day. When you awake your body is in a fasted state, with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol breaks down metabolically active muscle, shuts down fat burning and promotes body fat storage in the abdomen, according to "The Cortisol Connection."
Healthy Snacks
Include healthy snacks between your main three meals, says "The Abs Diet" author David Zinczenko. By getting 15 to 20 grams of protein you accelerate your metabolism and keep hunger at bay. Examples of healthy snacks include string cheese, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, whey protein, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Eat Frequently
More frequent meals speed up your metabolism, preventing food cravings, stabilizing blood sugar and insulin levels and decreasing belly fat storage, notes Jeff Anderson in his book "Combat the Fat." Going four to six hours or more without eating can trigger your body to produce cortisol, an enemy of your weight loss goals. Try to take in a meal or snack every two or three hours to prevent the negative effects of cortisol, says Anderson.
Increase Protein
According to "Xtreme Lean" by Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman, eating protein at each of your meals and and as snacks promotes fat burning. Proteins have a thermic effect, meaning that they take more energy to digest than carbohydrates or fats. This extra energy amounts to calories being burned by your body and can represent up to 30 percent of the calories in the protein food being ingested. Try to get at least one gram of protein per pound of your body weight daily.
Low-Glycemic Carbohydrates
Shilstone recommends sticking to carbohydrates that are low-glycemic, meaning that they digest more slowly to prevent blood sugar surges. When blood sugar goes up from eating high-glycemic carbs, the body releases large amounts of insulin, which acts to store the sugars as body fat. Chronic high insulin levels can contribute to belly fat accrual and even lead to type 2 diabetes, says Shilstone. Examples of low-glycemic carbs are brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-grain breads and pastas and vegetables.
Healthy Fats
Healthy mono and polyunsaturated fat help your body burn more fat in several ways. Fats like olive oil, peanut butter and avocados are heart healthy and help to stabilize your blood sugar preventing belly fat storage, says Zinczenko. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil directly increase fat burning and prevent fat storage, says Matthew Kadey in the "Muscle & Fitness" article Five Fat Fighters.
Drink More Water
Drinking more water naturally boosts your metabolic rate for more fat burning, says Anderson. Water is essential for almost every chemical process in the body. It eliminates toxins, hydrates your cells and keeps you from mistaking thirst for hunger. In the article "Case of Emergency" published in the June 2010 issue of "Muscle & Performance," Kathleen Engel recommends drinking water to suppress hunger. Add sugar-free drink mixes if they help you to get your eight glasses per day, she says.
References
- "The Fat Burning Bible;" Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "The Abs Diet;" David Zinczenko with Ted Spiker; 2004
- "Combat the Fat;" Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "Xtreme Lean;" Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2005
- "Muscle & Fitness Presents 2010 Edition: The Ultimate Supplement Handbook;" Five Fat Fighters; Matthew Kadey; January 2010
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