Having a sleek stomach is about more than vanity because excess weight around your middle is implicated in heart disease and diabetes. To reduce your belly fat, you can incorporate some simple tips into your regular diet and exercise routine, including eating more yogurt and increasing the intensity of your exercises.
Intense Exercise
To trim your belly fat, you need to burn fat through exercise. According to a study by the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh, reported on Time.com, you need to exercise at least 60 minutes per day to lose weight and maintain weight loss. It also found high-intensity exercise such as running or rowing is more beneficial than low-intensity exercise such as walking or gardening. Exercising an hour a day requires commitment, but the good news is that the study reported that exercise has a greater effect on weight loss than any other factor, including diet.
Eat Low-Fat Yogurt
According to PubMed.gov, a study conducted at the University of Tennessee found that dieters who ate low-fat yogurt lost 80 percent more weight from around their waist versus those who did not. The subjects also retained more muscle mass versus subjects who didn't eat yogurt. Eating three servings of low-fat yogurt per day also ensures that you get ample calcium, and vitamins A and D. Because yogurt is high in protein, it gives a feeling of satiety, meaning you don't need to eat as many calories to feel full.
Eat Mono-unsaturated Fats
Certain types of fat actually help reduce belly fat. According to research reported in Diabetes Care, a website sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, a diet high in monounsaturated fats reduced abdominal fat, compared to a carbohydrate-rich diet with equivalent calories. The American Heart Association recommends eating foods rich in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, avocados, peanut butter, and nuts and seeds.
Avoid Diet Foods
Prevention magazine recommends avoiding low-calorie and low-carb diet foods because many of them contain sugar alcohols, which cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. These sugar alcohols, called xylitol or malitol, reduce calories but your body cannot digest them, so you can end up feeling bloated and distended. To cut belly fat, avoid eating a lot of sweet foods, whether they use natural or artificial sugar.
References
- "TIME": The Myth of Moderate Exercise, Laura Blue; July 28, 2008
- "International Journal of Obesity": Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese subjects, MB Zemal, et al, 2005
- "Diabetes Care"; Monounsaturated Fat-rich Diet Prevents Central Body Fat Distribution, J.A. Paniagua, et al; March 2007
- American Heart Association: Monounsaturated Fats
- "Prevention": Flat-Belly Diet Jump Start--10 Foods to Avoid
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