The size of your belly is a known risk factor for several diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and heart failure. According to the Diabetes Monitor, "if you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems." To lower the risks presented by extra fat in the midsection, the Mayo Clinic recommends men keep their belly measurements below 40 inches, and for women, waists should measure less than 35 inches.
Step 1
Lose weight. Losing roughly 10 percent of your body weight should begin to bring your belly measurement down. Ask your doctor about a healthy weight goal for you, and adopt a sensible plan to achieve it.
Step 2
Get cardiovascular exercise. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking at a moderate pace three to four times is enough to begin reducing your waistline and changing the way your body burns fuel, builds muscle and stores fat. The more aerobic work you do, the smaller your midsection will be.
Step 3
Reduce stress. Cortisol is a hormone released under stress, and the fatty tissue in your abdomen has more receptors, which encourage it to gather. Stress-reduction techniques like meditation or lifestyle changes can help shrink belly fat, especially in post-menopausal women and men of all ages.
Step 4
Add abdominal exercise. Pilates, stability ball exercises and other core workouts will help tone and strengthen your abdominals are to build lean muscle, combat slouching and diminish paunch.
Step 5
Increase calcium intake. Michael Zemel, director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee, has published a study that connects calcium, weight loss and belly reduction. Best results were obtained with "a diet high in milk products containing about 1,200 milligrams of dietary calcium per day (not from a supplement)."
Step 6
Switch to whole grains. A diet rich in whole-grain fiber has been shown to trim excess fat from the waists of participants in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in January 2008.
Member Comments