Belly Fat Diet for Women

Excess fat around the midsection is more than just undesirable for your appearance; it has also been linked with numerous health conditions and diseases. The good news is that belly fat can be corrected through diet and exercise. Losing stomach fat will not only increase your confidence, but it will also make and keep you healthier.

Significance

There are two types of belly fat: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is located directly beneath your skin's surface --- the fat you are able to pinch with your fingers. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is located around your abdominal muscles and internal organs. Excess visceral fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances, high cholesterol and an increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. For women in particular, visceral fat has also been linked with breast cancer and the need for gallbladder surgery.

Hormone Changes

As women enter their "middle aged" years, the percentage of body fat to weight tends to increase more so than it does for men. This body fat gain tends to heighten at menopause where the fat noticeably collects around the midsection. Harvard Medical School explains "at menopause, estrogen production decreases and the ratio of androgen -- male hormones present in small amounts in women -- to estrogen increases." This shift has been linked to increased belly fat after menopause.

Nutrition

Modifications to your diet have shown to have a more positive effect on the accumulation of fat around your stomach than they do on the fat accumulated around the hips and thighs. Focus on consuming complex carbohydrates, which take longer to digest and help maintain a consistent blood glucose level, from natural sources such as fruits, whole grains and vegetables. Eat monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources of fat like nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil. Daily intake of these healthy fats has been shown to help you get rid your stomach fat as well as lose weight in general. Eat lean meats like skinless poultry and fish. Protein is an important component of your diet since protein is responsible for building lean muscle mass, which is especially important when you are losing weight. Women who have a balanced diet in high in these three macronutrient sources as well as high in calcium tend to have less visceral fat.

Caloric Intake

Women naturally have more body fat than men and should consume fewer calories since it takes more calories to fuel muscle than fat. When using a calorie calculator make sure that the following factors are taken into consideration; age, height, current weight and activity level. The calculator provided by Ask the Dietitian even takes into consideration body fat percentage and hip-to-waist ratio giving a more specific and individualized number. Once you have the amount of calories your body needs you can begin decreasing this number daily by 50 to 100 calories until you reach a 500 calorie deficit which will result in 1 lb. of healthy fat loss per week.

Exercise

Losing body fat is enhanced when you exercise. Perform cardiovascular and strength training for at least 30 minutes daily. When exercising, perform full body movements and avoid spot exercises; even though doing sit-ups and crunches will strengthen your abdominals, these exercises will not get rid of visceral fat.