Being obese takes an emotional and physical toll on the body. In clinical terms, obesity means you have an excess amount of fat on your body. Excess fat, especially stomach fat, raises blood pressure, raises cholesterol and increases the risk of developing diabetes. Making changes with the food you eat will go a long way in reducing your fat and your disease risk.
Size
Belly fat develops when you eat more calories than you burn off. This leaves you with a surplus. To reverse this, you need to eat less calories than you consume and create a deficit. When you are in caloric deficit, your body uses stored fat for energy and you lose weight. The best approach is to reduce your daily intake by 500 to 1,000 calories. This will cause 1 to 2 lbs. of weight loss a week.
Protein
Protein is an important component of the body. In fact, it is essential for the formation of all the body's cells and tissues. When it comes to losing belly fat, protein brings with it another benefit--it helps fill you up. When you get full, you will be less likely to overeat. Add quality sources of protein to your diet like lean beef, chicken breasts, eggs, fish, low-fat dairy products, venison and bison.
Carb Intake
Refined carbs are generally high in empty calories and low in dietary fiber. These foods do not give you a sustained feeling of fullness because they get digested quickly. This in turn can interfere with weight loss. Avoid white bread, white bagels, white rice, doughnuts, cookies, cakes and crackers. Stick with high-fiber complex carbs instead because they get digested slowly and can further help stabilize your appetite. Fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains and whole-grain products are examples.
Frequent Meals
Eating healthy meals is a good strategy for belly fat loss, but you should be aware of your timing. For example, if you eat a meal in the morning, then wait six hours before eating again, you may become ravenous and risk overeating. Even if you eat healthy food, excess calories will compromise your results. To prevent this from happening, eat a meal every two to three hours, starting first thing in the morning. Balance each one out with complex carbs and protein. Celery sticks filled with peanut butter is a meal, for example.
Liquid Intake
As important as food is to your slim stomach plan, liquids should not be overlooked. If you eat healthy all day, but drink soda, sweetened tea, dessert coffees and alcohol, your progress will be stopped in its tracks. Opt for water as your sole beverage. Not only is it calorie-free, but it also helps with fat breakdown and it gives you a false full feeling when you drink it with your meals. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get about 11 cups a day and men get about 16 cups a day.
Considerations
Daily exercise goes a long way in belly fat reduction. If you burned 500 calories a day through exercise, you can lose an additional pound of weight a week. Choose a type of activity that you enjoy, such as running, biking, swimming, elliptical training, stair climbing, kickboxing or step aerobics.
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