While it is really not possible to "spot reduce" and lose weight in only one area of your body, you can do things to slim down and target the belly. Combine eating a low-fat diet with regular cardio and exercises that target the abs to help you lose weight safely. Get medical clearance if you have any serious health issues before starting a new diet or exercise program.
Eat a Low-Fat Diet
Retool your diet so that you are eating in a way that will make it easier for you to lose belly fat and keep it off. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture created nutritional guidelines that encourage healthy adults to eat vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, legumes, nuts, low-fat dairy foods, non-saturated fats, and whole grains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa and oats.
Eat Whole Foods
Consume whole foods instead of processed meals such as sugary breakfast cereals. Reduce or eliminate foods made with refined white flour, white sugar, high salt content, saturated fats or hydrogenated fats. For example, eating broiled chicken, a small green salad and a baked sweet potato will provide more nutrition than a pizza and fries.
The idea is to eat nutrient-dense food so that you have satiety and will eat fewer empty calories.
Favor Non-Saturated Fats
Identify the fat in your food. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature, such as butter, pork, beef and chicken fat. Over consumption of saturated fat increases the risk for developing heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.
Instead, favor non-saturated fats: olive, sunflower, flax and hemp seed oils. Fish fat is heart-healthy as long as you do not fry the fish. All fried foods have trans fat that is not heart-healthy. Eat low-fat dairy foods including low-fat yogurt, milk, cheese and cottage cheese.
Do Cardio, Abs Exercises
Get at least 30 minutes of cardio, five days a week. This is the minimum amount of exercise recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine for healthy adults. To lose weight, they say you might have to build up to doing 60 to 90 minutes. Also include abdominal exercises to target the lower and upper abs and side obliques. By eating a low-fat diet and staying physically active, you can eliminate your muffin top.
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