If you are faced with stubborn fat around your abdominal area, there are several things you can do to get rid of it and improve your appearance. Belly fat is often caused by hormonal changes, poor diet choices, heredity and age. It is important to initially see your physician to rule out an underlying health issue. Many times, a sedentary lifestyle causes belly fat. Changing your eating habits may help reduce belly fat over time.
Physical
Everyone should see their family physician for a yearly physical and health checkup. This is important because your doctor may find a medical condition linked to your abdominal weight. Having a large abdomen increases your risk for type 2 diabetes in adults and heart disease. If your blood pressure is high, you are at risk for hypertension. Getting your blood sugar and blood pressure levels under control can help make it easier on your body to fight a bulging belly. A routine physical may also show high levels of cortisol in your blood. If so, this could be linked to belly fat. High levels of cortisol --- more than 23 mcg --- can affect your nervous system, stress responses and the metabolism of your carbohydrate, fat and protein intake, explains MedlinePlus.
Diet
To target your belly fat, you will have to change your diet to lose weight overall. Following a heart-healthy, low-fat diet program that includes foods from all of the major food groups including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean protein can help target your mid-section. Try to keep your overall caloric intake under 2,000 calories per day. Prepare meals that include healthy foods such as lean turkey or chicken breast, steamed broccoli and carrots, fresh blueberries and bananas, oatmeal and whole wheat bread as well as low-fat milk and cottage cheese.
Exercise
Exercise plays a vital role in targeting your mid-section as well as other parts of your body. Healthy adults should get 30 minutes of exercise daily up to five days a week. Exercise can include aerobic or cardio such as power walking, swimming or bicycling that raises your heart rate and targets your larger muscle groups. You should also focus on strength or resistance training that will work your abdominal muscles. This can include situps and leg lifts that will build up your abdominal muscles and reduce fat in the mid-section.
Lifestyle Changes
Making simple lifestyle changes can also help reduce your mid-section. Some examples include taking the stairs in place of the elevator, walking up the escalator, choosing a parking spot far away from a building and opting out for a cart at the golf course. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet can help curb hunger pains and reduce the chances of getting into processed food snacks.
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