Belly fat may be more than unsightly or embarrassing. MayoClinic.com notes that excess weight in the midsection -- particularly the visceral fat that lies below the surface and surrounds organs in the abdomen -- can increase your risk of contracting diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. Adopting new lifestyle and exercise habits can cut your risk and reduce your belly bulge.
Increase Physical Activity
Increasing your amount of daily physical activity can help reduce belly fat. MayoClinic.com points out that your stomach area may be the first place on your body that you'll start to see improvement when you shed pounds and tone muscles. Harvard Health Publications suggests a fitness regimen of 30 to 60 minutes each day.
Strengthen Abdominal Muscles
Spot exercises that target your tummy can give your belly a more toned appearance. MayoClinic.com suggests exercises designed to firm your lower abdominal muscles, such as pulling your bellybutton in toward your back as you exhale, holding the position for 10 seconds and then relaxing the abdominal muscles. You can also try pelvic lifts and sit-ups to strengthen stomach muscles and flatten your midsection.
Adjust Eating Habits
Skipping meals and drastically cutting calories can slow your metabolism and trigger an increase in belly fat. The Harvard Health Publications of Harvard Medical School notes that crash diets may make your body believe it's starving and lead it to store fat to survive. If you're hoping to lose weight, the publication recommends reducing portion sizes, eating lean proteins and complex carbohydrates and choosing foods with trans fats instead of saturated fats.
Change Bad Habits
Habits that negatively affect your health can lead to an increase in belly fat and visceral fat, according to Harvard Health Publications. The publication notes that smoking, for example, can lead your body to store more fat in your stomach instead of storing it in your thighs and hips. Harvard Health Publications also cites getting less than five hours of sleep each night and feeling stressed as reasons for an increase in visceral fat because excess cortisol -- a stress hormone -- can cause an accumulation of visceral fat.
Seek Help
If you're exhibiting signs of depression, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that the emotion is a possible cause of excess belly fat. The department cites a study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham in which subjects suffering from depression gained more weight faster than those who didn't suffer from the affliction. The possible cause of their abdominal obesity was the hormone cortisol. If you believe depression is a reason for excess weight in your midsection, talk to a counselor, physician or mental health professional who may help you uncover a cause for your depression and assist you in devising a treatment or therapy program to combat it.
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