Excess belly fat is more than unsightly, it also increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers. An entire industry exists that claims to separate you from your belly fat, but the only thing it will separate you from is your wallet. Fad diets don't work and there is no secret miracle cure -- only a balanced diet and regular exercise can tone your tummy.
Count Calories
To lose belly fat, you must lose fat all over -- spot reduction doesn't work. If you consume more calories than you burn, the surplus gets stored as fat. The amount of calories you need is based on your height, weight, gender and activity level, so use an online BMR calculator to figure out your baseline. Your BMR, or basal metabolic rate, is the bare minimum number of calories your body needs to stay alive. Add that number to the number of calories you burn every day during exercise to find the number of calories you need to maintain your weight. To lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit -- a 500-calorie-per-day deficit translates into a 1-lb.-per-week weight loss. Create the deficit by cutting calories, exercising more, or a combination of both.
Balance Your Diet
No matter how well you stick to your calorie count, eating the wrong foods can keep you from losing fat. Reduce your carbohydrate intake to about 45 to 50 percent of your total calories, and avoid refined carbs like sugar and white flour, which tend to be stored as fat. Focus on whole grains, whose fiber content will also contribute to a flat stomach, and get the rest of your carbs from fresh fruits and vegetables. Increase your protein intake to about 30 to 35 percent of your diet, and eat only lean protein sources like white-meat poultry, fish and lean meat. More protein will encourage muscle growth and repair, and muscle burns more calories than fat.
Get Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise is how you burn fat, as your body draws on stored glycogen for energy. If you are new to exercise, begin with 30 minutes of moderate-intensity walking, cycling or swimming at least six days per week. Wear a heart rate monitor, and work within 50 to 69 percent of your maximal heart rate (220 minus your age). If you already follow a fitness routine, ramp up your cardio until you are working between 70 and 80 percent of your MHR, and try alternating intervals of moderate and high intensity for 30 minutes, six days per week. Vary your workouts by introducing new activities, or adding speed or incline to avoid hitting a weight-loss plateau.
Work Your Core
Follow a general strength training routine at least twice per week to help your body burn fat faster, but focus on your abs as well. While it is true that doing crunches won't burn the fat from your stomach, they will tone your ab muscles. Strong abs act like a girdle, holding in your stomach and improving your posture. For best results, work your entire core -- this includes your abs, lower back, sides, hip flexors and butt. Core exercises work the entire muscle group at once, and will make you look longer and leaner in a short time. Pilates is a popular core-based exercise that trains you to pull your stomach in and move your body from your core.
Post-Menopause?
Many women tend to gain belly fat after menopause, when their metabolism slows and their hormones change. These women sometimes turn to hormone replacement therapy in an effort to re-balance their hormones and avoid weight gain, but MayoClinic.com suggests that it isn't a good idea. While hormone replacement therapy may be effective for certain conditions, studies are inconclusive in regard to its ability to stave off belly fat.
Member Comments