Fat around the waist is an unwanted physical attribute and contributes to health concerns. Two types of fat surround the waist: visceral and subcutaneous. Subcutaneous fat lies between the skin and abdominal wall, while visceral fat surrounds the abdominal organs, increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes and disrupting your hormonal functioning, according to Harvard Medical School. Fortunately, physical activity and dietary changes can help you lose fat from your waist.
Step 1
Engage in moderate-intensity exercise for more than 30 minutes each day to lose fat. Moderate-intensity exercise includes swimming, jogging, walking briskly, kayaking, dancing and hiking. In a study conducted by Duke University Medical Center, individuals jogging a minimum of 20 miles per week lost subcutaneous and visceral fat, while individuals engaging in low-intensity or no exercise did not lose abdominal fat.
Step 2
Participate in weight-training exercises a minimum of twice per week. Examples of strength-training exercises include exercises that target large muscle groups, such as squats or pushups. Crunches or situps are spot exercises and will not eliminate visceral fat, only tighten the underlying muscles. A University of Pennsylvania study showed individuals participating in strength-training exercises twice per week for an hour each session yielded a 4 percent reduction in body proportion, including abdominal fat.
Step 3
Reduce consumption of simple carbohydrates, such as sugars and candy, and consume complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, vegetables, lentils, oatmeal and bran cereals. Replace saturated fats and trans fats, such as fried foods, with polyunsaturated fats, like eggs, soybean oil, seeds, nuts, salmon or mackerel.
Step 4
Eat blueberries daily. Consuming as little as 2 percent of your daily diet in blueberries could reduce abdominal fat, decrease cholesterol, lower triglycerides and increase insulin sensitivity, according to the University of Michigan. Anthocyanins, naturally occurring chemicals in blueberries, may be the mechanism responsible for fat-burning process.
Step 5
Drink 4 to 5 cups of green tea daily. Green tea contains antioxidants -- specifically catechins -- with fat-burning properties. According to Pennington Biomedical Research Center, daily consumption of green tea boosted metabolism and increased energy expenditure by 4 percent among research participants. Green tea is thought to have a thermogenic effect, the process of heat production, in humans.
Things You'll Need
- Green tea
- Blueberries
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