Excess belly fat may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers. These risks may enhance your urgency to get rid of that visceral fat, but aim to achieve your weight-loss goal without using diet pills. The ads promoting super-fast weight loss can be tempting, but there are certain methods using a combination of diet and exercise that facilitate faster belly fat loss.
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats, also known as MUFAs, can help you shed fat, particularly around the belly area. According to the "Journal of Diabetes Care," MUFAs help get rid of unhealthy belly fat by increasing your overall basal metabolic rate and they keep you fuller for longer. Foods in this category include avocados, dark chocolate, olive oil, olives, almonds and sunflower seeds.
Portion Control
You must examine the portion sizes of the foods you consume to take in fewer calories and lose belly fat. The best ways to accomplish this are by reading nutrition labels and pre-measuring foods. You can also use visual aids, like a single serving of fresh fruit is the size of a tennis ball, or one serving of fish is the size of a deck of cards.
Meal Frequency
The frequency with which you eat your meals is just as important as what you eat. Instead of two or three large meals, eat five or six small meals throughout the day. Each meal should contain a lean protein source like fish or chicken breast and your choice of a complex carbohydrate or fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating smaller meals revs up your metabolism, reduces cravings and stabilizes your glucose levels to help you shed belly fat.
Interval Training
Interval training is one of the most effective ways to burn body fat and torch calories in the shortest time frame possible. It involves alternating between high- and low-intensity cardio sessions. Instead of going for long periods of time with mild to moderate exercise, use intervals to burn more calories faster. For example, sprint the straights on a high school track and walk the curves. You can bicycle uphill for one to two minutes, then coast back down. Repeat these intervals several times until you have attained at least 30 to 45 minutes for the session.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Belly Fat In Men: Why Weight Loss Matters; Mayo Clinic staff; Feb. 2011
- "Journal of Diabetes Care"; Monounsaturated Fat--Rich Diet Prevents Central Body Fat Distribution and Decreases Postprandial Adiponectin Expression Induced by a Carbohydrate-Rich Diet in Insulin-Resistant Subjects; J.A. Paniagua, MD, Ph.D., et al.; March 2007
- MayoClinic.com; Interval training: Can it boost your calorie-burning power?; Mayo Clinic staff; Feb. 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Portion control --- Downsize portions for better weight control; Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.; Dec. 2009
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