Getting into shape can be done at home without the fees and inconvenience of a gym. Lose excess belly fat and slim down your waist with an exercise and nutrition strategy that you can follow at home. Tailor your program with jumping jacks or dancing, or other exercises that are fun for you, because this will help you stay consistent and motivated for the long term. Consult your doctor before making changes in your diet or exercise program.
Approach
Losing weight and shedding fat begins with a calories equation. Cut 250 calories per day from your diet and burn another 250 from exercise, and you can lose 1 lb. per week, a rate deemed safe by the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute. Start by stocking your kitchen with healthy foods. Challenge yourself to a cook-off using new ingredients such as whole-grain oatmeal or low-fat cheese, and set aside space in your living room or backyard for calorie-burning exercise.
Exercise
Burn calories with cardio exercises such as running in place or jumping rope. Use stairs in your home or a swimming pool to get your heart rate up and into the aerobic fat-burning zone. Resistance training increases muscle, which helps to increase your metabolism for weight loss. Strength train with resistance bands and calisthenics such as pushups and squats for overall body conditioning. Tone your belly with planks, situps and crunches, and keep your workouts fun by rotating moves, following along with exercise DVDs or using music.
Nutrition
No exercise program is complete without a nutrition plan. To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you shed. Fiber-filled whole grains, such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, have been shown to keep hunger at bay longer, reducing overall caloric intake, which leads to belly fat loss. Choose lean proteins such as beans, white fish and poultry, and limit fatty foods such as oils and whole-fat dairy. Keep nutrition fun by experimenting with different healthy recipes, such as those provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Considerations
While a healthy diet and at-home exercise program can help you lose unwanted weight, there is no such thing as spot-reducing; you can't control where your body naturally stores or sheds weight. Do not give up on your healthy at-home lifestyle if you don't see immediate changes in your waistline. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people who lose weight tend to shed deep layers of belly fat, which reduced the risks for diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
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