How To Shave Belly Fat Without Cutting Out Dessert

When you carry excess weight around your middle, you are compromising your health and putting yourself at an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer. MayoClinic.com notes that excess belly fat may be riskier than carrying extra weight elsewhere on your body because of an increased risk for these diseases. If you have decided to shed your excess belly fat, you probably already know you will need to make certain dietary choices that cut your total calorie and fat intake. This does not mean you have to give up eating dessert. Cut back and add a few lifestyle changes, and you may see your belly begin to shrink.

Step 1

Reduce the number of desserts you eat daily and weekly. If you enjoy dessert on a daily basis, cut back to two or three times per week. Gradually reduce your dessert intake to once per week.

Step 2

Choose healthier desserts. If you enjoy a bowl of ice cream, replace it with plain yogurt and fresh fruit or low-fat frozen yogurt for a similarly creamy dessert, but with fewer calories and less fat. Replace cake and cookies with whole-grain mini fruit muffins.

Step 3

Eat half of a dessert when you decide to splurge. Take three or four bites to satisfy your desire to eat the sugary food, then save the rest for another day or share it with a friend.

Step 4

Reduce your sugar intake from other food and beverage sources, as well. Limit your intake of soda, fruit drinks and sugary cereals and snacks. Jorge Cruise notes in his book "The Belly Fat Cure Sugar and Carb Counter" that sugar is one of the main culprits in gaining and holding onto belly fat.

Step 5

Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. The fiber in these foods will help you consume fewer calories overall so you can shed belly fat. Top that plain yogurt and fresh fruit with whole-grain granola as one way to keep dessert in your diet while also incorporating these foods into your daily eating plan.

Step 6

Add exercise to your daily routine. In addition to cutting the calories you consume from dessert, adding aerobic exercise to your day is crucial to getting rid of excess fat. Run, walk, jog, swim, ride a bike or use an elliptical to get your heart pumping and to burn more calories.

Tips and Warnings

Fresh fruit is highly nutritious and can be used in many ways to create naturally sweet and tasty desserts. Spot-reducing belly fat is not possible. Instead, adopt a healthy eating and exercise plan to help you lose weight all over your body.
See your doctor before incorporating a weight-loss plan into your daily life. He will be able to give you tips for success and make sure your goals are safe for you.