Men are particularly prone to putting on weight at the belly. As the American Heart Association warns, belly fat correlates with an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. Men with a waist size larger than 40 inches should take immediate measures to decrease visceral fat at the belly.
Step 1
Reduce your caloric intake and increase the amount of moderate exercise. Cut 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week. Augment your calorie restriction with a minimum five days of 30 minutes of exercise that is vigorous enough to make you sweat and increase your heart rate. Play basketball, jogging or joining a group cycling class because belly fat is particularly responsive to vigorous exercise as shown by a study in a 2005 issue of the "Journal of Applied Physiology."
Step 2
Eat more whole grains. Replace refined grains like white bread and pasta, white rice and baked goods with whole grain versions. Order brown rice and whole wheat bread when you eat out because studies, like one from Pennsylvania State University published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2008, show that a low-calorie diet that replaces refined grains with whole grains targets loss of fat at the belly.
Step 3
Ditch the trans and saturated fats. Put down the bag of chips and bypass the drive-through. Eat grilled chicken instead of burgers and dogs. Make the choice to eat lean protein, like bison, fish, seafood and egg whites. Choose monounsaturated fats instead. Go for avocado on your sandwich instead of mayo. Try nuts instead of a batch of wings while watching the game. Watch portion sizes; even healthy fats are calorie dense.
Step 4
Clean up your vices. Moderate your alcohol intake, as excessive drinking causes men to store more fat in the belly. Stop smoking because it too encourages your body to accumulate belly fat, as shown by a British study of more than 21,000 participants.
Tips and Warnings
- Healthy, belly-flattening foods do not have to be of the girly rabbit variety. Whole-grain breads and pasta, peanut butter, bison burgers, eggs and bananas are all foods to include.
- Consult a physician before beginning an exercise program.
Things You'll Need
- Lean proteins
- Whole grains
- Nuts
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