Although genetics may play a role in your tendency to store fat in your belly, Mayo Clinic experts largely point to lifestyle choices as the reason for an expanding waist line. People with excess belly fat are at a greater risk of developing heart disease, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Quick fat loss should be considered only one or two pounds per week---otherwise you risk losing healthy lean muscle along with the fat.
Step 1
Eat 500 calories less per day to lose one pound a week. Much of the initial weight you lose will come from the stomach as this fat reacts well to traditional diet methods.
Step 2
Eat whole grains each day and shun refined grains like white rice and white pasta. Whole grains, when eaten in lieu of refined grains, have been shown to help encourage weight loss at the stomach according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Stick to no more than three servings of whole grains a day, and make your other carbohydrates consist of vegetables and fruits.
Step 3
Stay away from products that contain trans fats. Do not eat fried food and processed snack or baked products containing partially hydrogenated oils. An animal-based study in the journal Obesity showed that eating trans fats, even while following a calorie-controlled diet, promoted the accumulation of fat at the abdomen.
Step 4
Replace dietary saturated fat with monounsaturated versions. Use olive oil instead of butter, snack on nuts instead of chips, and add a slice of avocado to your sandwich instead of cheese. Choose leaner sources of protein like skinless chicken, white fish and egg whites to avoid overeating saturated fat. Control your portions as fats are dense in calories. Monounsaturated fats have been shown to "prevent central fat distribution," especially when coupled with a reduced-calorie, low-saturated fat diet.
Step 5
Exercise vigorously at least five times a week. Commit to at least one hour of a continuous cardiovascular activity that increases your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat. Exercise exceeding American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for general health results in a significant loss in visceral abdominal fat.
Tips and Warnings
- Remember that stomach fat may react well to dieting efforts. It is also the type of fat that easily accumulates if you stop following a healthy diet and exercise regimen.
References
- Diabetes Care: Monounsaturated Fat--Rich Diet Study
- Obesity, A Research Journal: Trans Fat Diet Induces Abdominal Obesity and Changes in Insulin Sensitivity in Monkeys
- Journal of Applied Physiology: Inactivity, Exercise and Visceral Fat
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: The Effects of a Whole Grain--Enriched Hypocaloric Diet on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Men and Women With Metabolic Syndrome
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity Guidelines
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