Losing your belly is difficult because your body does not want to burn fat from the abdomen, so it will fight you every step of the way. You can fight back by understanding how metabolism functions, and by learning new ways to trick your body into using unwanted fat for energy. Spot reduction of body fat has not yet been proven to be effective, so you need not slave over the ab machines. Your strongest tools against belly fat are your workouts and your diet.
Step 1
Choose foods that do not promote body fat storage. Eat only lean proteins such as turkey, fish, chicken and egg whites. Pick carbohydrates that are low-glycemic, such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain pastas and breads, sweet potatoes and beans. Eat healthy fats from sources such as olive oil, avocado, natural peanut butter, and nuts and seeds.
Step 2
Take in 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat at each of your meals and snacks. "The Fat Burning Bible" recommends this fat-burning macronutrient ratio for losing belly fat fast. If you do not like to count everything, use best-selling fitness author Jeff Anderson's method for visualizing the proper portions. Have a serving of protein about the size of your fist, the amount of carbs that would fit into your cupped palm and a handful of nuts or a serving of olive (or other oils) about the size of your thumb.
Step 3
Eat five to six smaller meals throughout the day. According to "The Abs Diet," this elevates metabolism, suppresses hunger, stabilizes blood sugar and accelerates weight loss. Try eating breakfast, lunch and dinner with two or three snacks in between.
Step 4
Take 6 g of CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, per day, split among your meals. CLA is a fat that comes from safflower and sunflower oil, and it has been shown to increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat, according to "Homemade Supplement Secrets."
Step 5
Do resistance-training workouts at least three days per week. This form of training burns fat in many ways, including directly targeting the belly, according to "The Abs Diet." In addition, building new muscle increases your metabolic rate, meaning you will burn more calories at rest. Try doing a full-body workout every other day to elevate your metabolic rate all week long.
Step 6
Add cardiovascular exercise as needed. For most individuals, three, 30 minutes sessions per week are enough to maintain a healthy body weight. Do your cardio immediately following your resistance training to directly target body fat. Add additional sessions as needed. For example, take a walk around your neighborhood on an empty stomach upon waking.
References
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; 2005
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson, 2008
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