“Reducing abdominal fat, or belly fat is everyone’s goal.”
Belly fat or tummy fat is pernicious. Most of it comprises of visceral – or deep fat, which is physiologically different from dermatological fat, the kind that settles just beneath your skin. Studies have found that the inflammation throughout the body and the risk of many diseases are due to the visceral fat that produces unique biochemical signals.
People whose body mass indexes were in the normal range but had large waistlines were more likely to die prematurely than people who qualified as obese but had relatively narrow waists, in a 2012 study by Mayo Clinic researchers have been found.
However, it is not clear whether some types of exercise are better than others at whittling waistlines, while some studies suggest that endurance training, such as walking or jogging, is more effective than weight training. A comprehensive 2013 review concluded that the combination of aerobic exercise and occasional sessions of weight training was superior to either type of exercise alone at reducing belly fat.
Though reducing fat from the waist area can be difficult, there are several things you can do to reduce excess abdominal fat. Here are 10 effective tips to learn how to reduce belly fat.
Scientific Tips to Cut Down Belly Fat from Your Body
Tip 1: Take plenty of soluble fiber
Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel. And doing so helps slow down food movement into the gut or your digestive system. Studies show that soluble fiber helps you lose some weight, making you feel full, so you naturally eat less. It may also decrease the amount of calories your body absorbs from food. Moreover, soluble fiber can help prevent belly fat.
An observational study in over 1,100 adults found that taking up every 10-gram increase the amount of soluble fiber, belly or tummy fat gain decreased by 3.7% over a 5-year period.
To consume high fiber foods every day, you need to have excellent sources of soluble fiber, which includes:
- Flax seeds
- Shirataki noodles
- Brussels sprouts
- Avocados
- Legumes
- Blackberries
Summary: Soluble fiber may help you lose weight by increasing fullness and reducing calorie absorption. Make sure you take plenty of high fiber foods in your weight loss diet.
Tip 2: Avoid Eating Foods That Contain Trans Fats
Created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, such as soybean oil, trans fats are found in some margarines and spreads and are also often added to packaged foods, but many food producers have stopped using them. These fats have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal fat gain, in one study scientists have found.
A 6-year study found that monkeys who ate a high trans-fat diet gained 33% more abdominal fat than those eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat.
Reading out ingredient labels carefully and stay away from products that contain trans fats will help reduce belly fat and protect your health. Often these are listed as partially hydrogenated fats.
Summary: High intake of trans fat can promote belly or tummy fat gain. Notwithstanding, you’re trying to lose weight, limiting your intake of trans fat is a good idea.
Tip 3: Do Aerobic Exercise (Cardio)
Aerobic exercise or cardio is one of the effective exercises to reduce belly fat. One of the most effective forms of exercise for reducing belly fat, cardio like high-intensity exercise will be more beneficial. The frequency and duration of your exercise program are more important than its intensity.
In one study, it has been found that postmenopausal women lost more fat from all areas when they worked out aerobic exercise for 300 minutes per week, compared with those who exercised 150 minutes per week.
Summary: Aerobic exercise is an effective weight-loss method. Researchers suggest that it’s particularly effective at slimming your waistline area.
Tip 4: Avoid Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Loaded with liquid fructose sugar-sweetened beverages can make you gain belly fat. It can be concluded that sugary drinks lead to increased fat in the liver. One study found that significant abdominal fat gain in people who consumed high fructose beverages appears to be even worse than high sugar foods.
As your brain doesn’t process liquid calories the same way it does solid ones, you’re ended up consuming too many calories later on and storing them in your belly area.
To lose belly fat, it’s important to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages such as:
- Soda
- Punch
- Sweet tea
- Alcoholic mixers containing sugar
Summary: Avoiding all kinds of liquid forms of sugar, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, could be the best way to reduce belly fat.
Tip 5: Get Plenty of Restful Sleep
Sleep is important for many aspects of your health, including weight, and can help you reduce belly fat. Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to gain more weight, which may include belly fat.
A 16-year old study concluded that those who slept less than 5 hours per night were significantly more likely to gain weight than those who slept 7 hours or more per night. The condition known as sleep apnea, where breathing stops intermittently during the night, has also been linked to excess visceral fat
In addition to sleeping at least 7 hours per night, you must make sure you’re getting a sufficient amount of quality sleep. If you suspect you have a sleep disorder, consult to a doctor and get treated.
Summary: Deprivation in sleep is linked to an increased risk of weight gain. Getting high quality of sleep should be one of your main priorities if you plan to lose weight and improve your health.
Tip 6: Track Your Food Intake and Exercise
Many things can help you lose weight especially the diet plan to reduce belly fat, but the key is to consume fewer calories than your body needs for weight management. Keeping a diet chart to reduce belly fat or using an online food tracker or app can help you monitor your calorie intake. This strategy has been shown to be beneficial for weight loss.
Moreover, food-tracking apps or tools help you to see your protein intake, carbs, fiber, and micronutrients. Many things allow you to record your physical activity and exercise.
Summary: As general weight loss advice, it’s always a good idea to keep track of what you’re eating. Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker are two of the most popular ways to do this.
Tip 7: Try Intermittent Fasting
One of the popular ways to reduce belly fat is intermittent fasting. It’s an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting. One popular method involves 24-hour fasts once or twice a week. Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period.
In a review of studies on intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting, people experienced a 4–7% decrease in abdominal fat within 6–24 weeks.
Some evidences have been explained that intermittent fasting, or fasting in general, may not be as beneficial for women as for men, certain modified intermittent fasting methods appear to be better options. More importantly, stop fasting immediately if you experience any sorts of negative effects.
Summary: Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. Studies suggest that it may be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and belly fat.
Tip 8: Take Probiotic Foods or Supplement
Probiotics are kind of bacteria found in some foods and supplements. They have many health benefits. One of them helps improve gut health and enhancing immune function. Researchers have found that different types of bacteria play a role in weight regulation and that having the right balance can help with weight loss, including loss of belly fat.
Those shown to reduce belly fat include members of the Lactobacillus family, such as Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus amylovorus and especially Lactobacillus gasseri.
Probiotic supplements typically contain several types of bacteria, so make sure you purchase one that provides one or more of these bacterial strains.
Summary: Taking probiotic supplements may help promote a healthy digestive system. Studies also suggest that beneficial gut bacteria may help promote weight loss.
Tip 9: Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress is one of the reasons to learn about how to reduce tummy fat. It can make you gain belly fat by causing the adrenal glands to produce cortisol – also known as the stress hormone. Study shows that high cortisol levels increase appetite and drive abdominal fat storage.
Furthermore, women having large waist tend to produce more cortisol in response to stress. Increased cortisol further adds to fat gain around the middle. To help with how to burn belly fat, engage in pleasurable activities that relieve stress. Practicing yoga or meditation can be effective methods.
Summary: Stress may promote fat gain around your waist. Minimizing stress should be one of your priorities if you’re trying to lose weight.
Tip 10: Follow a High Protein Diet
Protein is known to be an important nutrient for weight management. High protein intake increases the release of the fullness hormone PYY that usually decreases appetite and promotes fullness.
Protein also increases your metabolic rate and helps you to retain muscle mass during weight loss. Most of the studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who eat a lower protein diet.
You should make sure to include a good source of protein in your meal, such as:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Whey protein
- Beans
Summary: High protein-rich foods, such as fish, lean meat, and beans, are ideal if you’re trying to shed some extra pounds around your waist.
The Bottom Line
There are no magic solutions to look over how to reduce stomach fat. Losing weight always requires some effort, commitment, and patience on your behalf. Successfully adopting some or all of the strategies and lifestyle goals mentioned in this post will definitely help you lose the extra pounds around your waist.
