What is the diet to reduce belly fat is a question that many dieters ask themselves. Losing fat around your middle is always a healthy idea. But if you are feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start, try these 8 easy tips to get going!
Although there is no one perfect plan that works for every body, there are many things you should be aware of so that you can start tackling your weight problems.
Losing belly fat involves reducing weight overall. That’s always going to be a good thing if you are overweight to begin with because as you shed pounds, you will improve your overall health.
Your belly will then start to flatten. But it takes time. And perseverance.
Your risks for certain diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and many cancers will lower as you get into shape and drop excess pounds.
Plus, your clothes will fit better. It is a win-win!
No matter what your personal reasons are for dieting to reduce belly fat, your health will reward you in the long run. Maybe you want to have better mobility. Or you want to be able to have more energy to play with your kids.
Perhaps you just want to fit more comfortably in your clothing, especially if you’ve been locked down at home during the pandemic.
There are many different ways to start tackling belly fat loss. To learn more about what the diet is to reduce belly fat, we’re sharing some strategies below that you can use immediately.
So if you want to find out more about how to start shedding unwanted weight, keep on reading.
1. Get More Sleep To Lose Belly Fat
This may sound simple to some people and strange to others. However, one fixable remedy to start beating the belly fat bulge is just get more sleep.
We live in an over stressed, overworked world and often that anxiety leads to sleep problems.
But finding ways to get better sleep, or simply more sleep is one of the most overlooked reasons why it’s hard to lose the belly.
Research is learning that not getting enough sleep wreaks havoc on the body’s metabolism. That in turn makes it harder to lose fat.
When we are under stress, our bodies produce more of a hormone called, cortisol. When too much cortisol is produced in combination with excess insulin, an enzyme that causes fat storage in the belly is produced. This enzyme is called lipoprotein lipase or LPL.
Stress definitely plays a part in sleep disruption. This also leads to problems with balancing cortisol levels which affect your belly fat. So learning how to get a better night’s sleep is paramount in helping you to reduce your stomach fat.
So if you’re planning to put effort into making good dietary and exercise choices throughout the day, then make it a priority to schedule your sleep. It will help your body to burn fat all while giving you more energy throughout the day to power through your work.
2. Reduce Stress To Prevent Weight Gain
Reducing stress in your life sounds easy but sometimes it’s not. Did you know though that too much stress can lead to weight gain from a biological and psychological point of view?
As we get stressed, our bodies release the hormone cortisol. Unfortunately, too much cortisol can lead to insulin resistance which makes losing belly fat difficult.
Science has shown that too much stress can lead to people overeating, or snacking on sugary, fried, calorie rich foods which of course leads to weight gain.
Stress can also alter your metabolic rate. That means that your body’s natural ability to efficiently burn calories becomes affected.
When your metabolism is not burning calories properly, you can gain weight easily. Too much stress might mean you have less energy and are therefore more sedentary…another cause of gaining weight.
How many times have you been stressed and reached for a food you later regretted eating? That’s emotional eating which is a result of stress. Too much stress can cause unusual cravings for nutritionally empty foods which results in gaining pounds.
Too much cortisol released into the body means an inflated belly. To combat stress in your life, try practicing mindfulness. Yoga, tai chi, meditation and breathing exercises are also great options to try.
Reducing stress in your life is not always easy. But it is important that you try for overall healthy and well-being. You will also help your waistline by reducing stress.
3. Work On Posture To Be Thinner
It is amazing how much better we feel when we simply work on standing straight upright. Oftentimes it is easy to walk around slumped over which actually leads to a more protruded looking belly.
Be mindful of your posture throughout the day. Walk with your shoulders back and your chest held high.
You can even practice tensing up or tucking in your abs throughout the day to strengthen them without having to do any crunches. How appealing is that?
Engaging your core abdominal muscles throughout the day is a great way to help tone up your abs without any work at the gym.
Such a simple, easy to do exercise can provide great long-term results when it comes to reducing the look of belly fat.
4. Limit Alcohol To Reduce Your Belly
This may sound obvious but if you’re trying to shed unwanted pounds, especially from your stomach area, you should limit the amount of alcohol you consume.
Alcohol is really an added form of sugar to your diet. It’s something your body does not really need or have any purpose for. But we often rely on it as a social constraint or to relax in the evenings.
While the occasional glass of wine or beer is fine, if you are serious about losing belly fat, take a look at how much alcohol you might actually be consuming.
Drinking not only can deplete the body of valuable nutrients that it needs, but it also adds a lot of empty calories in the long run.
Plus alcoholic beverages like beer are full of carbon dioxide which can really bloat your belly.
Did you know that there are several different drinks that can actually promote weight loss? You may want to try these drinks that can help you lose belly fat.
So if you want to get serious about reducing your belly fat, put down the alcohol. Try something non-alcholic and preferably non-sugary that will help your body. Water (carbonated or flat) is obviously a great choice to drink. But green tea, coffee, protein drinks and vegetable cocktails are super alternates.
5. Dump The Sweetened Drinks For A Slimmer Tummy
Whether it’s that large glass of fruit juice at breakfast or that mid afternoon frappuccino at the drive-through, you may be drinking a lot of excess sugar that you’re not even aware of.
Yes it’s nice to have that hit of sweetness in your drinks, but they all contain a ton of excess calories that your body doesn’t need or want.
Some of these favorite coffee and cream drinks can contain hundreds of calories and a ton of hidden sugar. That’s a diet sabotage in a cup. Become a detective and stay aware of the calorie/sugar content of these drinks.
If you enjoy coffee, always opt for fat-free milk instead of heavy cream or half-and-half. And try to avoid the sugary syrups that are often included. Remember, when trying to lose weight, every calorie counts – even if they are in a drink.
A study in The Journal of Nutrition has shown that sweet drinks actually increase abdominal visceral fat. So if you want to diminish belly fat, stay away from sweetened sodas, coffees and fruit juices.
This is one easy thing to reduce or eliminate from your daily routine and your waistline will thank you for it!
6. Reduce Your Sodium, Reduce Your Waistline
Reducing your sodium, or salt intake is always a good idea because too much salt in the body leads to water retention. That in turns leads to holding onto weight.
Fatty, fried foods along with prepackaged foods are large culprits of having too much sodium.
Simply being aware of high sodium levels might help you to make better food choices if you know that they cause bloating or water retention.
Nutritionists will often suggest swapping out salt for herbs as you get a punch of flavor without the bad effects caused from high sodium levels.
Pack your own lunches and make your own meals as much as possible so that you can be in control of the sodium levels and added ingredients.
While Americans average about 3400 mg of sodium per day, doctors suggest tabling that amount to 2300 mg per day. That is the equivalent to one teaspoon of table salt.
It may not always be easy to do, but it helps to be conscious of this. Your health and waistline will reward you if you do.
7. Try Probiotics To Slim Your Gut
Exciting new research is looking into all the wonderful benefits that probiotics have to offer for gut health. Sometimes bloat can be confused with belly fat.
Adding in probiotic rich foods can be just the cure you might need to start slimming your belly.
Many cultures around the world have long been eating probiotic rich diets which are highly beneficial to digestive health.
Probiotics can help with digestion, adding in good bacteria for gut health all while assisting with a flatter belly.
Many things you could try adding into your regime include kombucha, kimchi, kefir (fermented milk) and sauerkraut. Fermented food on a daily basis adds in valuable healthy gut bacteria. That’s something we could all use more of.
There are also some great probiotic supplements available at health food stores. They come in a variety of dosages with many offering 10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 billion cultures per dose.
Always check with your healthcare provider before adding in any supplement to your diet.
8. Diet Mindset For Reducing Belly Fat
If you want to be successful at losing weight and slimming your belly, it is important to engage in a healthy, positive attitude.
Having the right mindset will help you to achieve the goals you want by making simple daily tweaks. New, small changes create positive new habits which will lead to long term success.
Surround yourself with positive people, read and learn what can help you. Eat well, exercise and get your sleep for added benefits.
Put little sticky notes on your mirror with positive affirmations. Be supportive of yourself. You’ll soon be on your way to a slimmer you!
What Is The Diet To Reduce Belly Fat Now Final Thoughts
Consider all of the elements working for or against you when it comes to weight loss. If you’re under a lot of stress, try to find ways to minimize it. Work at taking time during the day to relax your thoughts.
Aim to get a better night’s sleep. Reduce your salt intake and focus on eating good, nourishing food. Stand tall and be proud or your body and all it does for you.
Try adding in some probiotic foods or a supplement each day.
Stay away from alcohol and sweetened beverages if you want to lose weight and reduce your belly fat. Lastly, keep a positive mindset going even when it’s tough to do some days.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow hasn’t come. But today is ripe for the picking! Be kind to yourself. Learn what makes you feel well and just begin.
Commit to a better you, a healthier you, a stronger you. Start small and stay strong. When you have a slip up, forgive yourself and move on.
Just keep going because you can do what you set your mind to! If you have any suggestions that you’d like to share that have worked for you in losing belly fat, feel free to comment below.
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