- Eat good fats Yup, that’s right! It takes fat to burn fat. It’s sugar that makes you fat, not fat. Good fats include foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseed, spinach, and halibut. These foods are nutrient dense and will keep your hunger at bay all day long.
- Perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) Many people turn to endurance-type cardio workouts, slaving away on the elliptical machine, when trying to lose tummy fat. The problem with this approach: a 45-minute elliptical workout at a consistent pace may help you shed pounds at first, but soon your body will adjust and you’ll stop seeing the results. A better and more effective way to lose weight: HIIT training— or high-intensity interval training. Research has proven that this is the most effective way for losing body fat and changing your body composition because it raises your heart rate while also taxing your muscles. People who exercised with high-intensity experienced a 20% decrease in abdominal fat and that changing the duration you do an exercise at and the level of its intensity is crucial. Participants lose inches from their waist and hips after just two weeks on the program. Fat loss prescription: you can create a HIIT program with any sort of exercise, including cardio workouts as well as full-body strength workouts
- Meditate. Feeling stressed leads to your body pumping out more cortisol which can lead to shopping for bigger dress sizes. To put the brakes on that, try meditation. Next time you are thinking about popping a chocolate bar to reduce stress, find a quiet space and say “Om.” Focus on your breathing. Make this a daily habit and you’ll help reduce your belly fat over time.
- Set Goals Setting attainable, realistic and specific goals with deadlines are what we’re after here. For instance, I’d like to shed 10 pounds this week is unrealistic…a goal of 1-2 pounds a week is much more attainable and realistic and the deadline of a week is perfectly fine. Maybe your goal is to run a marathon. If that’s where you’re headed we need to break it down into smaller sub-goals and look at where your running is currently at. If you’re just starting out you need to get a base of at least 20 miles a week of running before you would add longer runs 9 weeks out from your chosen marathon date. So your first sub-goal might be to enter a 10 km race!
- Lift weights. Lifting weights creates micro-tears in muscles that take more energy (i.e. burns more calories) in the healing process, which can last up to two days after your training session. Try challenging your muscles by lifting heavier weights than you think you can once a week. You will be amazed at what you can actually do and the amount of tummy bulge you can lose.
- Say no to sugar. Having a healthy diet is 80% of fighting belly fat. Reduce calories by filling yourself up with protein, vegetables, whole grains, and replacing bad habit snacks with good ones. A great trick is putting a sprinkle of cinnamon in your morning coffee or oatmeal (this spice has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar). It also slows the rate at which food exits the stomach, which helps you feel fuller for longer.
- Get enough vitamin C. When you’re under a lot of stress, your body releases more cortisol hormone. Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol spikes that occur when your body starts churning out too much. Besides being a good way to prevent a cold, Vitamin C is also essential for making carnitine, a compound used by the body to turn fat into fuel, making this vitamin your secret weapon for fighting belly fat. Try eating kiwi fruits, kale or bell peppers. Believe it or not, these pack in even more Vitamin C than oranges!
- Remember the “F” word. Fiber, people! The bulk takes up more space in your stomach which makes you feel full longer and therefore eat less throughout the day. So try eating more oatmeal, beans, and veggies to get your fiber intake up and your belly fat down
- More greens!! Bitter greens like kale, arugula, collards and escarole are diet staples that aid in digestion and de-bloating. They are also known to stimulate and support better digestion. Dark greens are low calorie (with about 36 calories in a cup) and are packed with vitamins and fiber that your body needs to stay lean. Most bitter greens are also great anti-inflammatories, which means they can help fight bloating and water retention.
