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Belly fat refers to the fat that accumulates in the abdominal region. While fat can accumulate throughout the body, the stomach is one of the places it tends to accumulate the most. This can be bad for our health. Where you accumulate fat on your body can be different based on gender.
Men tend to have more abdominal or belly fat, while women tend to gain fat around their butts and legs, giving them a “pear shape”. However, fat accumulation can change with age.
Studies indicate that as women grow older, their chances of belly fat increase. This can be linked to lowestrogen production which helps the proper location of fat in the body.
As for men, belly fat is attributed topoor diet and lifestyle choices like lack of physical activities and alcoholism. These are just a few of the reasons, but below there is a list of several more.
One may develop belly fat for several reasons. Though most of these are self-imposed; a few are attributed to that person’s genetics.
Let's look at some of these reasons and their impact on personal health:
Foods and drinks rich in sugar are high in calories but lack nutritional value. When we consume more calories than the body needs, thesurplus calories can be stored as fat – which can be stored as belly fat.
Also Read: The Shocking Truth about Processed Sugar!
Moreover, sugary foods and drinks can impact thecortisol released by the adrenal gland. This stress hormone is associated with fat deposition around the belly.
Some alcohol may be categorized assugary beverages as they contain excess sugar. The calories found in alcohol have the same effect as other beverages or foods high in sugar.
In addition,alcohol metabolism in the body is a complex process that affects the normal functioning of other body processes. Some of these processes include insulin activities in regulating blood sugar, liver metabolism, and appetite for food.
If you frequently drink, the adverse effects may includeinflammation of organs especially the liver, causing serious health problems..
Current research on unhealthy lifestyles notes thatabout 28% of the world's population has a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is a leading cause of excess weight and fat that can accumulate in the belly.
Genetics and biological reasons play a smaller role in belly fat. This includes aspects such asestrogen hormone and aging which affect how fat is distributed across the body, causing the majority to be stored in the belly.
Belly fat is linked with health risks such ascardiovascular diseases and diabetes caused by insulin resistance in the body. Therefore, reducing obesity discourages health-related challenges associated with it.
Also, reducing belly fat enhances longevity and improves mobility as well as functionality of daily activities.
Reducing belly fat is also crucial in enhancing your psychological well-being. Studies indicate that people with belly fat or obesity may undergo stigma and are faced with constantstress and depression about their weight.
Thus, reducing belly fat can enhance one’s mental condition, self-esteem, and confidence as one often begins to perceive themselves as a healthy person.
A diet high in fiber is the best remedy to reduce belly fat. Fiber works by controlling the appetite and increasingsatiety.
Secondly, fiber-rich foods such as beans, peas, nuts, and whole grains are crucial in enhancing gut health by providing food nutrients required bypositive gut microbiomes.
This prevents the negative effects of detrimental microbes including digestion anomalies as well as unhealthy fat absorption - that may otherwise get stored around the belly.
Related read: 21 Easy Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet!
One sure way to get enough fiber everyday is by choosing a fiber powder.
Excessive alcohol consumption, especially drinks with high sugar levels can be stored as fat around the belly. Therefore, reducing alcohol intake can have benefits for belly fat.
Excessive alcohol alsoaffects liver function by causing either inflammation or in worst cases, permanent damage. The liver is a vital organ in the body that helps in themetabolism of nutrients, body detoxification, and regulation of cholesterol levels in the blood.
So, any risk you pose to this organ affects the overall body, especially digestion and metabolism.
Protein, like fiber, also leads to satiety, even with small portions. Therefore, you feel fulfilled and satisfied after a meal rich in protein. So, consuming protein-rich food reduces the overall calorie intake.
Considering a protein powder? Check our guide to choose a good protein supplement for you!
Even though stress is perceived as a normal occurrence in human life, extreme levels of stress are harmful not only to mental but also to physical health. One of the effects of stress is the productionof cortisol - a hormone that regulates blood pressure and immune functions.
Overproduction of cortisol is associated with elevated levels of belly fat. But one can also reduce stress by improving sleep quality, meditation, and regular physical activity.
Reducing stress enhances a balance in hormones includingLeptin, Ghrelin, and others related to hunger and fulfillment. This balance is crucial for steady body metabolism and therefore, reducing belly fat.
Physical exercise, especially aerobic, is the best physical activity to reduce belly fat. If you are interested in becoming more physically active, a good way is to establish a routine exercise schedule that enhances metabolism and facilitates excess fat burning.
Besides, exercise also gives you a balanced body and enhances your fitness.
Carbohydrates are important food nutrients that provide energy to the body. However, health professionals recommend consuming only the requiredamount of carbohydrates because the body only takes what it needs and stores the rest as fats.
The amount of carbohydrates you need is dependent on many factors including body size, age, and gender. Instead, just try to focus on eating balanced meals with all of the macronutrients.
Getting plenty ofquality sleep is one of the strategies that you can use to reduce belly fat. Studies indicate that one-way sleep improves body metabolism since itreduces stress. It also promotes energy balance i.e. the balance between calories consumed and the ones burned.
Read Also: How to Deal with Sleeplessness!
Also, sleep helps in the regulation of hormones that cause appetite and satiety.
Fatty fish, such as Mackerel, are high inomega-3 and protein. Dieticians suggest that 2-3 servings/week of this fish is appropriate for most people seeking to cut down their belly fat.
Omega 3 containsanti-inflammatory content that discourages the accumulation of fats in the body.
Fruit juice is healthy for the body because it supplies vitamins that enhance immunity. However, most processed fruit juice may contain excessrefined sugars because of the added sweeteners. So, consuming the juice means ingesting a lot of calories from the sugars or sweeteners.
Read Also: The Ugly Truth About Overly Processed Foods
And so, cutting down on juices will limit the level of calories that can be stored as belly fat.
Probiotic supplements are rich in beneficial microbiomes that help create a balance of gut bacteria.Dysbiosis, or a state of microbiome imbalance, is among the reasons for poor digestion and nutrient absorption, which may cause fat accumulation in the belly and body.
Check out: 10 Probiotic Foods That You Should be Eating for Your Gut!
So, ingesting probiotic supplements could help in reducing belly fat.
Green tea is among the recent and common methods of reducing belly fat.
The product is rich in antioxidants likecatechins that enhance fat oxidation and absorption. The catechin component also enhances body metabolism to regulate appetite and prevent inflammation.
Apple Cider or Vinegar containsacetic acid that is known to suppress appetite. Since it promotes easy fulfillment, it helps you reduce calorie intake and therefore, belly fat.
Secondly, apple cider and vinegar can improvedigestion by potentially accelerating body metabolism. So, that may also help to reduce fat in the body and regulate blood sugar.
Trans-fats are artificial fats created through hydrogenation, a step in food processing to increase shelf life. Foods that contain trans-fat areenergy-dense i.e. they contain a lot of calories. Eliminating trans fats means you will naturally reduce the level of calories consumed, which helps reduce belly fat.
Read Also: Are All Fats Bad?
Trans fat also initiates insulin resistance, which promotes weight gain around the abdomen.
Processed foods like sweets, cakes, chocolate, and cookies are high in sugar, calories, and sodium. As these processed and sugary foods have become our daily diet, it’s not surprising that most people develop belly fat from overeating these foods.
Research indicates that staying hydrated regulates appetite andimproves metabolism. It’s because water intake can reduce overeating which then, reduces calories in the body. Also, water can improve digestion.
Wondering how to improve your water intake? Check out awesome tips to up your water game here.
Avoiding acrash diet simply means avoiding shortcuts and focusing on long-term sustainable outcomes. You can only reduce belly fat by incorporating a method that will not strain your health.
After all, a strict low-calorie intake may reduce belly fat but will result in worse health concerns once you resume the usual eating pattern.
Worried where to start a low-calorie healthy diet? Check out our free trial for certified meal plans here.
This method involves developing a time-restrictedpattern of food intake, like after 12 hours. The method helps reduce calorie intake, enhancing fat oxidation and body metabolism. In this case, fasting allows the body to burn excess fat, thus reducing belly fat.
Reducing belly fat calls for discipline to achieve positive outcomes. Therefore, you must remainconsistent about your diet and exercise, especially after a positive outcome.
Changing from asedentary lifestyle is a great way to reduce negative outcomes if you want to have a healthy body. This means changing every aspect of your daily life i.e. your food consumption, physical activities, stress management, etc.
Reducing belly fat is usually a long process for most people. So, acknowledging anysmall positive change would be best because it will encourage you to continue.
Once you attain good results, those wins may help motivate others and ensure you stick to good, healthy practices to prevent similar experiences.
One should consult adietician or physical therapist to ensure they use the right method to reduce belly fat. Consulting a dietician also ensures correct analysis of the cause to ensure that they can treat symptoms for an existing illness.
By incorporating these 21 effective ways to lose belly fat; you’ll not just get rid of the fat but also feel healthy. You’ll experience better biological, mental, and physical health.
So, check what you eat, manage your stress, do physical exercise, and make small lifestyle changes like giving up on alcohol. Give these changes a try and let me know how that worked out for you. I’ll be more than happy to know your success story.