Here are the keys to help you reduce fat around the middle: stop going on slimming dietsswitch to eating healthy to lose weightstop eating refined carbohydrates - cut junk food out of your dietget the right kinds of exercisereduce your stress levelsGive it time but be consistent, and your stomach fat will gradually start to disappear.
Thinking - 'Just help me lose weight!'? Read about the tactics that can help you get rid of a wobbly tummy and stubborn belly fat for good:
First rule - don't go on slimming diets. They simply destabilise your metabolism, and as soon as you stop dieting, on goes the weight again.Eating several smaller healthy meals each day, rather than 2-3 huge platefuls, can also help keep your blood sugar stable and put an end to bingeing and food cravings. Try these easy healthy weight loss tips.
If your diet's been pretty unhealthy up to now, don't attempt to make the switch all in one go. Take it gradually, introducing one new thing at a time. That's how to lose belly fat.
For instance, first switch your mid-morning muffin for an apple. After a few days of that, drop your lunchtime soda or soft drink, and have water or herbal tea instead. Add vegetables to every meal - salads to sandwiches and veggies with main meals. Then add a second portion of a different type of veg. These healthy soup recipes for weight loss can make a useful addition to your diet.
Have a good range of healthy foods. Variety helps you get all the nutrients you need. Don't waste time chasing after the so-called fat burning foods. There's no convincing evidence that I've seen that any of these really work, and who can manage on a diet of green tea and navy beans?
Better to experiment with all types of healthier food until you find those you really enjoy, then adjust your eating pattern so you're eating healthy to lose weight.
If you're concerned that your kids are overweight and need to lose belly fat, learn more about weight loss for kids.
One of the best weight loss tips is - slowly does it. Enjoy your healthy food. Relish the freshness and the delicious flavours. Highly sweetened, overly salted junk food will soon begin to seem less appetising, as your palate gets accustomed to healthier foods. And speaking of junk food...
The main culprit behind stomach fat is...junk food. Refined carbs, 'bad' carbs, fast food - whatever label you choose, the end result is the same. These foods offer virtually no nutrition and are sky-high in sugar, fat, salt and additives. Eating these foods is guaranteed to be bad for your longterm health, and will make it all too easy for the tummy fat to pile on. If you want to lose belly fat, you've got to drop the junk.Still need convincing? Check out the fast food facts and the junk food facts.
You hardly need reminding...but just in case, here's a list of foods that you must cut out if you seriously want to burn belly fat fast.
Bread and rolls made with white flourAll pasta, except varieties made with wholewheatCakes, biscuits, cookiesWhite riceTacos, potato crisps/chipsPizzaPastry - pies, tarts, quichesDesserts such as gateaux, flans and tarts and sweet piesCandy, sweets, chocolateMany commercial breakfast cereals - learn more about healthy breakfast cerealsProcessed cold meatsSausages and frankfurtersSoda, soft drinks, fruit-flavoured drinksJams and jelliesIce creamThere's more information to help you spot refined carbs in this food additive list. Learn about understanding a food label, and you'll soon see how many foods on the supermarket shelf are full of additivies, including sugar in all its many guises.
I'm sure you know that healthy eating by itself isn't enough to get shot of that midriff bulge. You've got to get into eating healthy and exercise - together, they're a powerful and effective combination.But what is the best kind of exercise to give you those slender abs and get rid of your belly fat for ever?
Surprisingly, it's not the crunch-style exercises you might expect. These exercises, like sit ups and ab curls, are great for strengthening and toning the muscles of your abdomen. But they won't shift the fat that's accumulated on top of your abs. In fact, by giving yourself a more muscular midriff without tackling the fat problem, you could even end up with a belly that looks bigger!
Instead, you need to exercise your whole body. Spot-reduction has never worked, so start adding aerobic and cardio exercise to your routine, add in some strength training to build muscle and tone your shape and watch what you eat - that's the way to shift that stubborn belly fat for good.
You may not realise it, but if you're under stress, you're more likely to put on fat around the middle, particularly if you are a woman in the menopausal years.When you're under stress, your adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol - and that hormone encourages women's mid-life fat cells to lay down further stores of fat, and to gather that excess blubber right around the middle. That's where it's easily accessible by the liver if you need a sudden burst of energy.
The problem is that we rarely need to use that energy in physical activity, because so much of our modern-day stress is psychological: worries about money, jobs, health or relationships, or frustration at traffic jams, colleagues, our kids. Add to that the fact that our lives are far more sedentary than those of previous generations, and you have a recipe for gaining weight and sprouting that fat gut which is so unappealing and so unhealthy.
You can read more about how to lose belly fat during menopause on our sister site Beat Menopause Weight Gain.
To reduce stress, try delegating some of your work, using relaxation techniques, doing things you enjoy and that take you out of yourself, taking more physical exercise. All of these can help to keep your hormones better balanced, and prevent you from piling on the fat around the middle.
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