Can you get rid of belly fat?
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill. Neither green tea capsules nor pineapple dissolve belly fat. But a good exercise routine and a healthy diet can do the trick.
Belly fat (a.k.a. abdominal or visceral fat) is not only an aesthetic flaw. Abdominal fat is found inside the abdominal cavity, and this is harmful. This type of fat is one of the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. People with a lot of visceral fat have an increased risk of developing these diseases, even if they look lean overall. Why is that? In short, abdominal fat envelops the internal organs, which results in these organs beginning to function less optimally.
Are genes to blame?
To some extent, your genes may contribute to the fact that you gain weight faster than other people. Genes can also be responsible for where this extra weight is deposited. However, balancing energy intake (= caloric intake) and expenditure and a generally healthy lifestyle can help prevent weight gain, regardless of genetics.
How much belly fat is too much?
How do you know if you have too much visceral fat? This can be easily checked with a tape measure. A waist circumference > 94 cm in men and > 80 cm in women (this indicator varies slightly in different countries), means that there is too much abdominal fat.
Can you get rid of belly fat? Practical Tips
Can you get rid of belly fat? Yes, you can. But! I’m warning you right away that this is not an easy task. It is almost impossible to achieve fat loss exclusively in the waist area, since we lose weight more or less evenly in all parts of the body. However, certain dietary and exercise strategies can help you get rid of belly fat. Below are my practical tips.
Eat plenty of dietary fiber
Dietary fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, berries, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, in short, in unprocessed plant foods. Dietary fiber is, technically speaking, indigestible polysaccharides, or complex carbohydrates (poly = a lot; saccharide = sugar). These polysaccharides are responsible for the structure of plants, it is thanks to them that vegetables and fruits have their appearance. Take a celery stalk, for example. Do you see long, longitudinal “threads” on it? That is dietary fiber. Celery is a radical example. Fibers are not always visible to the naked eye.
What impact does dietary fiber have on abdominal fat? Firstly, it slows down the flow of glucose into the blood and thus saves us from bouts of hunger. Secondly, fiber creates a feeling of fullness and therefore prevents overeating. Thirdly, fiber increases stool volume and improves intestinal motility. As a result, the stomach becomes less “inflated”.
Give up alcohol
First, alcohol itself is very high in calories. As an example, one glass of wine (180 ml) contains an average of 150 calories. Secondly, alcohol acts in such a way that we lose control over our behaviour and our appetite. As a result, we eat more. Thirdly, scientists have noticed that with the same calorie intake, people who regularly drink alcohol have more visceral fat than people who do not abuse it. The exact mechanism is not yet known, but the difference has been documented.
Don’t drink sugary drinks
Scientists have noticed that drinking sugary drinks leads to an increase in the amount of fat in and around the liver. Sugary drinks contain a lot of fructose, and it is believed that fructose is responsible for the accumulation of fat. Drinks rich in sugar, judging by the observations of scientists, are even worse for health and waist than solid foods with a lot of sugar. Sweet drinks include not only coffee and tea with sugar or honey, but also carbonated drinks (cola, fanta, sprite, etc.) and even concentrated fruit juices. For example, a glass (250) ml of apple juice contains 24 g of sugar, half of which is fructose. If you consider yourself a sugar-addict, you might want to read this article.
Get rid of sources of chronic stress
Stress can lead to fat gain because it causes the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone.” High levels of cortisol increase appetite and stimulate the storage of fat in the abdominal cavity. Moreover, there is an inverse relationship: the body of people who have a large waist size produces more cortisol in response to stress. It is a vicious circle. You need to get out of it as early as possible.
Naturally: move!
Weight loss is much more effective when diet is combined with physical activity. High intensity workouts are the best way to burn fat. By the way, in order to achieve focused weight loss (in our case, in the waist area), it is recommended to do exercises on an empty stomach. Get in the habit of doing ab exercises shortly upon waking up and before breakfast.
Combine different methods
If you want to achieve good results, you need to combine different methods. That is, try to pay attention to all the above-mentioned aspects: increase fiber amount in your diet, stop drinking alcohol and sugary drinks, exercise and work on stress reduction.