3 Ways to Lose Abdominal Fat Without Exercise or Diet

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Losing weight is a very popular fitness goal; just to give an example, more than half of Americans put it among the most important things. Many people find that the abdominal area is particularly problematic, and some studies have shown that visceral fat (the one around internal organs) is the most dangerous to health. While it's not possible to lose a lot of weight without proper nutrition and exercise, there are some things you can do to lose some fat from your abdominal area without going to the gym or fasting.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Simulate Temporary Weight Loss

Step 1. Try on clothing that controls the abdominal area

The underwear sector offers an infinite number of options for containing, rigid and shaping the waist area. One of the major manufacturers is Spanx and there are many types of shaping undergarments for people of all sizes.

• For women there are tights, panties, high-waisted shorts, bodysuits, tank tops and vests, all shaping and made from lycra, spandex or some combinations of yarns. Most underwear brands have a specific clothing sector for this purpose for women who want to be in control of their shape; the main ones are Spanx, Triumph and others; shop your usual size and get ready to show off a leaner silhouette.
• There are also many options for men who want shapewear for the abdominal area - again the most popular brands are Spanx, Controlbody and others. These are basically containment t-shirts that reduce the size of the central area of the body. Although the results may vary, many manufacturing companies claim that their products are capable of shrinking the abdominal area by as much as 7-12cm.

Step 2. Take advantage of the current trends in corsets and support bands

This method involves wearing clothing that constricts the abdomen; when used in moderation, they can give a slimmer silhouette, without the need for other lifestyle changes.

• Some famous people wear such corsets to lose weight and although some doctors claim that it is not a useful method of losing fat tissue, it can actually make you lose weight because the garment constricts the stomach area, preventing it from overfilling and therefore from overeating. Additionally, fat cells can expand or shrink, depending on the amount of fat they store.
• Don't overdo it when tightening these corsets and don't wear them too frequently. Since they reduce the size of the stomach, you may vomit after meals, even if you ate a normal portion; in addition, they can also cause heartburn and compress organs.
• Purchase your corset from a store where the staff are knowledgeable, who can help you find one that fits your body well and teaches you how to fasten correctly so it isn't too constricting.

Step 3. Consider doing a "body wrap"

It is believed that this type of treatment - which is usually performed in wellness centers - is able to detoxify the body and thin the central area of the body; with proper precautions, it can also be performed at home. Although the procedure may vary, in most cases it proceeds in several stages applying various body products.

• The beautician typically begins with a massage and the application of an exfoliating product to the abdominal area, which must then be rinsed off in a shower. The scrub contains various herbs and minerals that cleanse the skin of impurities, while reducing the appearance of fat and cellulite.
• It is then necessary to rub the body with a lotion or oil based on other emollients and substances.
• Subsequently, the abdominal area is securely wrapped in a plastic, linen or thermal sheet; an electric blanket is then used to warm the body for about half an hour, in order to cause sweating. This last phase is the one that in particular helps to eliminate impurities and reduce fat.
• Once the blanket and bandage are removed, the abdominal area is massaged to stimulate blood circulation.
• Although this procedure is not considered a proven method of weight loss, many people claim that it can reduce the appearance of abdominal fat and cellulite, especially if the treatment is repeated several times. Since this method causes you to sweat (and lose weight due to liquids), it is not uncommon for people to notice a 4 or 5 cm reduction in waist size, although this is a temporary effect.

Step 4. Reduce weight due to liquids

The body can retain fluids for several reasons, causing swelling especially in the abdominal area; by eliminating water retention, you can therefore temporarily thin the waistline.

• Stay hydrated. In many cases, water retention is a body reaction that tries to avoid dehydration when you don't get enough water during the day. This is especially true in the warmer months. Make sure you drink at least 8 8-ounce glasses (which equals 2 liters) of moisturizing fluids each day, which help flush toxins out of the body and reduce abdominal bloating.
• Limit your sodium intake. An excessive amount of salt causes this disturbance; industrially processed foods and those in restaurants are the main sources of sodium and contain about 75% of the daily requirement; remember that you shouldn't consume more than 1500 mg per day, which is equivalent to just over half a teaspoon of salt.
• Cut down on alcohol and caffeine consumption; these drinks are known to cause dehydration, which in turn causes water retention (as the body tries in every way to retain fluids as much as possible).

Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle

Step 1. Do not ingest air

It might seem unusual advice, but ingested air is a major cause of bloating, favoring greater abdominal circumference. By simply reducing the amount of air you ingest throughout the day, you can limit your waist size.

• Avoid fizzy drinks, even calorie-free ones like sparkling water, as they contain air that enters your belly, giving it a more swollen appearance.
• Not smoking; the smoke you inhale also helps to swell and dilate your stomach.
• Avoid chewing gum and talking while eating; both are habits that lead to the ingestion of air.

Step 2. Get into proper posture

Changing the way you stand and sit obviously doesn't make abdominal fat disappear, but it can help you look leaner by distributing the fat appropriately throughout the chest area rather than just focusing on the waist. Try to keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back and your head up.

• When you sit down, your buttocks should touch the back of the chair and all three normal back curves should be resting against the backrest (this means there should be space above your butt to insert a small rolled towel).
• When standing, bring your shoulders back, squeeze your abs and keep your feet hip-width apart.
• If you're willing to do some exercise, chest and back strengthening movements make it easier to maintain good posture by contracting the abdominal muscles. To improve this detail, you can incorporate some easy back crunches and exercises into your workout routine.

Step 3. Get enough sleep

Sleep itself does not burn fat, but it plays a vital role in trying to lose weight, especially since sleep deprivation (not getting enough sleep) complicates most of the activities needed to lose weight. If you are not properly rested, it is difficult to find the motivation to get up and move; in addition, you also have more trouble controlling the desire to eat, as you are more tempted to act impulsively and consume junk food when you have run out of energy.

Although the number of hours of sleep needed differs for each person, most adults should sleep around 7-9 hours a night, while children and the elderly should sleep even more

Step 4. Find a support network that focuses on healthy fitness

Surrounding yourself with people who are committed to a healthy life can help you live healthily too; dating health conscious individuals gives you the opportunity to participate in activities that lead to weight loss. Make sure you spend time with those who enjoy a healthy lifestyle, such as walking, doing different sports, cycling, cooking nutritious meals at home, and so on. Minimize your time with people who have unhealthy hobbies, such as eating junk food, getting drunk, and spending endless hours in front of the TV as much as possible.

If there is no one in your family or friends who is interested in consciously healthy activities, don't be afraid to make new acquaintances; join some amateur sports groups or play impromptu games in public parks. Sign up for a healthy cooking class or join spinning classes at the local gym; there are many healthy ways to meet people, it's all up to you

Step 5. Start tracking your weight

Some nutrition experts say that having a clear idea of your weight can promote a healthy life. Keeping it in check forces you to think about health; if you see that the value on the scale begins to rise, you know that the time has come to reconsider your daily habits.

Body weight can vary by even a few pounds from day to day; to get an accurate average, you must always weigh yourself at the same time every day (for example as soon as you get up). At the end of the week, add up the data you got each day and divide by seven; the value you get is an accurate estimate of the "real" average weight

Method 3 of 3: Changing Your Eating Habits

Step 1. Drink lots of water

If you typically drink sodas, sports drinks, coffee flavored with sugar and cream, or other high-calorie drinks during the day, you need to replace them with water; in this way, you get the same level of hydration and feeling of fullness, while reducing calories. By maintaining this habit you can achieve moderate weight loss without much effort.

• The health benefits of water are widely demonstrated; this substance invigorates the muscles, gives the skin a healthy and clean appearance, as well as strengthening energy levels. Best of all, it contains no calories so you can drink as much as you want; read this article for more tips and an idea of how it affects the body.
• Don't be fooled into thinking of finding a good solution by replacing soft drinks with fruit juice, because the latter is still high in calories; the processing process it undergoes in fact eliminates all the healthy fibers of the fruit, leaving only sugars. Drink only water or calorie-free flavored water for careful hydration to your waistline.

Step 2. Have smaller meals more frequent

Instead of the three traditional meals a day, try to eat smaller but thicker portions that only have a few hundred calories. This allows you to reset your hunger signals and know precisely when you are really hungry instead of eating out of habit.

An easy way to reduce portion size is to simply use smaller plates; they contain the same amount of food but make it appear greater thanks to what is called the Delboeuf illusion, which essentially "tricks" the brain by making it feel satisfied even with less food

Step 3. Measure each ration

Don't rely on your eyesight to figure out how much you need to eat, but use your brain. Modern commercial kitchen pushes for larger portions, and many people have a misconception of what a normal amount of food should look like. Use a kitchen scale or graduated cups and read the nutrition facts section on the packaging of the products you purchase to make sure you eat a single serving each time; a simple scale is worth buying.

• For many standard foods, it is easy to visually memorize the correct portion size; some of the more common examples are described below, but you can do an online search to find other data or information, for example in this link:

  • Fruits and vegetables: about the size of a fist;
  • Meat, fish or poultry: about the size of the palm (excluding fingers);
  • Cheese or spreadable fats: about the size of your thumb;
  • Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, etc): about the size of a cupcake case.

  

  Step 4. Have breakfast

  Many people in Western countries tend to skip it, and then satisfy hunger by overdoing it at lunch or dinner.

  • Make sure your breakfast includes at least one of these three food groups: dairy, fruit, and cereals.
  • If you are following a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, you can eat eggs and cheese; the important thing is that morning foods "get your metabolism going" and that you don't go hungry.
  • A healthy breakfast for a 70kg adult has around 300-400 calories.

  

  Step 5. Make smart food choices

  A healthy diet is more waist-friendly than an unhealthy one, even if the calorie intake is the same.

  • Eat fresh fruit and vegetables instead of packaged snacks. Commercial foods are rich in preservatives, artificial ingredients and often contain a lot of carbohydrates, sugars and fats. Fresh foods are more nutritious in relation to the energy intake they provide than refined, carbohydrate-filled snacks, such as potato chips or crackers. Industrial products are also typically very salty and this ingredient causes water retention, which in turn results in an increase in abdominal volume.
  • Never eat by taking the food out of the package. One study showed that people given a large basket of popcorn tend to eat 44% more popcorn than individuals given a small basket. It is easier to overeat when you have a large ration of food available; then transfer the right portion to a bowl and put the rest of the package away.

  

  Step 6. Monitor your doses when eating away from home

  It is easier to manage rations when you sit at the table at home than when you go to a restaurant, a place where portions of a meal provide the recommended energy intake for a whole day, or when you go to a friend (where you cannot have control of ingredients). Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to get the situation back in hand and monitor the amount of food, even where you can't be in absolute control:

  • Choose in advance what to order. Many restaurants have websites with all the nutritional information on their menu; this way, you can make a wise choice even before you leave the house.
  • When in the club, ask the waiter to bring you a doggy bag along with the plate. Measure the portion you intend to eat and immediately place the rest in the takeaway box; in this way, you are less tempted to unknowingly continue eating while talking to diners.
  • When you go to someone else's house, don't be afraid to ask for small portions; this foresight allows you to eat everything on your plate instead of leaving leftovers, with the risk of offending the guest.
  • When shopping, choose single-portion packaged products instead of family-sized ones; for example, don't buy a tub of ice cream, but opt for a box of popsicles or sandwich ice cream.

  

  Step 7. Switch to foods that leave a lasting feeling of satiety

  When you want to lose inches in the abdomen, the issue is not limited to the portions you consume, but also involves the quality of the food. Some foods offer quick bursts of energy and satisfaction, but these sensations wear off quickly and you may find that you are hungry again before the next meal; replace such products with alternatives that make you feel fuller and longer.

  • These foods include: wholemeal bread, pasta and rice, oats, dried fruit, water, lean meat and fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables, legumes and beans.
  • The products that do not satiate for a long time are: soft drinks, industrial snacks, white bread, pasta and rice, candies and starches.

  

  Step 8. Eat slowly

  When you devour food quickly, you can introduce exceptionally large amounts of food into your body before you start feeling full and satisfied. Eating slowly, on the other hand, gives you plenty of time to feel full and stop before you've consumed more calories than you need. There is strong evidence that this habit can promote the production of the hormone responsible for the sensation of satiety in the brain.

  • Take your time for meals. Concentrate on chewing each bite at least 10-20 times and sip water between them; put your fork or spoon down each time; eat with friends if you can, so that you can stop for a chat during the meal.
  • Set a timer for 20-30 minutes after you start eating. set a pace that includes not taking the last bite until time is up.
  • When you run out of food, take a break even if you are still a little hungry and give your body time to realize that your stomach is full; indulge in an encore only if you are still hungry after another half hour.

  

  Step 9. Eat your meals in a quiet and peaceful environment

  Some studies have found that eating in relaxing places causes people to cut down on their food intake in general; the noisy, chaotic and full of people instead lead to overeating. Although the root of this behavior is still unknown, one cause could be that the confusion distracts from the perception of satiety, triggering mild anxiety.

  A typical situation that leads to frantic and anxious eating is being late for school or work; Consider waking up earlier so you can enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading out

  

  Step 10. Write down the meals

  Simply keeping track of what you ingest can be an enlightening experience. You may be surprised to learn that you eat more than you thought. Try to write down everything you eat, including meals and snacks, in a notebook that you always carry with you every day; remember to write down the number of servings for each dish and also the calorie content.

  There are several free websites and applications that help keep track of daily meals in an easy way; do some research online to find the one that best suits your needs

  Advice

  • There is several evidence that some teas (especially green tea) are able to improve the body's ability to burn adipose tissue. If you don't add sugar or milk, this drink is calorie-free; however, don't consume it before bed unless you choose the decaffeinated variety.
  • Alcohol is surprisingly high in calories (alcoholic beverages often have an energy content similar to an equal serving of carbohydrates or proteins); try to consume it only on special occasions and alternate alcohol with a glass of water.