Excess abdominal fat, or visceral fat, has been linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder problems, even rectal and breast cancer. Obviously, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important, but it can be difficult to set up a regimen that can also meet your daily commitments. To lose fat in this part of the body, you need to lose weight overall; there is no possibility of treating a single area or eliminating the fat localized in a single area. You can lose excess abdominal fat by making changes in three main areas: nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle. Combining these three factors will help you lose belly fat and lose weight, but will improve overall health at the same time.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Change the Power
Step 1. Eat small portions
If you want to lose excess fat in the abdominal area, you need to lose weight in general; it is not possible to reduce it only in this area of the body. By taking smaller portions, you can eliminate unnecessary weight.
- There are several ways to limit portions, the amount of food in general and, consequently, the daily calorie intake. By keeping them under control you can achieve your goal.
- Use a food scale or graduated cups to make sure you are consuming the correct amounts of food and meals in general.
- You can use smaller plates and containers in which to serve your meals, so you can be sure you are consuming less.
- Counting calories is also a method of reducing food portions. You should be eliminating about 500 calories per day, which roughly equates to a weight loss of 0.5-1 kg per week.
Step 2. Choose lean protein sources
Try to eat leaner protein if you want to reduce weight and lose excess fat in the belly area.
- These foods are low in fat and low in calories; they help you feel full and keep you satisfied without adding too many calories to your daily meals.
- High-fat protein sources - such as fatty meats or whole dairy products - not only contain excess calories and fat, but have also been associated with some side effects. If you consume large amounts, you can raise your cholesterol levels.
- Choose lean proteins, such as poultry, eggs, pork, fish, legumes, tofu, and low-fat dairy products. Also make sure you eat an adequate portion, which is about 85-110g.
Step 3. Eat enough fiber
Fiber helps keep you healthy while losing excess weight, including visceral fat.
- These nutrients are found in many different foods. Excellent sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Aim to eat around 25-38g of fiber each day.
- You should consume 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily. In addition to being high in fiber, these foods contain many essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Aim to eat approximately 80g portions of fruit and 120g of vegetables.
- Choose whole grains. In addition to fruits and vegetables, whole grains are also excellent sources of fiber, protein and many B vitamins. One serving equals approximately 80 g. However, you should limit your intake of grains, as a low-carb diet helps you lose excess fat faster than a low-calorie or low-fat one.
Step 4. Supplement your diet with healthy fats
According to some research, these substances, like omega 3 fatty acids, help fight excess weight and abdominal fat.
- These are heart-healthy fats that improve blood pressure, blood vessel function and lower triglycerides.
- Some examples are: olive oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, salmon, tuna and mackerel.
- Avoid unhealthy fats, such as trans fats or excessive amounts of saturated fats. Both have been found to be harmful to health in general (especially the heart and arteries). These fats are found in industrially refined foods, processed meat, whole dairy products, and fatty cuts of meat.
Step 5. Limit your consumption of refined simple carbohydrates
These foods (such as sugar and white bread) have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and visceral fat accumulation. By reducing them, you can lose weight and improve overall health.
- By simple carbohydrates we mean those with a simple chemical composition. This category includes sugars of all types; when overworked, they lose many nutrients. Some examples are: white bread, cakes, cookies, ice cream, refined pasta and rice, candy, sugary drinks, pastries, and breakfast cereals. All of these foods contain large amounts of simple processed carbohydrates and refined sugar.
- Give up these foods and choose whole grain foods instead (such as wholemeal bread, rice, or pasta). As mentioned before, they are high in fiber and other important nutrients, not to mention the fact that they have been shown to reduce excess fat.
Part 2 of 3: Increase Physical Activity
Step 1. Incorporate 150 minutes of cardio activity per week into your routine
Unlike weight loss in general, this type of exercise plays an important role in reducing fat in the abdominal area.
- Exercise for at least two and a half hours a week. Some experts recommend doing 60-minute daily sessions, particularly when you want to lose excess belly fat.
- Some moderate or intense cardio activities are: brisk walking, jogging, elliptical biking, swimming, and aerobics classes.
Step 2. Do high intensity interval training for 1-2 days
HIIT exercises can help you achieve your goal.
- High Intensity Interval Training is a type of cardio training that alternates short moments of very, very intense activity with other more moderate ones; leads to a noticeably faster heart rate, but the overall session doesn't last long.
- In addition to reducing fat mass, HIIT also allows you to burn a lot of calories and speeds up your metabolism for several hours once the training session is over.
- Some examples of high intensity interval exercises are: sprinting on an incline for 2 minutes, doing 5 minutes of light running on a flat surface, and then repeating this cycle for about 20-30 minutes.
Step 3. Increase movement in daily activities
Try to move and walk more throughout the day as it helps you lose weight and reduce abdominal fat.
- These are the activities that you basically carry out every day. For example, walking to and from the car, vacuuming, or climbing stairs.
- This type of movement doesn't burn a lot of calories and doesn't speed your heart rate per se, but at the end of the day it has benefits that help you reach your goal.
- Think about your "typical" day and try to increase those activities you usually do, in order to get more exercise. For example, you can choose to take the stairs instead of taking the elevator, park your car farther away, or do jumping jacks during commercial breaks on TV shows.
Step 4. Incorporate a day or two of strength training into your weekly routine
Although cardio exercises have a greater impact in reducing the amount of abdominal fat, strength activity adds other health benefits.
- It helps to increase and maintain lean muscle mass, improve bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and speed up metabolism.
- Do weight training, isometric exercises, participate in yoga or pilates classes for a few days a week, in order to get more benefits from this type of physical activity.
- Remember that abdominal exercises don't work to reduce fat in a single area, you have to lose weight in general and tone your entire body as a whole to notice a reduction in visceral fat.
Part 3 of 3: Managing the Lifestyle
Step 1. Get 7-9 hours of sleep a night
Several studies have shown that those who do not sleep well or get enough sleep are at greater risk of suffering from various conditions, including obesity and the accumulation of a high percentage of abdominal fat.
- Generally, it is recommended that you sleep at least 7-9 hours per night. If possible, you should go to bed earlier or get up later.
- You should also turn off all electronic devices, as they emit lights or noises that can prevent you from having a deep, restful sleep.
Step 2. Manage your stress
Some studies have found that people suffering from chronic stress are more prone to accumulating fat around the central area of the body.
- Stress triggers the release of a hormone called cortisol, which appears to negatively impact the ability to lose weight and causes the body to accumulate more calories or fat in certain areas of the body.
- Try to overcome stressful situations as best you can. There are several techniques and methods that can help you relax and reduce stress, including: reading a book, journaling, meditating, exercising, talking to a friend or family member who can support you.
- If you are having trouble managing stress, you should see a mental health professional. He will be able to guide you and point you to more specific methods for dealing with daily tensions.
Step 3. Stop smoking and drinking alcohol
In addition to changing your diet and increasing your level of exercise, you also need to stop these habits, as they tend to accumulate fat on your belly.
- You can quit smoking abruptly, you can contact your doctor to prescribe drugs to quit smoking, or you can ask for a detoxification program to get rid of this habit. The sooner you can break this habit, the better.
- Also limit your alcohol consumption as much as possible or minimize it. Women should not drink more than one drink per day, while men should drink no more than two.
Advice
- Always consult your doctor before making any changes in diet, physical activity or lifestyle. Also tell him that you want to lose weight and reduce excess fat in the abdominal area.
- Drink more water. The general advice is to drink between 8 and 13 glasses of water a day.
- Exercises such as sit-ups, crunches and other "targeted" workouts help strengthen the abdominal muscles, but do not reduce the fat layer.
