Everyone has a bit of fat on their bellies – even men and women with flat stomachs and abs. It’s completely normal to have a little fat on your stomach, but too much can be really damaging to your health. It’s not so much the fat underneath your skin that causes problems; it’s the ‘visceral fat’ we need to worry about, the fat deep within that sits around your heart, lungs, liver and other organs.
Having excessive amounts of fat around your vital organs can lead to serious health problems and there’s only one way to control visceral fat – maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Dieting and exercising will also help you get rid of the other type of unwanted fat on your stomach – the type that’s very visible when you’re on the beach!
Here are our top tips to get rid of unwanted belly fat:
Stop bloating
First of all – is it fat making your belly stick out, or bloating? Fizzy drinks, diet and taking in too much air when breathing and eating can cause your stomach to balloon. If you notice there is a certain food causing you to bloat, like wheat, eat less of it and make sure you eat lots of fibre (found in apples and beans) and fruit and veg. You should also eat and breathe slowly – take a few minutes each day to concentrate on breathing from your stomach, rather than your chest. Maybe you made enough cash while trading online and decides to spoil yourself the whole month with fizzy drinks and alcohol.
Reduce the amount of fat on your body
Although there are tempting ‘quick fix’ diets out there, tried and tested methods for eradicating fat, like calorie control and exercise are still the best. Faddy diets don’t work in the long term, whereas counting your calories and filling up on healthy greens instead of sugary treats will help you lose fat and keep it off. You should also be exercising regularly – otherwise you’ll never burn off the fat. It’s better to exercise in short bursts, as it kick-starts your body into burning calories.
Tone up
As well as burning off the fat with cardio workouts like jogging and power walking, you need to do some weight-lifting and toning exercises – dancing, martial arts, climbing and rowing are all great for toning the middle part of your body.
If you eat healthily and exercise, but still can’t get rid of unwanted belly fat, you could opt for liposuction. This is not a procedure for losing weight, it’s an option for the stubborn bits of fat you can’t shift any other way. If you choose to undergo liposuction, it’s important to keep on exercising and controlling your diet after your body has healed, otherwise the fat will return. It is also important to keep in mind that liposuction is not a solution to obesity. Obese people who wish to lose fat should follow the above tips and sick help from their doctor.
With belly fat, there are no quick fixes – but the good news is that there are countless things you can do to lose fat and tone up. It’s as simple as taking a look at your diet and exercise habits and then making permanent, positive changes to your lifestyle.
Image Credit: gimnasiosnarvaez.com
