Have you ever felt that you do everything to lose belly fat, but the results come too slowly? You do a tiring abs workout and follow healthy diets, but you can see only small changes in your stomach. Sometimes you feel you are close to giving up the training and your diet.
You are not alone! I felt the same. I did my best to have a flat belly, but the results came slowly.
The reason usually this happens is that we do not give up at least a few of our worst habits. For example, one of my biggest mistakes was that I ate before I went to sleep. It was my habit for long years, and I did not realize how harmful it was.
To burn belly fat faster and reach those six-pack abs, we need to get rid of those bad habits. And take up ones that support our diet and workout routine. These are typically simple steps, but they can help to lose abdomen fat faster.
I did some research on the web and collected some tips for flat abs. They are not related to abdominal exercises or diet plans, but simple ways to lose stomach fat by changing your lifestyle.
I use these fat-burning tips each day. Now I know, with a proper diet, workout, and these little tricks I can reach my goal.
Here are 21 tips for losing belly fat for men and women, that you can start today.
- 1. Eat Only If you are Really Hungry
- 2. Sleep Enough
- 3. Have Breakfast Wisely
- 4. Your Dinner Should be 3 Hours Before Going to Bed
- 5. Reduce alcohol consumption
- 6. Get a Partner to Do Workouts and Diet Together
- 7. Eat Slowly
- 8. Drinking Water
- 9. Eat More than 3 Times a Day
- 10. Stuff Your Sandwiches Full Of Vegetables
- 11. Set Achievable Weight Loss Goals
- 12. Be Positive
- 13. Control Your Food Intake with Smaller Portions
- 14. Eat Organic Food
- 15. Pay Attention to Snacks
- 16. Forget your TV, PC and Mobile
- 17. Get rid of MSG Foods
- 18. Never Forget the Reasons Why You Want to Lose Weight
- 19. Eat in Restaurants Fewer Times
- 20. Eat Soluble Fiber-rich foods
- 21. Do Aerobic Exercises
- FAQ
1. Eat Only If you are Really Hungry
In the modern world, we are eating even if we are not hungry. It is just a bad habit. We eat if we are happy or sad. All the time. It is one of the first habits you have to get rid of.
What have I done to avoid this bad habit? I just rarely buy those tempting things such as chips, chocolate, etc. It is hard not to eat junk food if you open the kitchen cupboard or the fridge and they are stuffed with trash.
And when I crave, I have a glass of water or some fresh vegetables or fruits instead.
+Tip: Healthy fatty foods like those found in olive oil, almonds, and tuna can be added to your diet (Omega-3 fat). Trans fats, however, should be avoided. Hydrogen is pumped into unsaturated fats such as soybean oil to make trans fats. It has been shown that these fats are associated with inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, diabetes and abdominal fat gain
2. Sleep Enough
If you do not sleep enough, your metabolism slows down. On top of that, if you are tired your body needs compensation. And how do we compensate ourselves? We start eating or drinking something sweet or munch on a packet of chips.
We also must not forget that if you have sleep deprivation you will not be able to do your training session effectively, or even worse you are more willing to neglect it.
So, have at least 8 hours of undisturbed sleep each day.
Related reading: Weight Loss and Sleep
3. Have Breakfast Wisely
Breakfast is the time when you can eat without control. The problem is that most people eat foods that are full of sugar. They eat too many low-quality carbohydrates.
Instead of that have breakfasts that are full of protein, healthy fats, and carbs. Eat ham, eggs, bacon with veggies. Drink milk and homemade juices.
These foods contain all the nutrients you need and give you energy for the whole morning. Furthermore, because of the protein, your metabolism will be faster, and that leads to weight loss.
+Tip: If you keep your protein intake high and avoid refined carbs like sugar, candy, and white bread, you should be able to lose weight. During weight loss, protein increases your metabolic rate and helps you maintain lean muscle mass. Although protein may not help losing belly fat, it is beneficial for general weight maintenance because it makes us feel full. It is best to consume 70 grams of lean protein per day as a general rule.
Watch the video below for healthy breakfast ideas
4. Your Dinner Should be 3 Hours Before Going to Bed
This was my biggest mistake. When we sleep, the metabolic rate is slower. If you eat just before going to bed, your body accumulates the additional nutrients and transforms them to body fat. If you go to sleep at 10, have dinner before 7.
5. Reduce alcohol consumption
Most alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories. If you like drinking beer or sweet cocktails, you should minimize that.
However, drinking a little bit of dry red wine can help with burning tummy fat, it has many health benefits for the digestive and vascular system. It contains resveratrol that lowers the fat cell development around the waist and makes the metabolism faster. Drink a small glass of wine 3-4 times a week.
+Tip: Neither waist circumference nor abdominal fat levels are significantly affected by abdominal muscles training alone. The combination of resistance training and cardiovascular exercise will reduce body fat.
6. Get a Partner to Do Workouts and Diet Together
Doing exercises together is more fun. You can help each other to get the most from the training sessions. You can motivate each other by talking about your progress and sharing your experiences. You can also do a competition together on who loses weight faster or who can reach a training goal. It is easier to follow a healthy lifestyle together.
7. Eat Slowly
It has been proved that those who eat faster take in more foods than the ones who do not. Take time to chew your meals totally. It has positive effects on your digestive system, and the nutrients can assimilate better.
According to a study in BMJ Open, people who eat slowly tend to weigh less than those who eat rapidly. In the long run, slowing down their eating speed helped them lose weight, too.
Hormones are largely responsible for controlling your appetite and calorie intake. In the gut, ghrelin, which regulates hunger and fullness, is suppressed after a meal. You feel full and are less likely to overeat when you have these hormones telling your brain you have eaten. Your brain needs time to receive these signals, so slowing down gives it that time.
8. Drinking Water
Cold water helps to increase the metabolic rate of your body. This way it burns more calories. Personally, I think there is nothing better than drinking mineral water. Get rid of those sweet, artificial sugary drinks. Green tea is another alternative as it contains components that support fat burning.
An easy way to boost your metabolism is to have a big glass of lemon water in the morning.
Sugary beverages and sugary foods are linked to weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease, tooth decay, and many other health issues.
+ Tip: Making informed food choices starts with reading food labels. There is a lot of information about nutrition and food safety on the labels of packaged foods and drinks. With the help of them, you can control your calorie intake much better.
9. Eat More than 3 Times a Day
It is a misconception that we should eat 3 times a day. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat 5-6 times a day. Of course, the portions must be smaller and should contain beneficial nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Healthy eating 4-5 times a day helps to keep the level of your metabolism high. This habit also regulates your sugar level, and you will have enough energy for the entire day.
Watch the video below for some tips.
10. Stuff Your Sandwiches Full Of Vegetables
In case you make a sandwich, hamburger, or anything like that, you should stuff them with greens such as tomatoes, cucumbers, paprika, etc.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are critical parts of a healthy diet. Tomatoes are especially beneficial since they contain certain substances, which control hunger. Use only a little mayonnaise, ketchup, etc., they are full of calories and have lean meat.
+Tip: Because liquid calories aren’t recorded by the brain in the same way as solid calories, people who consume sugar-sweetened beverages end up consuming more calories overall.
11. Set Achievable Weight Loss Goals
Having short, medium, and long-term goals is vital. But you should always set the ones that you can achieve. If you set goals that are too hard, and you fail, the motivation goes away quickly.
As it is said, “Dream big but start small!”
It is a good idea to aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week in the long run. You should eat fewer calories and exercise regularly if you wish to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. To do this, you should burn 500 to 1,000 more calories than you consume each day.
12. Be Positive
Instead of talking about that, you have just lost only a little weight, or you cannot do one more repetition, be proud of what you have already reached.
Healthy weight loss and strength training are not comfortable for most people. Always be positive! Speak about what you have already achieved. That is the only way you can keep yourself motivated.
Don’t forget “Roman wasn’t built in a day.”
+ Tip: Exercise regularly and increase physical activity. In most cases, abdominal obesity is linked to a sedentary lifestyle. When you don’t have a regular exercise routine, walking is an excellent introduction. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs.
13. Control Your Food Intake with Smaller Portions
If you want to lose weight, you need to eat less. An effortless way to regulate your food intake is to use smaller plates. Get rid of those huge bowls!
Throughout the day, mini-meals can provide nutrients to the body, satisfy the appetite, and stabilize blood sugar levels. If you skip meals, your metabolism slows down compared to when you eat smaller, more frequent portions.
14. Eat Organic Food
Try to eat fresh vegetables and fruits that are grown in bio farms. In many cases, those products are not so beautiful, but natural.
Have you ever thought about why those veggies and fruits are so beautiful which you usually see in the large stores? Unfortunately, most of the farms use a lot of chemicals to grow big and beautiful products.
If you can afford it, go to bio shops and buy organic products there. I always purchase fruits from the local market from sellers whom I trust.
What are refined carbohydrates? A bad carbohydrate is, for example, sugar or refined grains stripped of bran, fiber, and nutrients. Among the foods which contain bad carbohydrates are white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, and sweet desserts. The problem is that these things quickly boost your sugar intake.
Watch the video for details.
15. Pay Attention to Snacks
Most of the snacks we eat while we watch TV are full of artificial components and calories. These are typical junk foods.
I know, it is so fabulous to sit and chew something, but they are one of the main reasons for obesity. Get rid of snacking processed junk and eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, yogurt, etc. It may be hard at first, but you will get used to it.
+ Tip: Try intermittent fasting. In intermittent fasting (IF), alternate periods of fasting and eating take place. There is no specific advice about what foods to eat, only when. This would be called an eating pattern rather than a diet. Typical intermittent fasting methods involve 16-hour fasts twice a week or 24-hour fasts every other week. It’s an excellent type of diet for belly fat loss.
16. Forget your TV, PC and Mobile
Many people spend too much time in front of the TV, computer and with their mobile. The big problem is that these activities are usually useless. We do things on these devices without any good reasons.
Forget them! Go out. Walk with your spouse and children. Be with them! Try to find outdoor activities that you like. These are easy cardio workouts and help to reduce stress.
If you can forget those devices, you will lose weight and be more trained. Plus, it has benefits for your relationships.
17. Get rid of MSG Foods
Unfortunately, most of the things we eat contain MSG (monosodium glutamate). All highly processed foods contain this substance. It harms not only your body but also helps abdominal fat generation. Try to avoid processed foods as much as you can, and eat raw things.
+ Tip: It’s been suggested that switching from refined carbs to unprocessed starchy carbs will reduce belly fat and improve metabolic health.
18. Never Forget the Reasons Why You Want to Lose Weight
There are many reasons why we want to lose weight. Mainly, because we want to be healthier, or we want to be slim.
To keep going on, list the reasons why you want to burn fat. Put that list in a place where you can see it every day. You can also choose somebody to be your hero whom you would like to follow and put his picture next to your list. These little tricks help you to be motivated.
19. Eat in Restaurants Fewer Times
It is a fact that most of the restaurants, and not just the fast-food ones, use too much oil and materials that are full of calories and other substances that are bad for you. Eat less in restaurants or choose the one wisely.
If you have enough time, learn how to cook. If you make your meals on your own, you will know what it contains. You can control what sorts of ingredients you will use more and less.
To go one step further, you can make your drinks and juices. Most of the juices we buy contain unwanted chemicals and a lot of sugar. If you prepare your drinks, you can use bio fruits and vegetables without adding any refined sugar. It may not be as delicious, but certainly healthier.
+ Tip: Get the flat stomach you’ve been dreaming of with some extra calcium and vitamin D in your fat loss diet.
20. Eat Soluble Fiber-rich foods
There is no doubt that your meals should contain fruits and vegetables. They contain a lot of dietary fibers that suppress your appetite. Besides, they contain lots of minerals and vitamins.
Low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol levels are lowered by soluble fiber found in beans, legumes, oats, flaxseed, and oat bran. High-fiber foods may also help reduce blood pressure and inflammation, according to studies.
21. Do Aerobic Exercises
Cardio, or aerobic exercise, gets your heart pumping. Your blood pumps rapidly throughout your body during aerobic exercise, and you breathe in more oxygen. The word aerobic basically means “with oxygen,” which means that how much oxygen your muscles get depends on how much you breathe.
You’re less likely to get obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and even certain types of cancer if you do aerobic workouts. Walking and other weight-bearing aerobics help prevent osteoporosis. You can lose weight and keep it off with cardio training and a healthy diet.
In a nutshell, it is an exercise that strengthens your heart and lungs in addition to the muscles you are using while working out. Aerobic exercises include running, cardio kickboxing, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, and dancing. These are all great ways to lose belly fat.
FAQ
Does running help to lose stomach fat?
Running is definitely one of the best cardio for burning those extra calories. If you combine it with a diet for losing belly fat, some abdominal exercises, it will surely help.
Is it possible to lose fat around my stomach in a week?
No! There are articles here and there all over the internet but do not believe you can get rid of that stubborn belly fat so fast. At least, not in a healthy way and the result will not be long. Excess belly fat is the hardest to get rid of and continuous training and diet are needed.
Will doing 100 sit-ups a day reduce the fat on my tummy?
Well, performed sit-ups surely help, but you will not have a lean stomach just because you do this sort of exercise. Other ab workouts for the core muscles, aerobic activity are necessary. You should pay attention to your calorie consumption to get a daily calorie deficit.
Conclusion
In addition to shrinking your waistline, losing weight will reduce the dangerous visceral fat that you cannot see within the abdominal cavity, but that creates health risks.
Besides a healthy diet, strength, and aerobic exercises, these lifestyle changes can help you a lot to reduce unwanted belly fat. Pick up a few healthy habits and get rid of the bad ones, and you will see that the fat will disappear faster than you think.
In this blog post, I have shown some tips that can help you lose belly fat and get a healthy body. There are lots of different ways to lose weight. It is essential to focus on your diet and exercise to lose stomach fat and get a flat stomach. Try these tips to improve your health and make sure you always stay fit!
Do you know other ways to lose abdominal fat? Share with us.