Belly fat, or visceral fat, is an especially harmful type of fat that sits around your organs. The first 2 weeks of belly fat loss are the most important, because changes to diet and exercise can result in relatively large weight loss in a short time. Learn the truth about how the body stores and removes belly fat, then adjust your lifestyle for maximum fat reduction.
1. Debunking Belly Fat Myths
Don’t try to isolate the stomach muscles. Belly fat, like other body fat, cannot be spot reduced. Body fat will need to be removed with a combination of diet and exercise from all areas of your body where it is stored.
Don't starve yourself. Eating too little will tell your body to go into fat storage mode, so eat breakfast, healthy snacks and fresh meals. Women should not eat less than 1,500 calories per day, while men should not eat less than 1,700 calories.
Focus on more than diet and exercise. Even though these are essential parts of the equation, sleep and stress play crucial roles in reducing belly fat. Little sleep and high stress, tell your body to produce cortisol hormone, which tells your body to store fat in your mid-section.
Refuse to base your actions on a cleanse or liquid diet. Cleanses are usually only effective for weight loss when combined with a healthy diet, while liquid diets do not give you the nutrients you need for lasting weight loss. Choose to change your eating habits to fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains instead.
Don’t expect even weight loss. You are going to lose more inches on your belly in the first 2 weeks than subsequent weeks if you stay dedicated to a weight loss routine. If you are at least 15 lbs. (6.8 kg) over your ideal weight, you should see significant results in the first 2 weeks and belly reduction may be harder afterward.
Remember that not all fat is the same. Belly fat that is stored around your organs is called visceral fat, and it increases your chances of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. If you store fat in your thighs, buttocks or arms, scientists believe it may be more healthy for you than a “beer belly.”
2. Eating For Belly Reduction
Eat more protein. Ideally, all your proteins should be lean, such as egg whites, fish, chicken or cuts of red meat with very little marbling or fat. Protein requires more energy for your body to digest it and it builds muscle.
- Building muscles will help you burn fat. They speed up your metabolism, burning fat exponentially as you grow stronger. Remember this when you plan your exercise routine.
Eat more of the right kinds of foods. Replace white breads, pastas, fatty meats and sugars with fruits and vegetables. Your plate may be more full than it was before, as long 1/2 to 2/3 of the meal is vegetables.
Go shopping each Sunday. Shop along the perimeter of the grocery store and shop for produce with a wide variety of colors. For the next 2 weeks, only buy whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
Add low-fat dairy to your diet. Protein-rich Greek yogurt, skim milk and even low-fat cheese can make you feel full and reduce calcitriol, a hormone that increases fat storage. Eat at least 6 oz. of yogurt per day, choosing unsweetened or minimally sweetened products over sweeter versions.
Replace your processed grains with whole grains. However, instead of simply buying whole wheat bread, eat quinoa, oatmeal, apples, bananas, flax and wild rice. These fiber sources appear to help digestion, flush the system and help with fat reduction.
Choose your fat. Try to replace all of your fat with monosaturated fat for the next few weeks. This is the fat in nuts, olives and olive oil, flaxseed and avocados. [7]
- Choose snacks that are rich in whole grains, protein and mono-saturated fat. For example, a protein smoothie with Greek yogurt, almond butter and oatmeal or a slice of seeded whole grain bread covered in peanut butter will fill you up longer and provide much-needed nutrients.
3. Exercising For Fat Loss
Choose vigorous exercise. When it comes to burning body fat, not every exercise is created equal. For the next 2 weeks, choose high-intensity workouts like running, swimming laps, road cycling, rowing or boot camp over easy to moderate exercise.
Do strength training 6 times in the next 2 weeks. This works out to 3 times a week, every other day. Start with 4 to 5 lb. (1.8 to 2.3 kg) free weights and move up to 7 lbs. (3.2 kg) if you are comfortable with it.
- Choose weight machines over free weights, if you do not know proper form.
- Always flex your core as you do the exercise. Don’t arch your back. The act of flexing your stomach will help you build stomach muscles and define your belly.
- Lift weights for at least 30 minutes at a time.
- Start with simple and well-known exercises like bicep curls, push-ups, pull-ups, tricep curls, flys, chest presses.
- Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 exercises. You should use enough weight to fatigue your muscles and need a rest after each 3-set exercise.
Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This means you incorporate the act of sprinting during your cardio session for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Give yourself 2 to 4 minutes between sprints. Remember to include a 5-minute warm up and cool down where you remain at an easy to moderate intensity during your workout.
- Even walking can be adjusted for an HIIT workout. Do 3 shorter, fast-paced interval walks (alternating faster walking with a few slower periods) and 2 walks at moderate intensity each week. You will burn 3 to 5 times more visceral (belly) fat.
- After 2 weeks of belly fat burning, you can reduce your workout time to 20 minutes and increase the vigorousness of your sprints to get similar benefits.
Do cardio for at least 30 minutes. You usually burn carbohydrates until you hit the 20-minute mark and start to reduce your fat stores. For bigger weight loss, extend your high-intensity training to 45 minutes 5 times per week over the next 2 weeks.
Try a core class. Pilates, barre, core burning classes and some yoga styles focus on building your stomach and back muscles. Building these muscles through special exercises, in addition to weight lifting, will help you burn more fat each week.
