Lose Stubborn Belly Fat

What happens when you put your favorite jeans on? Your belly fat pushes up, spills over the top of your jeans. Enter the dreaded "muffin top". How cute, right? Wrong!

Living a sedentary lifestyle has consequences associated with body fat. Until it happens, you stay complacent and think that it will never happen to you. As the years go by, belly fat sneaks in. Here are a few simple things to get you started on your belly fat loss journey.

Get Committed 

Losing weight takes commitment. Commit to get healthy by making small lifestyle changes. Don't wait until a few weeks before a wedding, or vacation. Good health is a decision to commit to becoming your best self. The best way to do it is to take in fewer calories than you burn in one day. This is easier said than done. Motivation helps in committing to change — this is necessary for getting rid of belly fat for life!

Control Food Portions

While different foods work for individual people to lose belly fat, one thing is clear, the math works. If you eat more than what your body needs, you will gain weight in your belly. Garbage in, garbage out. Oversized food portions become garbage your body does not need or use. Imagine that your stomach is not bigger than the size of your fist. Now see how much food you can put in a fist full on your plate. If you don't feel full,  fill up with water or vegetables or wait another 3 hours to eat the rest. Spreading out your food intake throughout the day helps burn calories faster.

Start Walking

Walking is the best thing you can do for yourself. Walking will improve lung and muscle function. Your heart will love you for it. Start off by taking a thirty-minute walk every day. If you cannot go for thirty minutes the first week, then work up to it. Walking for thirty minutes a day is easy to stick with. You can always add more into a workout, but it pays to start simple. Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated, especially if it is warm outside. You can sweat out a considerable amount of water and nutrients in thirty minutes. Replenish with electrolytes and water.

Stay Motivated

Staying motivated is a challenge sometimes. Figure out what things will help you get and stay motivated. The motivation to lose weight will often start with finding a workout you enjoy. Don't be under a lot of pressure by setting up an unrealistic time frame. Another great way to get and keep your motivation is to find a like-minded friend to exercise with. Keep it simple, such as taking a class with a friend. Having a buddy can make all the difference.