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.
There are two types of belly fat: subcutaneous fat (the pinchable stuff) and visceral fat surrounding internal organs. Subcutaneous fat has a more significant number of fat-storing cells (adipocytes), while visceral fat has more fat-releasing cells (lipocytes).
The visceral belly quickly accumulates and slowly dissolves because it's designed to provide a quick energy source and insulate the body. In contrast, subcutaneous belly fat tends to be the hardest to lose. The good news? Losing stubborn belly fat can be challenging, but it's not impossible.
1. Get Committed
Losing weight takes commitment. Commit to getting 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 commit to change — this is necessary for getting rid of belly fat for life!
2. 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 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 more significant 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.
3. 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 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 to a workout, but it pays to start simple. Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated, especially if it is warm outside. You can sweat a lot of water and nutrients in thirty minutes. Replenish with electrolytes and water.
4. Stay Motivated
Staying motivated is a challenge sometimes. Figure out what things will help you get and stay motivated. The motivation to lose weight often starts 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. Please keep it simple, such as taking a class with a friend. Having a buddy can make all the difference.
5. Reduce Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks are high in calories and low in nutrients, which can lead to weight gain if consumed in excess. Drinking excess alcohol can cause weight gain, especially around the midsection. Excessive drinking is linked to an increase in belly fat. Furthermore, alcohol can stimulate your appetite and lower your inhibitions, making you more likely to overeat.
It can also interfere with the body's ability to burn fat, as it prioritizes metabolizing alcohol, a toxin, over other metabolic processes. This phenomenon, coupled with the high-calorie content in alcoholic beverages, often increases belly fat, sometimes called a "beer belly." It's important to note that alcohol, not just beer, can contribute to weight gain and increased belly fat. Therefore, moderation in alcohol consumption is critical for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing belly fat.
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