How to get rid of belly fat quickly

 
  If it's just for the fitting of your clothes, then there's nothing really wrong with belly fat. But there are serious health issues involved with belly fat.

According to Michael D. Jensen, MD, a specialist in endocrimology at Mayo Clinic, 'having a large amount of belly fat regardless of your OVERALL WEIGHT(whether you are obese or NOT) increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Colerectal cancer, Sleep apnea'.



You can have a false feeling of being secured when you are not overweight. 

But a study published in the journal of Annals of Internal Medicine, states that normal people who have central fat have a greater mortality risk than people who are overweight or obese with regular fat distribution.

The question is; why is belly fat dangerous?

   
 Belly fat can be of two types. First Type: Subcutaneous fat (fat which appears under the skin. You can grab subcutaneous fat with your hands). Second Type: Visceral fat (fat which accumulates around the internal organs like your intestines, liver, kidney).

But belly fat is largely visceral fat (here lies the danger).

Visceral fat is far more risky than subcutaneous fat.


Visceral fat is an active part of your body that makes lots of dangerous substances. It releases large amounts of fatty acids that affect blood sugar and insulin metabolism.

Now, these fatty acids make the body lose sensitivity to insulin which eventually leads to type 2 diabetes (insulin helps to remove excess sugar from the blood).

Furthermore, these fats (Visceral) also release chemicals like cytokines that cause inflammation which can lead to cancer. They also produce substances that alter cholesterol levels, raise blood pressure and interfere with normal blood vessel activity.
 
 The good part is that you can estimate and monitor your belly fat to know when it's risky. This can be done by measuring the circumference of your waist. Click here to learn how to measure your waist circumference.

Get Rid Of Belly Fat

Exercise:

A combination of Aerobic exercise and strength training is very effective for reducing abdominal fat. A study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism confirms this fact.

If you want to get rid of belly fat, you have to engage in aerobic exercises like running, walking, cycling, dancing and swimming for at least 30 minutes per day ( 5 days per week). These exercises help to burn calories.

 Furthermore, lifting weights like dumbbells creates micro tears in the muscles which burns calories during the healing process which can last up to two days after your session.


You have to consider getting a dumbbell if you don’t have one. Beginners should start with light to moderate weight dumbbells (2 to 5 pounds). Then you can increase the weight with time. Dumbbells target different muscles of the body.


The following dumbbell exercises will target the abdominal region.

Dumbbell crunches:

 Dumbbell crunch is like the conventional sit-up. It targets the abdominal region. 

Initial Position: Lie on your back facing upwards. Bend the knees and make sure that your feet are on the ground. Place the dumbbell on your chest below the chin and with your two hands. 

Next Step: Raise your upper body from the ground. Lie flat again. Repeat for 12 times or till your maximum.

Crunches with overhead dumbbell:

 Initial position: 

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift a dumbbell with your two hands and raise the dumbbell toward the ceiling. 

Next move: 

Raise your upper body with your arms still raised. Gradually lower your back your back to the floor. And repeat.

You can also incorporate the exercises below into your work out. They are excellent for the abs. No equipment is needed for them.

Alternate heel touch:

Initial position: Lie on the floor with your back. Your knees should be bent and your feet flat on the floor. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. Your arms straight beside you.

Step 1: Raise the upper body a little bit up and forward to the right. Use the right hand to touch the right heel while breathing out. Hold for a second and return back to the initial position. And inhale.

Step 2: Again, raise the upper body a little bit up and forward to the left. Touch the left heel using your left hand as you exhale. Hold for a second and return to the initial position. Inhale.

Take the first and second step as the first round of the exercise. Repeat up to 12 times or till your maximum.

Planks:

This is another simple but effective exercise that targets different muscles in the body including the abs.

Position your body to a press-up position but with your fore arms. Your fore arms should support your weight. Your shoulders to the feet should be straight.

Exhale and maintain the position for 20 to 30 seconds or as long as you can withstand. Inhale and rest for a few seconds and repeat. Repeat the exercise as long as you can withstand.

Note: It’s always advisable to start with strength training since it requires a greater amount of energy. For instance if you lift weight after running, you won’t be able to do much of the weight lifting since you’ve exhausted a lot of energy during the running exercise.

 If you have any medical conditions, consult your doctor first before starting a work out regimen.

Getting enough sleep: 

Recent studies have shown a connection between stress and belly fat. When Cortisol (a hormone released during stress) is released, it stops the insulin from regulating blood sugar and it also relocates fat to your abdominal area.

Furthermore, visceral fat (which is a belly fat) has more receptors for cortisol (stress hormone) than any other fat. The greater the number of cortisol receptors, the more visceral fat becomes sensitive to cortisol.

This increase in sensitivity brings about more increase in the size of the belly fat cell (meaning that your belly will get bigger).

 Lack of rest affects the production of important hormones responsible for the metabolism of fat cells. A good night's rest is very important for belly fat loss. So get the expert-recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

Healthy Nutrition: You can exercise well, sleep well but you cannot achieve a good result without a healthy nutrition. Healthy eating is very essential when it comes to reducing belly fat.

You really need to do the following:

• Avoid Diet Soda: According to the journal of the American Geriatrics Society, diet soda intake is associated with long term increases in Waist Circumference (belly fat). 

The diet soda with empty calories contain artificial sweeteners which trigger a message to your body to expect an inflow of energy (energy that won't arrive since there are no calories in the soda).

This means that there will be an increase in your appetite and hunger signals making you long for more calories to substitute the empty of calories in the soda.

• Limit your Alcohol intake:  Alcohol stops the body from using carbohydrates and fat as energy. When alcohol is taken, Acetate is produced. The Acetate is used as an energy source. 

This means that your food intake won't be converted for energy. Rather it would be stored as fat. 

Alcoholic drinks also contain empty calories that encourage weight gain.

Again, alcohol serves as an appetizer.  It makes you eat more. Limiting your alcohol intake is vital if you really want to lose belly fat.

• Avoid Processed foods: Processed foods have large amounts of sugar/high fructose corn syrup. Consider them as your enemies if you want to make progress. 

Processed foods are incredibly rewarding to our brains that they make us eat more and more. The body has a fullness mechanism which makes you stop eating when you are full or satisfied. But processed foods are specially designed to bypass the body’s fullness mechanism.

They are made with refined sugar that gives the body a pleasure feeling that makes you crave for more.

Processed foods work the way cocaine works (they cause addiction. Though not as extreme as that of cocaine). This is the reason why many people are addicted to processed junk foods. So it's best to avoid them.

Experts recommend that your food budget should be 90% of whole foods. You can take bananas instead of cookies, a slice of water melon can replace ice cream.

• Eat more Fiber foods: A research conducted on obese Americans showed that increasing their intake of fiber significantly decreased their abdominal fat. 

This was possible because soluble fiber helps to eliminate fat while the insoluble fiber helps to reduce your hunger level. Fiber rich foods include; fruits like apple, oats, vegetables, cherries, white/black beans.

•  More of Monounsaturated fat: It sounds ironical how more fat will help you lose belly fat. But it's an undeniable fact. There are healthy fats (monounsaturated fats) and bad fats (Trans fat). 

Monounsaturated fat is a healthy fat which is good for the body. Monounsaturated fat reduces bad cholesterol and helps to keep you full.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that foods containing monounsaturated fats increase satiety than saturated fats thus preventing overeating. 

Adding foods like avocados, peanuts, olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, sesame oil (which are rich in monounsaturated fat) to your meal will help reduce your belly fat.

 Fat burning drinks : Some natural home-made drinks burn fats. To reduce your belly fat faster, you need to take some of these drinks regularly. They include;

•  Lemon juice : 

Lemon juice contains Potassium, Vitamin C and Citric Acid. A study published in the journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that individuals with adequate Vitamin C status lost significant amount of fat during exercise than those with a reduced Vitamin C status. 

So, starting your day with lemon juice will detoxify your body and also help to burn the belly fat. Mix fresh lemon juice with a glass of warm water.

 Drink before you eat in the morning (once a day, 4 or 5 days per week).

 Ginger tea:

Ginger is a thermogenic food (foods that trigger heat production). During heat production in the body, calories are used. 

Again, ginger works as a natural appetite suppressant (they reduce your hunger levels).

Put your sliced and peeled ginger in a cup or small bowl. Pour hot water into the cup containing the ginger and leave it for about 15 minutes. Stir very well (for 10 minutes). Sieve the tea.

You can add lemon and honey or drink it like that (Take at least once every day).

•  Apple cider vinegar : 
  

The acidity of apple cider vinegar helps to burn belly fat. Apple cider vinegar also reduces hunger levels. 

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that vinegar increases satiety.

The study revealed that the main active ingredient in apple cider vinegar (Acetic acid) increases the feelings of fullness after a high carbohydrate meal.

When you feel full, your calorie intake will reduce leading to fat loss. Just add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and stir. Drink before meal (drink once a day and 4 days a week).

•  Green tea:
  
  

Several studies have shown that green tea stimulates the body to burn abdominal fat. The active ingredient (called EGCG) acts as an antioxidant and also burns fat. Just soak green tea leaves or bag in hot water (for 2-3 minutes).

You can add lemon juice and honey, stir very well. Drink a glass on an empty stomach in the morning (drink once every day).

Important Tips

• You need to imbibe a combination of these remedies into your life style for quick results. For example, exercising alone cannot do the job. You need to exercise (regularly), sleep well and eat healthily for you to lose belly fat.

• Drinks like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are acidic. They can erode the enamel of your teeth. So make sure you rinse your mouth properly after drinking or you can use straw to drink to avoid touching the teeth.

• Monitor your progress every two weeks by measuring your waist circumference. (learn how to measure your waist circumference)

• Stay motivated. You need to keep focus, use these remedies regularly and don't be discouraged.

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