Fat stored around the waist can be a risk of developing diseases like stroke, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The easiest way to determine if you’re at risk of developing any of the above mentioned diseases, simple measure your waist.
A measurement greater than 100 cm for men and 85 cm for women is considered to be
‘high risk’. But don’t despair, even if you are at risk there are some simple steps you can take in order to lose belly fat fast.
#1. REDUCE YOUR FOOD INTAKE.
The best way to reduce your food intake is to simply decrease your portion seizes slightly so your appetite isn’t affected.
You may also want to substitute certain foods that you’re currently consuming regularly with healthier alternatives.
By reducing your overall food intake you make it easier for your body to create a mild
calorie deficit that will assist your weight-loss efforts.
#2. CHOOSE A LOW GLYCEMIC DIET
The Glycemic Index is a way to rank foods according to the effect they have on our blood glucose levels. This is especially true in regards to carbohydrates.
Specifically, the glycemic index measures how much a 50-gram portion of carbohydrates raises your blood sugar levels compared with a control.
The control is either white bread or pure glucose.
All carbohydrates cause some temporary rise in your blood glucose level.
This is called the glycemic response. And this response is affected by a variety of factors, including the amount of food eaten, the type of carbohydrates, the method used to prepare the food, as well as the degree of processing, to name just a few.
The slower your body processes the food, the slower the insulin is released, and the healthier the overall effect is on your body.
And it’s the foods that raise your blood sugar level slowly, that you, as a person desiring to loose weight, want to eat. And there are several reasons for this.
First, these foods – many of which you’ll discover are high in fiber – will just keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. And any of you who have been on a diet can be thankful for this.
#3. REDUCE YOUR INTAKE OF CARBOHYDRATES
There is no doubt that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss.
They have also been shown to significantly reduce abdominal fat stores.
The easiest way to reduce your overall intake of carbohydrates is to eat mainly fibrous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, capsicum, tomatoes, etc., eat a moderate amount of fruits and starchy vegetables, and consume a small amount of high-density carbohydrates, like bread, pasta, rice, cereals, etc.
Carbohydrate is stored in your body as glycogen and for every gram of glycogen stored, 2-3 grams of water is stored with it. Therefore, reducing your glycogen stores will result in immediately weight loss.
#4. INCREASE YOUR PROTEIN CONSUMPTION
Out of the three macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat ), protein is the most effective at helping you lose belly fat. There are several reasons for this.
Protein is the most satiating food component, which means it helps you feel satisfied for longer following a meal. It also requires the most energy to be burned through the processes of digestion, absorption, and utilization compared to either fat or carbohydrate.
Research has shown that a higher protein intake is related to having less belly fat!
#5. CONSUME MORE FIBER
Fiber is the indigestible component of food matter. It is primarily found in vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and cereals. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, both of which are beneficial from a health perspective.
Soluble fiber in particular is useful for reducing belly fat. In fact, in one study it was demonstrated that consuming 10 grams per day significantly reduced belly fat.
Since soluble fiber slows the passage of food through the intestinal tract it can prolong the feeling of fullness and therefore, reduce appetite.
#6. LIFT WEIGHTS
Weight training, also known as resistance training, is well known to be beneficial from a health and weight-loss perspective. In fact it is probably the most underestimated way to lose belly fat fast! Since weight training forces your body to build, or at least maintain your muscle mass; you can keep your metabolism elevated for longer simply because muscle is a metabolically- active tissue, especially when it is recovering from an exercise session.
It is best to perform at least 3 weight training sessions per week and if you are inexperienced, always employ the service of a personal trainer.
#7. PERFORM AEROBIC EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise is very effective at helping you lose belly fat. Aerobic ( with oxygen ) exercise includes walking, running, bicycling, swimming, boxing, aerobic classes etc.
It simply means exercise that involves movement for an extended period of time, i.e. greater than a few minutes, and results in you puffing, panting and sweating.
Gardening, housework or lawn bowls are not considered to be aerobic exercise.
While they may help to burn up a few extra calories, they certainly don’t increase your heart rate and/or breathing rate.
It is best to perform at least 15 minutes of aerobic exercise every day in order to achieve the best results.