How To Lose Belly Fat

Regardless of whether you have a larger or smaller frame, there is one stubborn area of the body that is a problem shared by most of us. Pot belly, jelly belly, spare tyre, bulge, belly fat or whatever you choose to call this persistent accumulation of fat in our abdominal area.

The belly bulge can be a confidence breaker on an otherwise lean looking body and to make matters worse it is dangerous.

Dangers of belly fat (Visceral/Abdominal fat)

The particular fat that accumulates in this abdominal area is called visceral fat, or better known to us as belly fat. Not only can visceral fat be unpleasant from an aesthetic perspective, but it also serves as a sign or a reminder that you may not be as healthy as you should be.

Visceral fat is dangerous because it is this fat that is metabolized by the liver, turning it into cholesterol and circulating that through the blood. This results in a dangerous plaque build up and a consequently narrowing of the arteries. The more visceral\abdominal fat you have, the more likely you are to suffer heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension.

What causes belly fat

• A sedentary lifestyle lacking physical activity will increase visceral fat.
• Diet – an unbalanced high calorie diet, particularly without exercise

Other factors responsible for an increase in visceral

• Stress hormones contribute to an increase
• Genetics determine whether some people are more likely to develop visceral fat then others
• Smoking creates the same hormones as stress

How to get rid of visceral/abdominal fat

As much as some abdominal exercise equipment companies would like you to believe, you cannot reduce the bulge by spot reducing. This means, exercises targeting the belly  area such as sit-ups will not decrease visceral fat. What they will do however is firm and tone the muscles that won't actually be visible until the visceral fat is reduced.

Tips for Exercise

Exercise to remove belly fat is hardly surprising, considering that being sedentary is a major culprit for belly fat to begin with. We already know that we cannot spot reduce the abdominal area, the only way to exercise the fat away is a combination of aerobic and strength training.

• Aerobic training
  > 30 minutes to an hour each day of good cardio workout is sufficient. If you amalgamate this exercise into your everyday even better. Walking to and from work 20-30 minutes each way or cycling is an excellent way to get trim and healthy fast
  > Jogs are another great option and a good way to distress. Whatever you do, once you find the aerobic training you enjoy, you will never want to stop
• Strength training
  > Increasing muscle will increase your metabolism and fat burning will be far more efficient
  > Remember, strength training for woman does not mean you will build muscle like a man. Woman are different and strength training is vital to strong bones and a shapely firm figure
  > Abdominal training will help tone and flatten the stomach, but is not visually effective until the visceral fat is reduced

Tips for your diet

• Eating a balanced diet without actually “dieting” is the way to go. This is something that you can amalgamate into your life so that your eating habits become normal without the effort
  > Eat plenty of vegetables
  > Eat wholegrain like brown bread, brown rice with plenty of fiber for a healthy and regular digestive system
  > When increasing your wholegrain intake like brown rice, be sure you don’t neglect your good fats. Add a little olive oil to your brown rice or to the accompanying meal
• If you cycle, walk or jog moderately BEFORE breakfast, you are calling upon stored fat for energy. Having breakfast at your place at work if appropriate can help you do this
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and to cleanse your system. This will also help to control your appetite

Tips for Stress

• A better diet and particularly more exercise will help decrease your stress levels
• Take time out for yourself and some interests to help monitor your stress and this will be highly conducive to losing the belly

Consistency across both exercise and diet is crucial, so reducing visceral fat and having a flat stomach must become apart of a healthier lifestyle and set of habits. This doesn’t have to be grueling and unpleasant, if anything, you will never want to look back.