A little bit of tummy podge is nothing to be worried about and is even considered desirable in certain cultures. That said, if you don’t feel all that confident about your current belly situation, then there’s good news, and there’s bad news. The worst news is that, true to reputation, excess stomach fat is notoriously one of the hardest layers to shed. The good news, however, is that there are little tricks you can pursue to speed up the process, all of which you can find below. These tips will surely help you reduce stomach fat.
1. Stop Drinking Alcohol
There is a definite chance you’ve heard this one before, but an even bigger chance that you’ve been ignoring it. Unfortunately, alcohol not only comes with high counts of calories, but it also hoards excess fat around the midsection, hence the incriminating term “beer belly”. Not to mention that booze lowers any restraint you may have towards junky fast food, which is why it’s best to cut out these drinks completely for much faster results.
2. Stress Less
Easier said than done, but if your daily responsibilities are causing you to pull your hair out, then your adrenal glands are most probably overflowing with the stress hormone called cortisol, which increases the appetite and aggravates fat storage. Stick to your yoga practice and meditation breaks, while venturing on a calming stroll every day.
3. Cut Down on Sodium
When it comes to retaining water and gaining fluid weight, sodium is often the primary cause for a sudden bloated belly. The main problem? Salt is added to almost everything you buy at the store, which is why you’ve got to learn to read the labels more vigilantly. Even better, take back control by cooking at home, replacing your salty friend with more harmless alternatives such as pepper or assorted herbs.
4. Add Resistance to Your Workout
It’s always a good idea to jog around the block or perform a series of jumping jacks during lunch time, but if you want to lose calories at a much faster rate, then incorporating additional resistance into your routine is a smart way to go. Look at combining yoga and weights to intensify your movements, or strap on some ankle weights during cardio. The heavier, the better!
5. Eat Less Fruit and Honey
Fruit and its fruit juice offspring may be loaded with advantageous vitamins, and honey may be praised as the healthy answer to sweetener, but the fact remains that these natural resources are still brimming with sugar, which will dive straight into your belly and stay there.
6. Exercise Before Breakfast
No one is asking you to run a marathon or perform a thousand crunches on an empty stomach, but by starting each morning with a brisk walk or a solid yoga session, you can kick your metabolism into first gear before the digestion process has even turned on. This means that any energy burnt before breakfast will have been delivered directly from your fat stores, while the food you eat following will be less likely to turn into fat themselves.
7. Get Better Sleep
A troubled night’s sleep is a dangerous catalyst for the aforementioned stress hormones, while your body may also attempt to compensate for this lack of energy by craving unhealthy food sources. A full seven hours will help you control this routine, and don’t forget that an early rise will galvanize a strong morning metabolism.
8. Brush Your Teeth Directly After a Meal
Here’s a clever little trick to outsmart your mind. As soon as you’ve finished eating, brush your teeth, as this will not only improve your dental hygiene but will also send the message to your brain that food time is over, preventing future snacking temptations. Furthermore, who wants to spoil their clean teeth just after they’ve been scrubbed with paste anyway? The food will taste disgusting!
9. Intermittent Fasting
Not to be confused with starving yourself, the age-old tradition of food abstinence has persisted for reasons beyond just that of a spiritual awakening. Whether refraining from mealtime for 16 hours a day or following a 24-hour twice weekly fasting schedule, your waistline may not only shrink substantially, but your body will rapidly detoxify and you may slow the aging process. Plus your minimal carb intake will grant your insulin the time needed to rebalance.
10. Eat Dark Chocolate
Sound too good to be true? For once, it’s not! Snacking on the darkest low-sugar chocolate you can find will load your system with zinc, which in turn, produces leptin, a hormone that better manages energy and suppresses the appetite. Of course, it goes without saying that moderation is key here, and you can’t simply shove a bunch of chocolate in your mouth and expect to magically turn thin. It doesn’t work that way.
