6 easy ways to get rid of your belly
Belly fat is not only a cosmetic problem. For most people, being overweight is a serious health threat. Many medical studies confirm that excess abdominal fat is directly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes. That is why it is important to get rid of extra centimeters on the stomach to maintain an attractive figure and well-being.
In order to determine the degree of body fat, it is enough to measure the volume of the waist. This can be done at home using a regular tape measure or tape measure used by tailors. The following sizes are considered optimal:
- Men - 102 cm (40 inches).
- Women - 88 cm (35 inches).
If the result is greater, we should talk about abdominal obesity. A slight excess of these indicators requires certain actions to reduce the waist. Too much difference indicates a serious problem that requires a timely solution.
Currently, there are many traditional and folk methods that help get rid of fatty deposits in the abdomen. Science offers 6 specific, scientifically based ways to get rid of your belly.
Content:
- Eliminate sugar and sugary drinks from your diet
- Include more protein in your diet
- Eliminate carbohydrates from the diet
- Choose foods rich in fiber
- Exercise is a must for belly reduction
- Think about what and how much you eat.
1. Eliminate sugar and sugary drinks from the diet
Excessive sugar content in food is extremely harmful to health. Clinical observations indicate that glucose oversaturation of cells causes metabolic disturbances.
Sugar enters the body in the form of glucose, fructose. The latter can be absorbed by the liver in only a small amount. The liver, oversaturated with fructose, converts it into lipids. Such metabolic processes cause the formation of fatty deposits in the abdominal cavity, can cause fatty hepatosis. This condition is also called fatty liver, in which its cells (hepatocytes) are reborn into fatty cells.
Many scientists are of the opinion that these metabolic processes underlie the harmful effects of sugar on human health. An increase in the volume of abdominal fat, transformation of liver cells lead to cell resistance to insulin (a state of resistance) and metabolic disorders.
In drinks, sugar is contained in a liquid form, which is even more harmful to the body. The brain is designed in such a way that it cannot control the flow of liquid calories as well as solid ones. Therefore, when drinking beverages containing sugar, a person consumes more calories. Numerous studies have shown that children who consume sugary drinks daily increase the risk of obesity by 60%. [1]
At the first sign of obesity, it is important to minimize your sugar intake. To do this, you need to revise your usual diet, completely exclude sweet drinks from it: sweet soda, fruit juices, sports energy tonics. Instead, include fresh fruit in your diet, which is much healthier. A large amount of fiber reduces the negative effects of fructose. The amount of glucose obtained with fruit is significantly less when consumed with refined sugar products. When buying ready-made products, pay attention to the amount of sugar indicated on the package.
Excessive amounts of sugar in the daily diet can cause the formation of fatty deposits in the abdomen and lead to fatty liver. This is primarily due to the consumption of sugary soft drinks.
2. Include more protein in your diet
Protein should be a staple of your weight loss diet. Medical observations have shown that protein reduces hunger by 60%, speeds up metabolic processes and helps to consume 441 calories less daily. [2]
To reduce waist size, you must first increase the amount of foods containing protein. This will significantly reduce body weight and maintain the result obtained for a long time after the course of the diet.
Several studies have confirmed the effectiveness of a protein diet in reducing belly fat. During one of them, it was found that the quality and amount of protein consumed is inversely proportional to the amount of abdominal fat. The more the subjects consumed protein, the less their weight became.
Another, longer observation, led to the conclusion that the consumption of refined sugar and oil leads to an increase in adipose tissue, and the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet leads to a decrease. Adherence to a protein diet for 5 years avoided the formation of fat folds in the waist area.
The best sources of protein are:
- Whole eggs.
- Fish and seafood.
- Meat.
- Nuts.
- Milk products.
These foods should be included in the daily diet. You can add coconut oil to your diet. Cooking with it has been shown to help reduce body fat. To obtain visible results, it is enough to consume two tablespoons of coconut oil a day.
If it is not possible to get enough protein from food, you can take protein supplements. These include whey protein, protein powders, and can be helpful if the person is vegan.
Increasing the consumption of high-quality protein helps to speed up metabolic processes, eliminate hunger. These properties greatly help in the fight against excess weight. The effectiveness of a protein diet has been proven in many studies.
3. Eliminate carbohydrates from the diet
Reducing carbohydrates is the surest way to get rid of a bulky belly. As soon as a person reduces carbohydrates, there is a decrease in appetite, a decrease in body weight. This statement is based on data from over twenty randomized controlled trials. [3]
Groups of subjects on a low-carb diet lose 2-3 times more excess weight than those whose diet is to reduce fat. This effect is observed even when members of the carbohydrate restricting group eat as much food as they want. Subjects of the second group (with restriction of fat) - get few calories and feel hungry.
Diets that are low in carbohydrates help to eliminate excess water, which quickly leads to weight loss. Comparison of a low-calorie diet with a low-carb diet showed that it is the latter that provides the most effective disposal of abdominal fat, fat capsules around the internal organs and in the liver.
Excessive consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods is a major factor in the development of obesity. With sufficient protein intake from the diet, you should exclude:
- Sugar.
- Candy.
- White bread.
- Milk chocolate.
- Fast food.
- Ice cream.
To lose weight quickly, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams per day. Over time, ketosis occurs - starvation of body cells, in which the breakdown of fats begins. Following a low-carb diet is necessary not only for weight loss, but also for the treatment of certain diseases, such as type II diabetes.
The observations of nutritionists have shown that a decrease in carbohydrates in the daily diet contributes to the effective burning of fatty deposits in the abdomen, around the internal organs, and the liver.
4. Choose foods rich in fiber
Dietary fiber is a plant fiber that cannot be digested in the digestive tract. Not all fiber is created equal. Some of them are soluble, viscous, fibers, which can affect weight. Viscous fibers are able to bind liquid, forming a thick gel. The gel clot is in the intestine and slows down the movement of the food bolus. In this regard, the digestion process slows down, nutrients are absorbed less. A person who uses fiber will feel full for longer, which reduces appetite and contributes to the loss of extra pounds.
The claim that the introduction of fiber into the diet significantly helps in weight loss has been proven by many medical experiments. In one of them, subjects received an additional 14 grams of fiber per day for 4 months. This resulted in a 10% reduction in calorie intake and a 2 kg weight loss. [4]
A long-term study conducted over 5 years found that daily intake of soluble fiber in a dosage of 10 g helps to reduce abdominal fat by 3.7%. It follows from this that viscous fiber effectively fights excess weight. [five]
In order to increase the amount of fiber, you need to introduce fresh herbs, raw vegetables and fruits, legumes, and whole oats into the daily diet. If you are deficient in fiber, supplements such as glucomannan can be taken. Its effectiveness in weight loss has been proven by no research.
A significant reduction in subcutaneous fat is facilitated by the use of dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber. Due to the peculiarities of digestion, it improves metabolic mechanisms, helps prevent the development of certain diseases.
5. Exercise is a must for belly reduction
Exercise is needed for a variety of reasons. To maintain health, it is important to provide yourself with an optimal set of loads. It is impossible to highlight all the health benefits of physical education within the framework of one article, but we can definitely say that it helps to reduce body fat in the waist area.
There is no specific exercise to reduce the belly. You cannot remove excess weight in one place, even uncontrolled intense loads will not be able to get rid of fat deposits in the waist area.
In one study, subjects were instructed to perform physical training aimed at the abdominal muscles. There was no definite reduction in belly fat at 6 weeks after evaluation.
Aerobic exercise - walking, running, swimming - is effective enough to combat excess belly fat. Observations have proven that it is these exercises that reduce the amount of fat in the abdomen. [6]
Correctly performed sports loads ensure weight constancy and prevent the re-formation of lipid deposits. Exercise can help fight inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, and improve metabolic mechanisms. Restoring normal metabolism allows you to eliminate excess fat in the abdominal cavity.
Exercise not only helps to get rid of belly fat, but also to restore physiological processes and improve the quality of everyday life.
6. Think about what and how much you eat
It is known that the quality of food is an important aspect for maintaining health. Most people in real life have no idea what they eat every day. Relying on some data, they think they are following a "protein diet" or eating a "low carb" diet. These beliefs are wrong, often too exaggerated.
To normalize daily nutrition, it is important to regularly take into account the quality and quantity of food consumed. It is impossible to constantly weigh the portions or study every food label. You need to pay attention to this issue several days a month in order to correct your eating habits.
Eating more protein will not be enough to effectively and sustainably reduce body fat. If you follow the recommendation to increase the amount of calories received with protein up to 25% to 30%, attention should be paid to the rest of the energy components. Self-organization and the desire to achieve a certain result are important here.
To control the amount of calories consumed, you can use an online calorie calculator, install one of the applications for fixing consumed foods on any electronic device. It is advisable to perform calorie calculations once a month. To do this, you can set the volume and number of calories in the usual food.
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The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
