50 Tips To Reduce Belly Fat

Fortunately, belly fat can be eliminated or reduced by the same
means that other fat can. It just takes the right combination of diet
and exercise. There are, however, other factors that can hinder
weight loss and cause you to retain belly fat. Below are 50 tips
that can help you reduce that belly fat and have those abs you’ve
always dreamed of:

1. Avoid stress—Research has found that our bodies produce
hormones in response to stress. One of these is cortisol. It will
cause your body to look for high-calorie food because it thinks it
used a lot of energy handling something that was stressful. It’s
kind of like tricking your body into thinking it’s had a big workout,
when in fact, it’s done nothing but become anxious and upset.
Years ago, eating that type of high-calorie food was fine when you
were stressed, because you used more energy every day working
in the fields or on farms. Our ancestors remained thin during
stressful times because of their hard work.
Now, many of us live more sedentary lives. We simply can’t burn
that type of fat intake any longer. When you’re under a large
amount of chronic stress, it tells your body to keep on making
cortisol. It becomes a vicious cycle. Gaining weight makes you
even more stressed, so you produce more cortisol and eat more
fattening foods.
You can reduce stress by doing several things. You can get more
sleep. The average adult should get at least seven hours of sleep
a night. You should keep things that are stressful away from the
area you use for sleeping. Don’t do work in bed if you can help it.
That area should be for relaxation and rest instead of work.
Simply work at leaving your worries outside the bedroom door.
You should also set aside some time to relax each day. By closing
your eyes, breathing deeply, and forgetting your worries for a brief
period, even if it’s only 15 minutes a day, you can help reduce
stress. Exercise will also help by giving you an outlet for the
stress. Keeping your blood sugar level will also help.

2. Tell friends/family that you’re dieting—By telling others that
you’re dieting, you have them to help keep you in check. Of
course, you’ll hear things like, “You’re dieting aren’t you” or “Are
you supposed to be eating that,” but it will help you stick to your
diet. You’ll also hear things like, “How much have you lost” or
“You’re looking so good.” Those things can be very encouraging.
Once you’ve made the proclamation that you’re dieting, you’ll feel
like you have to prove you can do it, so you’re more apt to stick
with it and achieve success.

3. Diet with a friend—Having a “buddy” system when you diet is
a great way to lose weight. You have someone to help keep you
in check, but you also have someone you can eat out with that you
won’t have to explain you’re dieting to or someone that will be
eating fattening foods in front of you. You can help and encourage
each other along the way. You can celebrate each success you
make as well as the success of your friends.

4. Stop smoking and/or drinking—People often say if they stop
smoking they’ll gain weight and use that as an excuse to keep
smoking. That is all it is…an excuse! Both smoking and drinking
will cause you to gain weight and keep stubborn belly fat. Find
something else to do with the time you usually spend smoking.
Take short walks, exercise, or do something else that is healthy
and good for your body instead of smoking which you know is
harmful to your body.

5. Eat—I know it may seem like a counterproductive measure,
but it isn’t. Eating is important when you’re trying to reduce your
weight, including trying to lose your stubborn belly fat. Breakfast is
extremely important when you’re dieting. Many people will skip
breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but that’s one of the worst
things you can do. It has been proven that eating about an hour
after you wake up can keep your insulin levels steadier and aid in
keeping your weight steadier. You don’t want to eat a whole pig
and a dozen eggs, but eating a breakfast that is high in fiber and
protein can really boost your body metabolism and help you burn
fat. Foods like eggs, fresh fruits/vegetables, or peanut butter are
better for you than the more sugary things such as breakfast
cereals, pancakes, or pastries.
It is also better to eat four to five small meals a day than eat one or
two large ones. This way you keep the signal to your body that is
going to get fuel. If you don’t, or if you eat at irregular times and in
irregular amounts, your body won’t know it is going to constantly
get fuel. It thinks it has to store that fat for future energy use.
Usually where does it store it…right around the mid section.
You defeat the purpose of trying to lose belly fat if you don’t eat
breakfast.

6. Stir fry don’t deep fry—Often, people think they’re “stir
frying,” but use so much oil that they might as well be deep frying
their vegetables. Instead of using a lot of oil, just use a drop of oil
to start. Then, gradually add water and let the vegetables stir-fry in
their own moisture. This not only reduces your fat intake, it
actually makes the vegetables taste better.

7. Heat your skillet when you fry—If you take the time to heat
your skillet before you add the oil, the oil gets hot quicker and less
oil will be absorbed by your food. If you put oil in a cold skillet, and
add the meats or vegetables, oil will soak into the food. If it soaks
into the food, where does it go? It goes right into your body and
adds belly fat.

8. Camouflage your portions—Sometimes, it isn’t how much
you eat that makes you full, it’s how much you “think” you’ve
eaten. When you have a flat small piece of meat on your plate it
seems like you’ve been deprived. If you slice the meat thinly and
stack it on your plate, it appears to be a bigger portion, so you
think you’ve eaten more. This works for vegetables as well. A
small potato sliced up will look larger. You’ll think you’re eating
more than you really are.

9. Marinade without oil—If you marinade in oil, the oil is
soaked into the food, so naturally, it will be eaten. One recipe for
oil-free marinade is to combine apple juice (about 3 cups)
pressed garlic (2 cloves) and soy sauce that is reduced sodium (about 1
cup). Marinating in a healthy manner can greatly reduce the
amount of fat you intake.

10. Stuff food—If you fill the centers of your food with
wholesome ingredients, you’ll be eating as much food, but
reducing your caloric intake. Here are a few examples of this:

• Take your hamburger and scoop a hole in the middle of the
meat before you cook it. Fill it with some type of vegetables such
as: mushrooms, olives, or whatever else you like. Then, if you’ve
used the recommended serving size of three ounces, you’ve made
it look much bigger, made it be more filling, and made it much
leaner. If you would have added more ounces of hamburger to
make it that size, it would have been much less healthy.

• Stuff your meatballs with grated carrots, zucchini, or squash.
This will add vitamins and moisture as well as size to your
meatballs without changing the flavor. You’ll be able to make your
meatballs bigger, and not add calories and fat.

11. Swap your food—Sometimes, if you stop to think about it,
you can think of substituting something healthier for something full
of fat in your favorite recipes. By doing that, you’ll be keeping that
fat from settling in your mid section and reducing that dreaded
belly fat. Here are a few examples to get your started:

• When you make curry, use plain yogurt instead of coconut
milk which is full of fat. You’ll get a good, creamy texture, but you
won’t have all the fat.

• Replace two slices of bread with one piece of pita bread—
Folding a piece of pita bread will allow you to put more vegetables
on your sandwich. More vegetables make it more filling, and you’ll
be making a sandwich that is much healthier.

• Replace red meat with lentils—In foods such as lasagna,
only use about half the amount of ground beef. Add red lentils to
make it filling. They’re packed with protein, fat free, and high in
fiber. The flavor of red lentils is neutral, so they’ll just absorb the
flavor of your sauce and you won’t notice the difference.

• Substitute “turkey” versions of your favorite meat—You can
have turkey ham, turkey burger, turkey hot dogs, turkey bologna,
or even turkey pepperoni. Turkey isn’t near as high in fat as other
meats. You’ll have the flavor of the other meats without that added
fat to carry around.

12. Change the toppings on your pizza—If you must have
pepperoni on your pizza, consider adding at least two vegetable
toppings. If you do this for every meat ordered as a topping, you’ll
have a healthier pizza. The carcinogens in meats that are
processed have been found to increase your risk of cancer, so
you’ll not only be reducing your belly fat, you’ll be improving your
health.

13. Use oats to stuff meat recipes—Use oats that are in the
same amount of other things you fill with such as crackers or bread
crumbs. Not only are oats better for you, because they have high
fiber content, they taste the same, and can help you reduce your
cholesterol.

14. Use a healthier, low-fat recipe to replace your “fish-n-chips”
recipe—Use white fish such as cod or haddock and cut it into
strips. Use sparkling water and self-rising flour for a light batter
mix. Fry the strips in a small amount of canola oil. Instead of deep
fried french fries, cut potatoes and bake at 450 degrees in canola
oil that you season with things like: herbs, salt, garlic, etc.

15. Reduce cheese in your toppings—If you have a recipe that
calls for a grated cheese topping, you can reduce fat and add fiber
by replacing half of the cheese with whole-wheat bread crumbs.
The crumbs keep the texture of the baked cheese, so you won’t
know the difference.

16. Eat deli meats that are healthier—Deli meats aren’t all bad,
you just need to learn to eat the healthier ones. In order of health,
first would be chicken or turkey. Second is roast beef. Third is
ham. Lastly, are all the other processed deli meats such as
bologna, salami, olive loaf, etc.

17. Don’t drown your food—You may or may not be old enough
to remember Timer from the science portion of School House Rock
watched in your Saturday morning cartoons. If you do, then you
know he had a slogan: Don’t drown your food in catsup or mayo
or goo. It’s no fun to eat what you can’t even see, so don’t drown
your food!
How many times have you seen someone prepare a
nice, healthy salad only to pile on so much fattening dressing that
it’s no longer healthy? People will also pile on so much gravy that
a lean piece of roast beef or turkey becomes unhealthy. Topping
with meat natural juices instead or using extra virgin olive oil that is
seasoned on salads will keep your food healthy and won’t sacrifice
the taste.

18. Don’t eat tuna salad with a lot of fattening mayonnaise—
Instead, you can add hot sauce, lemon juice, and pepper to your
tuna. It tastes great and adds no fat.

19. Use grated cheese instead of slices—Grate hard cheeses
such as Parmesan on your sandwiches. You’ll get all the cheese
flavor with much less fat.

20. Have meals without meat—I’m not saying go totally Vegan,
but every meal doesn’t have to be a “meat and potato” meal. Eat
vegetarian lasagna and go without beef. Prepare eggplant
parmesan instead of veal parmesan. You’ll be taking in less fat, so
there’ll be less fat to stay around your middle.

21. Use squash instead of a lot of cheese—By adding pureed
butternut squash to half the cheese mixture in foods like macaroni
and cheese, quesadillas, or grilled sandwiches will reduce the
calorie count without altering the taste of the food. Squash is high
in vitamins and potassium, so not only will your food have less fat
and calories, it will be healthier.

22. Use greens to wrap your meat—Instead of eating meats that
are between two slices of bread, wrap them in a large lettuce leaf
or some other leafy green such as bok choy, romaine lettuce, or
Chinese cabbage. You’ll be reducing your intake of carbohydrates
that can add belly fat.

23. Use avocados instead of mayonnaise—Ripe avocados will
make your sandwich moist like mayonnaise, and have good fat
instead of bad fat. This can also lower your cholesterol.

24. Make your pancakes healthier—Cornmeal is healthier than
traditional flour. It has a higher fiber content, as well as
magnesium. For healthier pancakes, replace half your flour with
cornmeal. They’ll have a great texture and be better for you.

25. Make sure you get all the vitamins from your cereal—If
you’ve taken the steps to eat healthier breakfast cereals, you
probably aren’t getting all the nutrition from it that you should. In
order to do so, you need to drink the milk in the bowl. As much as
40 percent of the nutritional vitamins from your cereal will dissolve
into the milk, so drinking it makes it healthier for you.

26. Keep frozen bananas on hand—Frozen bananas are great
for making smoothies that are healthy and nutritious. They’re
sweet, so they eliminate the need for sugary ingredients. Frozen,
they have the cold state for good thick smoothies and won’t go bad
quickly like they can if they’re unfrozen.

27. Eat chocolate—Yes, you read correctly. So often, people
ignore their cravings for chocolate because they feel it is “bad” for
them. Dark chocolate, however, is lower in fat and very high in
antioxidants, so eating it will both satisfy your cravings and give
you a healthy snack. You can also shave dark chocolate into
dishes like barbecue sauce or chili. It gives it a good flavor boost,
and will help you prevent heart disease as well as keep your
cholesterol at a good level. If you want a good night-time snack,
take two tablespoons of dark chocolate and melt it in the
microwave. Stir it with 4 ounces of vanilla yogurt and top it with
about a tablespoon of almond slivers.

28. Make your dips yourself—Store-bought dips can be very
high in fat content and calories. If you prepare your dips yourself,
however, you can greatly reduce the fat and calories. Just use fatfree
sour cream or yogurt. You can mix it with an equal portion of
salsa or add herbs and/or lemon. Whatever flavor you choose will
be much healthier for you this way.

29. Purchase nuts that are in shells—If you have to spend time
shelling the nuts, you’ll spend less time eating big handfuls of
them. Nuts in and of themselves can be healthy, especially
pistachios, almonds and walnuts. If, however, you eat too many,
they become like any other food you overeat and will cause you to
gain weight.

30. Boil your peanuts—If you boil peanuts for a few hours, they
will have approximately four times the amount of antioxidants they
have prepared any other way. Boiled peanuts are a popular snack
already in Asia, China, Australia, and the southern portion of the
US. If you haven’t tried them, the next time you want peanuts,
give them a try.

31. Balance your baked potatoes—Many people give up baked
potatoes because of the high glycemic rating. You can have them,
however, if you balance them with a healthy topping like cheddar
cheese, broccoli, mushrooms, or spinach.

32. Rinse canned beans—Beans such as kidney beans are a
great way to add both fiber and protein to a meal. Canned beans,
however, contain a lot of sodium. This can give you a bloated
feeling as well as cause high blood pressure. Rinsing them,
however, washes away that high sodium content and makes them
healthy again.

33. Make your side dishes thicker—If you use evaporated milk
that is fat-free in dishes like mashed potatoes or macaroni and
cheese, you will give them a thicker texture that will seem more
filling. In addition to that, you’ll be taking in more calcium per cup
without all the fat.

34. Serve yourself water as an appetizer—Water is filling,
cleansing, and keeps you properly hydrated. If you drink two
glasses of water before each meal, you will fill up quicker and eat
less.

35. Add spice to your life—Research has found that people that
were overweight will become slimmer if they eat meals that contain
Chile peppers. They contain capsaicin. It’s what makes them hot,
and it helps the liver clear insulin from your bloodstream after you
eat. Since insulin is the hormone that tells your body to store the
fat, clearing it from the body can reduce belly fat.

36. Avoid emotional eating—Sometimes people use food as a
comfort. When you’re hurt or upset, you turn to food to make you
feel better. When you feel like eating just to eat and you know
you’re not hungry, substitute it with something else like going on a
bike. If you must eat something, make it fresh fruits or vegetables.
While exercise is an essential part of weight loss, you should
realize that exercises that target your abdominal area won’t help
you burn the fat. They will define the muscles there, but in order to
achieve those abs, you first have to get rid of all the fat you have in
your belly. Here are a few tips you can use to exercise your way
to less belly fat:

37. Walk—Try to get in at least 10,000 steps each and every
day. If you have a sedentary job, this may be difficult for you.
Schedule a time and place to do brisk walking every day. If you
can’t, then choose a few other walking activities like parking at the
far end of the parking lot at work or when you go to grocery or
department stores. Take the steps instead of the elevator.

38. Aerobic exercise or aerobic dancing—Aerobics are a great
way to get a good cardio workout. You can do this in a group,
such as a class, or get an exercise video and do them in the
privacy of your own home. Whichever way you choose, getting up
your cardio rate will help your body burn fat. The exercise or
dancing part of the aerobic exercise will help reduce fat and build
muscle.

39. Ride a bike—Biking, when done at a cardio pace, is a great
way to get a good workout and burn calories. Many people who
don’t have the time in their busy days to do a workout get their
exercise from biking to and from work each day. You can jump
start your metabolism each morning with a good ride, and then
reduce stress of a hectic day on the ride home.

40. Jog—Jogging isn’t for everyone, but many people stay fit
and trim from jogging. You can do this outdoors, on an indoor
track, or on a treadmill. If you’re over 50, you want to check with
your physician to be sure you’re physically fit for jogging. Many
times the jar from jogging on the knees, hips, and/or back can be
harmful to those with problems. Once you’ve got a clean bill of
health, “Run Forest, Run!”

41. Take a martial arts class—Martial arts classes are good for
cardio workouts, muscle definition, and self defense. They can
also be a lot of fun. If you’re hesitant to join a class alone, talk a
friend into joining with you.

42. Weight training or Pilates—Either of these, in conjunction
with a good cardio workout, can help you build muscle. Muscle will
burn calories. You can find free weight training workouts for
beginners to advanced, and Pilates classes are available for all
levels as well. Cardio three to five times a week with a good
weight training program will help you burn overall body fat, and
that includes that dreaded belly fat.

43. Breath control exercises—Another for of supplemental
exercise is breath control exercises that are good for the
abdominal region. Yoga is a prime example. Though it is optional,
and not essential for reducing belly fat, it is a simple way to
strengthen the abdominal area and remove inches from your
waistline.

44. Keep good posture—Although you might not realize it, you
use many core muscles simply to hold yourself up straight in good
posture. Keeping good posture while tightening your stomach
muscles can strengthen both the back muscles and the abdominal
muscles.

45. Simple leg lifts—To tighten the abdominal muscles, lay flat
on your back. Raise your feet about two inches off the ground and
hold it to a slow count of ten. Lower your feet and then do it again.
Try to do this at least 10 times a day. It is a simple basic way to
begin to strengthen weakened abdominal muscles.

46. Try exercising in small bursts—Research shows that
alternating bursts of energy, just small ones, with brief resting
periods can not only improve your muscle tone and burn calories,
but it can also build endurance. This is a good way to get started
and build up to the more serious exercises. You might try
sprinting. Just run as fast as you can for around 20 seconds.
Walk until your breathing returns to normal, and do it again. If you
do this for about 10 minutes a day, you’ll be on your way to a good
start.
Set your exercise equipment for interval training—In this mode, it
increases the difficulty for short periods and then returns to normal.
It gives you the effect of exercising in small bursts by using
machines.

47. Snack first—If you’re going out for a business dinner or to a
party of some kind, eat a healthy, high-protein snack before you
go. This will make you less hungry, and will allow you to eat
smaller portions of the more fattening foods.

48. Fit some type of exercise into your normal work day—This
can be difficult for some people. It all depends on the type of job
you have. You might set aside your lunch hours for walking. If
that’s not possible, plan five minutes out of each day for a power
walk. Take long, brisk strides when you walk down the hall or go
up and down stairs.

49. Stretch the sides of your waist—With one arm over your
head, lean as far as you can to the opposite side. Then switch
hands. This will strengthen the muscles of your waistline. It will
tone them, and remember, muscle burns fat, so having good
muscle tone is important.

50. When all else fails, there’s always surgery —If you’ve tried
everything and you just can’t get rid of your belly fat, there are two
types of surgery you could consider.

• Tummy tuck —This is also referred to as an abdominoplasty.
It takes out the excessive fat and skin you have stored in your mid
section. It can usually reestablish weakened muscles which gives
you an abdominal area that is firmer.

• Panniculectomy — This can be done by itself or along with an
abdominoplasty. It removes any overhanging skin and tissue
known as an “apron” from below the naval. This skin usually
occurs when people have had excessive weight loss.

What is Belly Fat?

Usually, belly fat is subcutaneous fat, which is underneath the skin.

If you have problems with abdominal fat, it may also be visceral

fat. This is also known as organ fat that is packed between your

internal organs. 

This is also known as the “pot belly” or the “beer

belly.” It is associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular

disease, and colorectal cancer.

In recent studies, scientists have come to realize that it isn’t really

how much a person weighs—It’s their amount of body fat that truly

indicates obesity.

Throughout the 1980’s and 90’s imaging techniques were

developed that helped improve the understanding of exactly how

many health risks can be associated with the accumulation of body

fat. 

These include tomography and magnetic resonance which

help divide masses of tissue in the abdominal region.

For women, belly fat is more common after menopause.

Sometimes, those people who just think this goes hand-in-hand

with getting older, and don’t realize the danger it can cause. 

While women feel like it is just something that makes them go up a size

in their jeans, it does carry health risks.

Like fat in any other area, it is determined by balancing your

calories you take in with the energy you burn. In other words, if

you eat too much and burn too little, you’ll have excess fat. 

As youget older, your muscle mass reduces. Your fat, however,

increases. When your muscle mass reduces, it also reduces the

rate your body uses calories. This can make it even more difficult

for people to maintain a weight that is healthy as they age.

Sometimes, you can have an increase of belly fat as you age

without even gaining weight. In women, this can be due to a

reduced level of estrogen. 

Research has shown that estrogen  seems to influence where the fat is distributed in a woman’s body.

Regardless of a weight shown as normal on the BMI measurement

charts, women with a large waistline have been known to carry the

risk of premature death and often dye earlier of cardiovascular

disease.

Most women hate to even have an inch or so too much belly fat.

How do you know, however, if the belly fat you carry is a health

risk? Just measure it. Use a tape measure and place it around

your bare stomach. You want it to be snug, but not cut into the

skin. For women, if your measurement is over 35 inches, you’ll be

at a greater risk for health problems. For men, the measurement

of concern is around 40 inches.

People who are plagued with belly fat often exercise and

participate in healthy activities, yet they still retain that unwanted

fat. It seems like the fat is immune to exercise. So how do you get

rid of it? What is the magic combination that says “poof” to that

extra poundage? It depends on your sex, age, and the amount of

pounds you want to lose, but there are many tips to help you

reduce that unwanted belly fat.

Exercise Tips

1. Exercise Basics

Physical activity is specified as movement that demands contraction of your muscles. 

Any of the actions we do throughout the day that demand movement — housekeeping, gardening, walking, climbing up stairs — are illustrations of physical activity.

2. Set Your Goal And Stick To It

Starting or getting back to a workout routine involves more than simply scheduling your exercises and joining a gym. As a matter of fact, it's totally possible to join a gym and never really go, even as those monthly payments appear on your bank statement. I understand this because I've done that a couple of times in my life. Sticking to your goals demands a couple of mental tricks to help keep you going, centered and motivated.

3. Get Your Exercise Plan Together

Taking the time to really sit down and make a concrete schedule is the essential first step towards building the body you want. Following comes the tough task of following it each week, but that's a different topic for a different day, for now let's just center on putting a workout schedule together.

4. Make Sure To Warm Up

Many athletes perform some sort of regular warm-up and cool off during training and racing. A suitable warm up may step-up the blood flow to the working muscle which results in diminished muscle stiffness, less risk of trauma and bettered performance. Additional advantages of warming up include physiologic and psychological preparation.

5. Incorporate Cardio Training

With a big share of Americans overweight, it's clear that a lot of us are not abiding by the most recent exercise guidelines dictating up to an hour of exercise every day. In fact, there is no doubt a collective groan when individuals recognized they'd now have to find an hour every day to accomplish something they can't seem to find five minutes for. How crucial are these guidelines and what may you do to make them fit into your life?

Cardio Basics

Before we get started, you ought to at least know why it's so crucial. Cardiovascular exercise merely means that you're involved in an activity that elevates your heart rate to a level where you're working, but may still talk (also known as, in your Target Heart Rate). Here's why cardio is so crucial:

 It's one way to burn off calories and help you slim down

 It makes your heart strong so that it doesn't have to work as grueling to pump blood

 It step-ups your lung capacity

 It helps bring down risk of heart attack, elevated cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes

 It makes you feel great

 It aids you in sleeping better

 It helps bring down tension

 I could go on all day, however you get the point

Bottom line: you require cardio if you want to get your weight in check and get your tension to a tolerable level.

6. Use Weights

If you wish to lose fat or alter your body, one of the most crucial things you can do is lift weights. Diet and cardio are as important, however when it comes to altering how your body looks, weight training wins handily.

7. Eat Healthy

Healthy eating isn't about rigorous nutrition doctrines, remaining unrealistically thin, or stripping yourself of the foods you like. Instead, it’s about feeling good, having more energy, steadying your mood, and keeping yourself as healthy as you can– all of which may be accomplished by learning a few nutrition basics and utilizing them in a way that works for you. You may expand your range of healthy food selections and learn how to plan ahead to produce and maintain a tasty, healthy diet.

Bear in mind that there's more to a beautiful body than just utilizing effective wellness products. 

You need to be on a total preventative healthcare and wellness program that involves diet, 

nutrition (making a point that your body gets the proper nutrients) and exercise.