To lose stomach fat it is helpful to know the cause. Consuming too many refined processed carbohydrates is the major cause of body fat accumulating around the abdomen or stomach area, and a major cause of insulin resistance. If you are unsure what these foods are, you will find a list of refined processed carbohydrates in the Sources and Related Links section, which is located underneath the bottom of this answer. Replace refined processed carbohydrates with specific 'fat burning' proteins. You will also find a list of these specific fat burning proteins in the Sources and Related Links section.
In addition, to help lose stomach fat it's is important to drink enough water to remain hydrated and to enable the fat burning proteins to work properly. Drinking plenty of fresh water daily helps your body to process fat burning proteins. An average person should drink 8-10 8 oz. glasses per day. Avoid artificial sweeteners and drink your coffee/tea black. If you are an athlete or if you live in a dry area, you might need to drink more water. If you have heart or kidney disease, you need to check with your doctor regarding your water intake.
So, replace refined processed carbohydrates with specific fat burning proteins and take advantage of the thermic effect of these nutritious foods to burn body fat. Use the lists of refined processed carbohydrates and the list of fat burning proteins as your daily guide for what to eat and what to avoid.
Protein and fats as well as fiber will help you to feel full. Eat enough to accommodate your activity level. Count your carbohydrate intake.
A recent excellent book covering all these points in detail and showing you clearly how to do it step by step is the Belly Fat Blast by Anna Wright and Dennis E. Bradford, Ph.D (paperback or Kindle, which you can buy or borrow at Amazon). It also shows you how many carbohydrates to eat daily and explains why you won't be hungry when you are eatingspecific fats and proteins from natural sources.
EXERCISE IS OPTIONAL
Contrary to popular belief, ab exercises do not target the fat around your mid-section nor do they help you to lose stomach fat. Doing ab exercises will define stomach muscles but you must first get rid of the fat that is hiding them. You can lose stomach fat by just making the dietary changes listed above. However, if you want to burn more body fat overall you can do so by moving your body in a cardio way. Go jogging, biking, or brisk walking, until you're starting to feel exhausted, take a break, perhaps one or two minutes, then repeat. Do that every second day, not every day (that would be over-training).
Good forms of cardio exercise are:
* Brisk walking (not walking at a normal pace)
* Jogging
* Trampoline
* Cross-country skiing
* Aerobic dancing
* Mixed martial arts or kickboxing (when done at a cardio pace)
* Biking (when done at a cardio pace).
There are different degrees of cardio from mild to intense. Any activity that increases your heart and respiration rates is cardio exercise. See the Sources and Related Links section, underneath the bottom of this answer, for a choice of free cardio exercise plans -- mild, moderate, or intense.
Other optional supplemental exercises that can assist cardio exercises are Pilates, which helps to sculpt muscles, and weight training, which helps to build muscles. Muscle burns calories. There are free weight training workouts, suitable for beginners or more advanced, in the Sources and Related Links section underneath the bottom of this answer. On the list of fat burning proteins, you will find adequate protein to repair your muscles if you are weight training. Doing cardio 3-5 times a week with combination the of weight training 2-3 times a week is a good way to burn body fat overall.
Another purely optional, supplemental form of exercise is abdominal exercises associated with breath control mechanisms such as Hatha yoga - Asanas. Vajrasana with bending to the front might help a little (again, these are just optional and not essential). To do that you need to kneel down, sit on your knees, touch your thumb with the index finger while leaving other three fingers straight on both hands, keep this in the sides of the pelvic border and bend forward as much as you can. If you wish to try this, it is recommended that you do so under the guidance of a person who is familiar with Yogasanas.
Good posture can help. You use many core muscles to hold yourself up with good posture. Back muscles are often overlooked. The back helps you hold yourself up from behind. You may wish to talk to a fitness expert to find out proper ways to do back muscle exercises. Remember, however, that the best and most effective exercise for overall fat burning iscardio exercise. Yoga of any kind, or Pilates, or back muscle exercises, or slow walking (rather that brisk walking) are not usually considered cardio exercises. Again, exercise is optional.
You will however, need to limit refined processed carbohydrates to stop fat from accumulating around the stomach and abdomen.
MENTALITY:
When aiming to lose stomach fat try to avoid emotional eating and weight gain. Reduce stress and get plenty of sleep; both factors are related to emotional eating.
People mistakenly assume that if they do 100 crunches a day, it will burn it off stomach fat. It will not. You will not lose stomach fat if you do not restrict refined processed carbohydrates (replace them with the specific fat burning proteins), and keep it up on a regular basis -- you need consistency. It may take several weeks to see results. Belly fat seems to burn off slower than body fat elsewhere. You will not lose stomach fat overnight, but you will with every passing week and you feel healthier and look better. Soon you will look great and feel great!
Start eating smaller meals more often and drink more water. 4 to 6 very small meals per day that include any of the fat burning proteins keep hunger away and help to control food cravings. Replace refined processed carbohydrates with fat burning proteins. A healthy body will do more exercise, burn more calories, and increase muscle mass, which, in turn, will burn more calories. If you can, it's worth spending a little extra on organic foods and supplements. You'll feel better for it. Regarding the 'how to lose stomach fat' fad diets, do not embrace theso-called avocado diet; there is no benefit from it.
OVERALL FINAL SUMMARY:
To lose stomach fat (and to stop stomach fat from accumulating in the future) you need to make the dietary changes mentioned earlier in the answer. Therefore, eliminate or restrict refined processed carbohydrates (apart from the occasional treat). Our bodies were not designed to eat refined processed carbohydrates.
Our ancestors did not have refined carbohydrates in their diet. Our ancestors were fitter and leaner. Replace those foods with more fat burning proteins and take full advantage of the thermic effect of these foods. Over consumption of refined carbohydrates is a major cause of body fat accumulating around the abdomen and stomach, heart disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other diet related diseases. In addition to the dietary changes mentioned in this answer, you can add cardio exercise and weight training if you wish to improve your health further. You can still obtain good results and lose stomach fat through the aforementioned dietary changes even if you are unable to exercise.
The book mentioned earlier in this answer covers all the dietary points in detail and shows you step by step how to lose stomach fat without hunger.
For other plans and lists to show you the way forward:
1. List of Refined Processed Carbohydrates (to avoid or strictly limit),
2. List of Specific Fat Burning Proteins (to replace the refined processed carbohydrates), plus more about the thermic effect of food,
3. Cardio Walking to Burn Body Fat Plan 1 (the easier plan),
4. Cardio Walking to Burn Body Fat Plan 2 (the harder plan),
5. Cardio Running to Burn Body Fat Plan 3 (intense plan),
6. Weight Training Workouts (suitable for males or females, young or old, from beginner upward,
7. More about how to lose stomach fat
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