How to Lose Your Belly Fat the Fast (and Healthy) Way

Tired of having too much extra belly fat? Looking for ways to get rid of it in a fast -- but healthy -- way? When it comes to losing abdominal fat, most people over-complicate the process and/or rely too much on some form of "magical" weight loss pill or gimmicky diet plan. Others simply get burned out from too much boring exercise, too much bland dieting, taking too many stimulant-based supplements, etc.

The good news is that it is very possible to reduce your belly fat, get a flatter stomach, look better, boost your energy, and feel great... all without complicated eating plans, "extreme" fitness programs, or potentially dangerous diet pills. Just follow the simple steps below and you'll see some visible fat loss results relatively quickly...

Drink LOTS of water.

You've probably already heard many times that you need to drink lots of water in order to lose weight, but that's just because it really works! Get into the habit of drinking 8-10 large glasses of water per day. You'll have much more energy, you'll be able to control your hunger better, you'll boost your metabolism, and you'll simply shed your belly fat faster. If you don't like plain water try seltzer or mineral water with some lime or lemon juice. Green tea (sugar-free) is also a great choice and may even speed up the fat loss process more -- especially if you drink it before workouts -- due to its high levels of certain fat-burning chemicals.

Eat more lean protein.

When it comes to losing belly fat, lean protein is one of your most valuable allies. You should try to include some form of lean protein in each and every meal you eat. Besides making you feel full and reducing cravings, eating protein helps to speed up the metabolism while simultaneously keeping blood sugar and insulin levels in check (very important when trying to reduce body fat). To top it off, protein is necessary to build and maintain muscle tissue... and the more muscle you have the easier it's going to be to lose weight. Some of the best protein sources for weight loss are: lean beef, chicken, turkey, fish, nuts, seeds, and whey protein powder.

Eat only the "good" carbs.

Cutting out all carbohydrates, ala the Atkins Diet, is not a great option for losing belly fat. Much of the weight loss on these diets is "water" weight. Plus, in general, most people simply can't stick with low-carb/no-carb diets for very long... and end up gaining back all the weight they lost once they fall off the bandwagon. At the same time, eating certain carb foods -- including anything that contains refined sugars or refined flours -- can definitely have a negative impact on your health and body fat levels. Most processed foods are full of these bad carbs and should be avoided as much as possible. The best option is to eat only "good" carbs: those foods that fuel your body and keep you feeling full without negatively affecting blood sugar and hormone levels. Some of the best carbohydrate choices are: fresh and frozen vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, and whole grains.

Eat more healthy fats.

Some dietary fat is absolutely necessary for optimal health. It's also extremely important for fast, healthy weight loss. You don't need to fear all fat, but you do need to watch out for saturated fat and especially trans-fats... both of which can damage your health and increase the size of your belly. Instead focus on eating plenty of the "good" fats, which include olive oil, fish, fish oil, flaxseeds, avocado, coconut oil, nuts, nut butters, and seeds. In reality most of these healthy fats taste pretty good and are versatile enough to easily incorporate into your normal eating plan.

Never ever let yourself get hungry (ever).

One of the big "secrets" to losing belly fat fast is to never let yourself get hungry. When we allow ourselves to get hungry, our bodies go into "starvation mode" and this leads to a significantly slower metabolism and less fat burning. At the same time, most people tend to overeat and/or make poor food choices when they're hungry. The combination of a slower metabolism and lots of extra, low-quality calories is a major cause of increased body fat levels. The best way to keep yourself from getting hungry is to:

• Eat a small, balanced meal or snack every 2-3 hours.
• Eat lots of high-fiber foods like veggies, fruit, beans, oatmeal (and other whole grains).
• Include some form of protein in each and every meal or snack.
• Eat something before you start to get hungry... or at least as soon as you feel hunger coming on.
• Consider using a natural, stimulant-free appetite suppressant such as hoodia gordonii.

Kill your food cravings.

No matter how much willpower you have, at some point certain food cravings are going to sneak up and try to bite you in the butt. For some people it's sweets. For others it's fried foods. Some people feel like they're going to go crazy if they don't eat an entire candy bar. The key to controlling cravings is to find healthier, less-fattening alternatives. Things like salted nuts, pickles, beef jerky, yogurt, and low-sugar, bite-sized dark chocolate bars are all examples of foods that can help kill cravings without ruining your diet. Also, some people find that the more raw vegetables and fruits they eat, the fewer cravings they get. In fact, many people who go on a "raw food" diet for a week or two find that all of their junk food cravings disappear!

Break a sweat in the morning.

No matter what anyone tries to tell you, it's much more difficult to lose belly fat without doing some form of exercise on a regular basis. You don't have to go overboard and spend hours in the gym. Nor should you do hours and hours of "long, slow, and boring" cardio exercise (think treadmill jogging). What you should do is find something you enjoy doing that allows you to get your heart rate up and makes you break a good sweat. And you should do it first thing in the morning most days of the week. There are several reasons why morning exercise tends to work best for fat loss, but the biggest two are:

• Studies have shown that people who get into the habit of working out first thing in the morning tend to stick with a fitness program longer than people who exercise later in the day. In fact, after just a couple of weeks, many people become "addicted" to their morning exercise sessions because it makes them feel so great for the rest of the day.
• By working out first thing in the morning, before you eat breakfast, you force your body to tap into its fat stores (including that stubborn belly fat) much sooner than if you exercise after eating. Working out before the first meal of the day is a very common fat loss technique among bodybuilders, fitness competitors, and models.

How to Keep Losing Belly Fat

There are many more things you can do to lose belly fat in a fast, healthy way. But, if you only follow the steps above, you will definitely see some great results within a few weeks. Once that happens you'll be even more motivated and encouraged... and you can begin a more "intense" fat loss program that involves resistance/strength training, interval aerobic training, supplements, etc. One of the best step-by-step guides to losing belly fat in a fast and safe way is the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle program. If losing your ugly abdominal fat is a goal, you should definitely check it out!

Tags: lose belly fat, weight loss tips