Saturday, June 16, 2007

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

no belly fat girlTired 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!




28 comments:

Shadow said...

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http://getfitandstrong.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

I love this blog. So informative. I will use this blog for ideas to my new web site:
http://www.fat-and-tired.com
I am planning on having my own blog to.

Jodi said...

Really good stuff here. I personally find ab exercises boring. It's always good to get good ideas and learn about other people's struggles so I know I'm not alone!

Check out my fitness blog: http://www.nubella.com/content/blogsection/112/8055/

Jon said...

Don't forget to reduce alcohol intake, especially beer, and eating carbs after 4pm is a real no no if you plan to get that ripped 6 pack.
More advice for reducing belly fat here: http://www.tranquillizer.co.uk/articles/How-To-Lose-Belly-Fat.html

Unknown said...

Love these suggestions. They're smart and REAL. I've got a fitness blog too. Feel free to check it out! http://www.nubella.com/content/blogsection/112/8055/

Keep up the great work :)

Anonymous said...

Great post, You hit the nail on the head. Sure sounds like the South Beach diet. I lossed alot of weight following it. But you have to exercise. Even if it is just getting out and walking.

Anonymous said...

Great tips! If more people would make a more conscious effort to watch what goes into their bodies, it would make a big difference.

Many people want to get rid of belly fat, or lose weight quickly, so they rely on the latest diet craze or potion to lose a great deal of weight at one-time.

Most people gain weight gradually, so that's how they should approach losing it.

If they would implement things that are more permanent, and stop looking for the quick fix, they'd get better overall results.

Just spreading meals out 4-6 times evenly throughout the day, will be significant enough to see results.

Slowly adding in other components such as: exercise, drinking water, and plenty of rest and the desired results begin to multiply.

Keep up the great posts!

Anonymous said...

Although it is difficult to lose bellyfat, an approach to full fat lose is very appropriate. That being said, new studies are reporting that some spot reduction may be possible.

Anonymous said...

Great info. I've been trying to get rid of of my belly fat for awhile now. Exercise, low-carb dieting, and taking hydroxycut before my workouts (for energy) has helped me lose about 15 pounds in the last 3 months. I'll give the tips listed here a try and see if I can lose another 10 pounds even faster!

Bass Player Keith Hall said...

I have lost 4 inches of belly fat in 4 months. I have been on the Fletcherism diet for 4 months and have lost 41 pounds. I chew eat bite 32 times and eat Lunch and supper only and have a mid afternoon snack about 3 pm and another one at 8:30 at night. Be sure to chew eat bite at least 32 times. You will eat about 20-30 minutes and feel totally full and are eating a lot less calories by eating less food and you feel totally satisfied. Read Horace Fletcher’s book in Google books called, Fletcherism, How I Became Young at Sixty.
Source: http://bellyfatcure.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

this is very good info on how to lose weight fast..im 11 ond a lil over wieght and school starts in 2 weeks...ive lost already 18 pounds..im tired of gettin made fun of so losin wait is very important to me.And this might help me lose the weight a lil faster! THANKS!:]

Anonymous said...

I have always had belly fat. Since I was born. When I look at my family on my dad's side they all have thick mid sections. I am 51, post menapausal with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. I have recently began an anti-inflamation diet program that is helping, but my research is saying that belly fat is what is causing these conditions. Does anyone know anything about surgery to remove belly fat (non-cosmetic) and if there are any health benefits that can result. I also was recently diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. I am trying very hard to determine if it's the chicken or the egg. Help

Anonymous said...

Thanks!
I will be trying to loose weight within the next few weeks especially. (going back to school)
=]

Jon said...

awsome articles keep them up

Reduce Belly Fat said...

Great tips, I followed many of them and lost 82 pounds.

Jason Wolf said...

Great post! You have a lot of really informative tips there. I have been trying to stay healthy and lose belly fat for quite sometime and I try to do almost any exercise I could do. But I realized I was forgetting something very basic as I was too focused on exercising. I forgot drinking lots of water was going to be really helpful. Thanks for reminding it! By the way, there is another blog about six pack abs I thought I'd share with all you guys: http://www.flatstomachabs.blogspot.com/

Piseth's Fat Story said...

I learned so many way to get myself fit and I think it is hard if we cannot keep ourselves awake. Too much or too low at something will get into trouble.

Your advice is very helpful and thank you for sharing this. Piseth

GTM79 said...

wow , been looking for a way to lose my belly but this one seems the best.
not over complicated and very informative.
going to start using this advice today

cheers m8

Protein Powders said...

Great post, You hit the nail on the head. Sure sounds like the South Beach diet. I lossed alot of weight following it. But you have to exercise. Even if it is just getting out and walking. Hit @ Fat Burner

John said...

This is a great list of ways to lose that belly fat. To simplify your blog I would say.

1. Stay active and workout.
2. Do not over eat.
3. Avoid simple sugars and hollow calories.

Check out our fitness blog at http://www.illuminategym.com/blog

Unknown said...

Don't forget to take walking routine everyday for about 10-15 minutes, or you can run 15 minut, do it twice a week. This is a helpful cardio workouts that will help you lose belly fat.

Lifesuccessnz said...

I think its important to eat before a workout energy is very important... Eat bananas before a workout helps burn the fat.

jodie said...

i have lost over 5 stone and feeling very happpy just doning really good workouts and drinking loots and lots of water because you just let it out in the toilet i think i nevr be fat again

Shany Paul said...

Nice post... i like very much information and it is useful for me.

Unknown said...

I like this post particularly because it does not give readers any hyped up information. It sounds 'boring and typical' but that is exactly how people actually get successful weight loss transformations. It is with this basic information and extraordinary efforts and determination that people succeed. Great job!

Visit my blog if you wish to know how to lose weight at home.

mackjay1980 said...

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Allon said...

Its great blog, i like the information of the blog which is very helpful in weight loss. Thanks for the post.

Sandie said...

In a scientific study, people who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more belly fat than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains. That's right. Simply switching the two.

Another good way is to find the best treadmills and start walking. Get a pedometer and try to increase the number of steps you take each day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk instead of driving.