Losing belly fat, especially as you age, becomes increasingly challenging. The accumulation of excess weight around the core poses aesthetic concerns and raises health risks. A soft belly can contribute to structural problems, such as lower back and hip pain, while also affecting the proper functioning of internal organs. Addressing belly fat for cosmetic reasons and maintaining overall health and well-being is crucial.
What is Belly Fat?
Belly fats are excessive fats that develop around your stomach area over time (1). Unfortunately, belly fat can even be deadly. Also referred to as visceral fat, belly fat not only looks unattractive as it spills over your pant waist, but it can enter your bloodstream and put you at serious risk for both heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. This is why proper exercise and a low-fat, high-protein diet are essential.
What Causes Belly Fat?
Belly fat can result from various factors, including stress, insufficient physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, menopause, genetic factors, and a low-protein diet. Taking charge of your belly fat involves balancing your diet, being mindful of what you eat, and skipping. Incorporating regular exercise into your routine also effectively reduces unwanted belly fat and promotes overall health.
Is it possible to reduce belly fat?
According to fitness experts, losing the fat around the belly can seem impossible for most people, especially those who have reached middle age (2). Body fat that accumulates in your middle will surround the internal organs and make it hard for them to perform the way they were designed, leading to other serious health problems and chronic pain.
If you’ve been homebound and overeating due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, plus having trouble losing the fat that’s building up around your core, you need to focus on two things: exercise and diet.
According to StartwithReal.com, a weight loss clinic, “35 percent of all Americans are borderline obese and unmotivated to do anything about it on their own, especially during the Pandemic when overeating can be a real problem. Weight loss professionals will push you towards a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise and a low-fat diet. Ultimately, you will lose belly fat and improve your health dramatically.”
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Suppose you don’t have access to a gym and don’t want to risk going out of the house for anything other than essential grocery shopping. In that case, you can work on losing stubborn belly fat by performing low-impact exercises that don’t require gym equipment or machinery.
12 Ways to Lose Belly Fat
Here are the 12 most effective ways to blast away belly fat during the COVID-19 pandemic:
1. Ab Crunches
Abs or abdominal crunches are about as old school as you can get. Yet, this is one of the first exercises you learn in gym class in grade school. It is, however, a tried-and-true way of eliminating body fat while, at the same time, burning excess calories.
Here’s how you will adequately execute abs crunches:
1. Lie on your back and bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor.
2. After placing your hands behind your head, inhale deeply and lift your torso while squeezing your abdominal muscles.
3. You should perform up to 20 repetitions or reps.
2. Bicycle Abs Crunches
Bicycle abs crunches are also an excellent way to burn calories while eliminating body fat.
1. You perform these by getting down on your back with your hands locked at the knuckles behind your head.
2. Bringing your knees into your chest, you straighten one leg while shifting your upper body towards the bent knee.
3. Alternate extending right and left legs, just like you’re riding a bike. Perform 20 reps on each side.
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3. Planks
Planks are a favorite of trainers worldwide for their fat and calory-burning capabilities. They also test your endurance. According to the experts, planks exercise your core and every muscle in the body.
1. You correctly perform a plank by turning onto your belly and placing your elbows beneath your shoulders.
2. Now, flex your feet and lift your body, keeping it parallel to the floor like a stiff wood plank.
3. Hold this position for 60 seconds initially, but work up to 2 and 5 minutes.
4. Speed Walk and Jog
Considering one of the best calory burning, endurance-building exercises out there, speed walking or jogging will reduce belly fat and hedge against chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and even most types of cancer. It will also tone your legs and your abdomen. Even a slow jog will result in about 100 calories burned per mile, but the actual number depends on height and weight. It would be best to begin slowly, jogging for up to ten minutes daily. But soon, you can work up to thirty minutes or more. Remember to wear your mask if you’re concerned about being outside during the Pandemic.
5. Leg Lifts
This ab-strengthening exercise is a perfect companion to your run or speed walk since it strengthens the legs. So how do you do it?
1. Lie flat on your back and place your palms under your hips.
2. Using your abdominal muscles, lift your hips and legs, keeping them straight.
3. Perform 10-12 perfect reps and try for one more each day.
Belly fat is not only ugly, but it is also extremely unhealthy. During the time of Covid-19, you will find yourself housebound for longer periods than you are used to. You will naturally be getting less exercise. You will find yourself eating more simply because the refrigerator is close by. But if you engage in routine belly fat burning exercises that require no equipment, you can achieve healthy washboard abs right inside your living room.
6. Avoid Sleep Deprivation
According to a study by King College London, sleep deprivation may cause people to eat more calories. It was found that people who didn’t get enough sleep consumed 385 Kcal more per day than those who did get proper sleep (3).
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7. Restrict Salt Intake
Excessive salt intake may lead to water retention and bloating. Cutting your salt intake can be an excellent step to eliminate water weight (4).
8. Say goodbye to Alcohol
Regular consumption of alcoholic drinks like beer can pump in your body with additional calories – making your waistline bigger and bloated. Avoid alcoholic beverages altogether or restrict to one serving per day.
9. Fight Sugar Cravings
The sugary treats add extra calories and lead to insulin resistance. Excessive sugar intake tells the body to store fats around the belly and can cause bloating. Keep your sugary intake minimal if you are seriously thinking of cutting belly fat.
10. Stay Hydrated
Consume plenty of fluids to keep your body hydrated and reduce cravings.
11. Say No to Smoking
People who smoke regularly have large deposits of fat around their bellies. A 2012 study found that smokers accumulate more belly fat than their non-smoking counterparts (5).
Also Read – 15 Tips to Make the Most of Your Belly Button Piercing
12. Switch to Protein-Rich Diet
More research findings have confirmed the correlation between consumption of a protein-rich diet and reduced belly fat (6). Conversely, increased consumption of a carb-based diet can lead to fat accumulation in and around the waistline.
Summary
Belly fats unsightly and may cause underlying health problems. It’s difficult to get rid of belly fats, however with regular exercise and a balanced diet, one can take control of belly fat. Simple exercises like Ab Crunches, Planks, Leg Lifts, or Speed walk can shed away the bulge from your waistline. Additionally, a proper diet plan consisting of protein-based food and a healthy lifestyle can perhaps rescue you from belly fat.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ’s)
What causes a big stomach in females?
There could be multiple reasons. However, poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress can lead to fat accumulation in the waistline.
How do I reduce my belly fat quickly?
Unfortunately, there is no shortcut to reduce belly fat. However, a healthy lifestyle coupled with proper exercise focusing specifically on the abs area and adhering to a diet plan with high protein and low carbs can help you reduce belly fat.
What can I drink to burn belly fat?
Hydrate as much as you can – that’s the mantra to check your belly fat. In your daily routine, drink at least eight glasses of water, including green tea, chamomile tea, and curd.
How can I get a flat stomach without exercise?
Get enough sleep, avoid stress, eat mindfully, cut out sugar, and rely on proteins. These small yet practical steps can help you get a flat stomach over time.
References –
- “Aiming for belly fat” – health.harvard.edu
- “8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life” – hopkinsmedicine.org
- “Sleep deprivation may cause people to eat more calories” – kcl.ac.uk
- “How to lose water weight naturally” – medicalnewstoday.com
- “Cigarette Smoking Increases Abdominal and Visceral Obesity but Not Overall Fatness: An Observational Study” – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- “High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss” – webmd.com
