Top Tips for Losing Belly Fat (Backed by Science)
There are no magic solutions to losing belly fat. But, I’ve got some effective tips (backed by science) that can make it much easier for you.
Belly fat is more than a nuisance that makes your clothes feel tight. It’s seriously harmful and will effect your longevity!
One type of belly fat (referred to as visceral fat) is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions.
Many health organizations use body mass index (BMI) to classify weight and predict the risk of metabolic disease.
However, this is misleading, as people with excess belly fat are at an increased risk even if they look thin. Looks can be deceiving!
Though losing fat from this area can be difficult, there are several things you can do to reduce excess abdominal fat.
Today, I’d like to share several effective tips to lose belly fat, backed by scientific studies.
Before I do, I hope you enjoyed last week’s newsletter on Stress reducing food choices. These “anti-stress” foods will help you deal with life’s challenges as they pop up in your life….if you missed it you can read it here.
OK, let’s get started on how to lose that belly fat!
Eat plenty of Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that helps slow down food as it passes through your digestive system.
Studies show that this type of fiber promotes weight loss by helping you feel full, so you naturally eat less. It may also decrease the number of calories your body absorbs from food and helps fight belly fat.
An observational study in over 1,100 adults found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fiber intake, belly fat gain decreased by 3.7% over a 5-year period.
Make an effort to consume high fiber foods every day. Excellent sources of soluble fiber include:
flax seeds
Brussel sprouts
avocados
peanuts
blackberries
Don’t drink too much alcohol
Alcohol can have health benefits in small amounts, but it’s seriously harmful if you drink too much.
Research suggests that too much alcohol can also make you gain belly fat.
Observational studies link heavy alcohol consumption to a significantly increased risk of developing central obesity and excess fat around the waist!
Cutting back on alcohol may help reduce your waist size. You don’t need to give it up altogether, but limiting the amount you drink in a single day can help.
One study on alcohol use involved more than 2,000 people.
Results showed those who drank alcohol daily (but averaged less than one drink per day) had less belly fat than those who drank less frequently, but consumed more alcohol on the days they drank.
So, to net it out…. weekend splurging is out; half a glass with daily meal is okay, no alcohol is better!
Eat a High Protein Diet and Fatty Fish
Protein is an extremely important nutrient for weight management.
High protein intake increases the release of the fullness hormone PYY, which decreases appetite and promotes fullness.
Protein also raises your metabolic rate and helps you to retain muscle mass during weight loss.
Many observational studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who eat a lower protein diet.
Be sure to include good protein at every meal, such as:
beef (grass fed, grass finished)
poultry such as chicken/duck/turkey (free range)
fish (wild caught)
eggs (free range, organic)
Eat Fatty fish every week. Fatty fish are incredibly healthy; they’re super rich in high quality protein and omega-3 fats that protect you from disease.
Aim to get 2–3 servings of fatty fish per week. Good choices include:
salmon
herring
sardines
mackerel
anchovies
Don’t eat or drink Sugar
Sugar contains fructose, which has been linked to several chronic diseases when consumed in excess. These include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and fatty liver disease.
Observational studies show a relationship between high sugar intake and increased abdominal fat.
It’s important to realize that more than just refined sugar (sodas, regular table sugar, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and evaporated cane juice) lead to belly fat gain. Even healthier sugars, such as real honey, fruit juices, agave, and molasses, should be used sparingly.
Stop drinking fruit juice. Although fruit juice provides vitamins and minerals, it’s just as high in sugar as soda and other sweetened beverages.
An 8-ounce (240-mL) serving of unsweetened apple juice contains 24 grams of sugar, half of which is fructose.
To help reduce excess belly fat, replace fruit juice with water, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling water with a wedge of lemon or lime.
Cut back on carbs (especially refined carbs)
Reducing your carb intake can be very beneficial for losing fat, including abdominal fat.
Diets with under 50 grams of carbs per day cause belly fat loss in people who are overweight, those at risk for type 2 diabetes.
You don’t have to follow a strict low carb diet. Some research suggests that simply replacing refined carbs (pasta, bread, crackers, chips, cakes, cookies, desserts, fruit juice) with unprocessed starchy carbs (baked potato, corn, yams) may improve metabolic health and reduce belly fat.
In the famous Framingham Heart Study, people with the highest consumption of whole grains were 17% less likely to have excess abdominal fat than those who consumed diets high in refined grains.
Eat Probiotic foods or Take a Probiotic supplement
Probiotics are bacteria found in some foods (kimchi, kombucha, live sauerkraut) and supplements. They have many health benefits, including helping improve gut health and enhancing immune function.
Researchers have found that different types of bacteria play a role in weight regulation and that having the right balance can help with weight loss, including loss of belly fat.
Those shown to reduce belly fat include members of the Lactobacillus family, such as Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus amylovorus and especially Lactobacillus gasseri .
Probiotic supplements typically contain several types of bacteria, so make sure you purchase one that provides one or more of these bacterial strains.
Ask the front desk for our preferred probiotic (as they are changing rapidly with new science coming out daily).
Avoid foods that contain Trans Fats
Trans fats are created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, such as soybean oil. They’re found in some margarines and spreads, and are also added to packaged foods. These fats have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal fat gain.
To help reduce belly fat and protect your health, read ingredient labels carefully and stay away from products that contain trans fats. These are often listed as partially hydrogenated fats.
Reduce your Stress Levels
Stress can make you gain belly fat by triggering the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone.
Research shows that high cortisol levels increase appetite and drive abdominal fat storage.
What’s more, women who already have a large waist tend to produce more cortisol in response to stress. Increased cortisol further adds to fat gain around the middle section.
To help reduce belly fat, engage in pleasurable activities that relieve stress, like practicing yoga or meditation.
Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has recently become very popular as a weight loss method. In a nut shell, it’s an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting.
One popular method involves 24-hour fasts once or twice a week. Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period.
In a review of studies on intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting, people experienced a 4–7% decrease in abdominal fat within 6–24 weeks.
There’s some evidence that intermittent fasting, and fasting in general, may not be as beneficial for women as for men.
Although certain modified intermittent fasting methods appear to be better options, stop fasting immediately if you experience any negative effects.
Do Aerobic exercise (cardio) and some Resistance training
Aerobic exercise (cardio) is an effective way to improve your health and burn calories. Studies also show that it’s one of the most effective forms of exercise for reducing belly fat.
The frequency and duration of your exercise program are more important than its intensity.
One study found that postmenopausal women lost more fat from all areas when they did aerobic exercise for 300 minutes per week, compared with those who exercised 150 minutes per week.
Resistance training, also known as weight lifting or strength training, is important for preserving and gaining muscle mass.
Based on studies involving people with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease, resistance training may also be beneficial for belly fat loss.
In fact, one study involving teenagers with overweight showed that a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in visceral fat.
If you decide to start lifting weights, it’s a good idea to get advice from a certified personal trainer.
The Bottom Line
Just doing one of the items on this list won’t have a big effect on its own. If you want good results, you need to combine different methods that have been shown to be effective.
Interestingly, many of these methods are things generally associated with healthy eating and an overall healthy lifestyle. Therefore, changing your lifestyle for the long term is the key to losing your belly fat and keeping it off.
When you have healthy habits and eat real whole food, fat loss tends to follow as a natural side effect.
Losing weight and keeping it off is difficult unless you permanently change your dietary habits and lifestyle.
There are no magic solutions to losing belly fat.
Weight loss always requires some effort, commitment, and perseverance on your behalf.
Successfully adopting some or all of the strategies and lifestyle goals discussed above will definitely help you lose the extra pounds around your waist.
I hope today’s newsletter has helped you see how adopting some or all of the strategies and lifestyle goals discussed above will definitely help you lose the extra pounds around your waist.
Remember, you can find healthy recipes in my new cookbook, “Eat Like Your LIFE Depends on It”. We’ve got copies at the front desk at a reduced price for our patients.
Don’t forget the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
Mindset
Nerve Supply
Nutrition
Exercise
Minimizing Toxins
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ Design your life, Create your reality…
This is life changing!
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