Top 20 Easy and Effective Tips to Lose Stubborn Belly Fat
Every body’s a bikini body, that will always be true, but sometimes, we just want to see a little more definition in our gut region. Belly fat is very stubborn, for good reason as it provides cushion and insulation for all the organs of the lower torso.
Extra fat, particularly around your abdominal region, may put you at risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. Luckily, shedding some extra inches doesn’t have to take a long time, nor does it have to be a hard, intense process.
Diets don’t work, changes in habits do.
To slim down on potentially harmful belly fat check out these effective tips today!
20 Effective Tips to Lose Belly Fat
Here are the most effective ways to reduce stomach fat, proven by science.
1. Eat More Fiber
Fiber is a great addition to your eating habits as it can keep you fuller for longer and provide needed nutrients for the microbiome in your gut.
The soluble fiber in particular absorbs water and slows down food, making you feel full.
2. Go to Bed Early
Studies have found that individuals that go to Bed after 11 pm tend to consume about 309 more calories than someone who goes to bed at an earlier time.
Going to bed early is one of the easiest ways to prevent excess belly fat.
Plus, vitamin D in the early morning can also help the body with regular belly fat, so safely get some sunshine.
3. Brush Your Teeth More
Yup. Brushing your teeth can help you lose belly fat! Brushing your teeth more frequently is linked to lower weight.
The mint flavor of the toothpaste may also trigger a response in your brain signaling that it is not meal time.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is important for a variety of reasons. It increases immune health and provides time for body healing and muscle repairs.
Studies have found that people tend to weigh more if they do not get a proper amount of sleep.
For example, sleep apnea, the condition where you stop breathing during the night, is linked to higher amounts of belly fat.
5. Eat Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are a great source of fiber and probiotics. A healthy and well-balanced microbiota can help stabilize weight greatly.
For example, the microbiome of an overweight individual was transferred to an underweight individual, and that underweight individual ended up gaining weight, showing just how impactful gut microbiota is.
6. Add Whole Grains
Whole grains are good carbs that may actually help you reduce visceral fat in the body.
Reduce white rice and pasta for better things like oatmeal, quinoa, Whole wheat bread, brown rice, and barely.
7. Make Healthy Snack Choices
We tend to grab any snack that’s easy to eat, which means we’re usually reaching for a bag of potato chips.
Instead, snack on vegetables, berries, or nuts.
Making healthier snack choices like this may even reduce insulin resistance, ensuring your body doesn’t accumulate excess fat.
8. Avoid Hydrogenated and Trans Fat
Hydrogenated and trans fat is created mechanically and is linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, and increased belly fat.
Try to avoid any products with these, such as margarine, spreads, and other processed foods.
9. Reduce Takeout Meals
There is nothing better than a meal created by you, using whole ingredients without additives, preservatives, and filler ingredients.
Reduce your take-out or processed foods by making simple homemade meals like stir fry, salads, veggie and meat wraps, and casseroles.
Cooking doesn’t have to take hours of prep and hours of cooking. You can throw together simple hearty meals that taste good and make you feel good too.
10 Drink Prebiotic and Probiotics
Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feed the good bacteria of the gut while probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can colonize the gut.
Make sure your diet includes both of these to ensure you have a balanced gut microbiota.
11. Eat Antioxidant-Rich Berries
Berries, like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are a great way to add a little sweetness to your diet, without the harm of excess sugar.
The antioxidants in berries can also help reduce inflammation throughout the body greatly!
12 Stop Snacking After Dinner
Late night snacking contributes to high amounts of excess body fat.
After a certain point in the day when there is less light, your circadian rhythm is triggered, the internal biological clock that governs processes in the body.
The body is less ready to metabolize and process carbs and food, meaning much of the food consumed after dinner turns into stored fat.
13. Avoid Sugary Drinks and Alcohol
Soda, fruit juices, and alcohol are all high in added sugar with little to no benefit to the body.
Soda and fruit juice actually have similar amounts of sugar and do not add any fiber or nutrients to the body.
High consumption of alcohol is also linked to higher amounts of belly fat.
14. Start Meal Planning
Meal planning is a great way to reduce the time and effort needed to eat well.
Add some meal prep at the beginning of the week to really commit to healthy nutrient dense meals!
15. Read Food Labels
Get more comfortable reading food labels. Look at the ingredients and make sure you are avoiding ones that may cause harm, like hydrogenated soybean oil.
Full list of ingredients to watch out for here!
Look at portion size, but know that every body is different, and you may need a bit more or a bit less!
16. Try Resistance Training
Resistance training is any sort of exercise that requires weights, either added weight or body weight.
Resistance training is an amazing way to reduce body fat exponentially!
This is because the muscles gained while resistance training needs more energy and fuel, meaning you can keep eating a similar amount and still lose belly fat!
17. Do More Cardio
Kick up the intensity of your cardio workouts to shed belly fat like water!
Cardio, particularly HIIT exercises, running, or swimming, requires high amounts of energy, which means the body will need to break down stored energy, aka fat, in order to fuel the movement.
18. Hydrate Properly
Sometimes, we confuse the cues for hunger and thirst because they are so subtle in the body.
If you ever feel the need to eat or snack, just take a moment to check if you are actually hungry or just bored and thirsty.
Plus, drink water throughout the day to make sure you are properly hydrated, as this can help the body process and digest food effectively.
19. Reduce Stress Levels
Higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone in the body, may trigger a response that starts accumulating body fat.
To prevent or at least reduce this, try reducing stress. Try to add some habits that can help reduce stress, such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, or yoga.
20. Don’t Focus on the Scale
All in all, weight does not determine worth, nor is it a great indicator of health.
Plus muscle weighs more than fat, so you may be losing inches from your waist while gaining pounds in muscles.
You may weigh yourself but know that this is not a reflection of health, and you can still be losing belly fat though the scale is not moving.
Instead, focus on how you feel, how you can move, and your strength and stamina.
Take note of size with a tape measure if you want to truly track belly fat and remember, you can adopt healthy habits at any age or size.
The Takeaway
Losing belly fat does not need a crash diet, nor does this goal need years to accomplish.
With small micro habits that help you make lifestyle changes, you can start your health and fitness journey instantly and effectively.
Changing or adding food to your diet, exercising regularly, and improving mental wellbeing are science-based tips to reducing body fat, and increasing wellness.
Remember that health starts from within and to enjoy the journey on the way to your fitness destination.
