Being somewhat overweight may not necessarily be a health risk, nor would some fat under the skin. But excess fat under the waistline, or belly fat spells trouble, but there are some sure-shot ways to get rid of it. Wanna try?
Overweight does not necessarily equal unhealthy. There are actually plenty of overweight people who are in excellent health. Conversely, many normal weight people may have metabolic problems associated with obesity. That’s because the fat under the skin is actually not that big of a problem (at least not from a health standpoint... it’s more of a cosmetic problem). It’s the fat in the abdominal cavity, the belly fat that causes the biggest issues. If you have a lot of excess fat around your waistline, even if you’re not very heavy, then you should take some steps to get rid of it
Belly fat is usually estimated by measuring the circumference around your waist. This can easily be done at home with a simple tape measure. Anything above 40 inches (102 cm) in men and 35 inches (88 cm) in women, is known as abdominal obesity. There are actually a few proven strategies that have been shown to target the fat in the belly area more than other areas of the body.
Added sugar is extremely unhealthy. Studies show that it has uniquely harmful effects on metabolic health. Sugar is half glucose, half fructose... and fructose can only be metabolized by the liver in any significant amount. When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver gets flooded with fructose, and is forced to turn it all into fat. Numerous studies have shown that excess sugar, mostly due to the large amounts of fructose, can lead to increased accumulation of fat in the belly . Studies show that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to a 60% increased risk of obesity in children. Keep in mind that none of this applies to whole fruit, which are extremely healthy and have plenty of fiber that mitigates the negative effects of fructose. The amount of fructose you get from fruit is negligible compared to what you get from a diet high in refined sugar.
Bottom Line:Excess sugar consumption may be the primary driver of belly fat accumulation, especially sugary beverages like soft drinks and fruit juices.
Protein is the most important macronutrient when it comes to losing weight. It has been shown to reduce cravings by 60 per cent, boost metabolism by 80-100 calories per day and help you eat up to 441 fewer calories per day. If weight loss is your goal, then adding protein to your diet is perhaps the single most effective change you can do. Not only will it help you lose... it can also help you avoid re-gaining weight if you ever decide to abandon your weight loss efforts. There is also some evidence that protein is particularly effective against belly fat. Many of the studies showing protein to be effective had protein at 25-30 per cent of calories. That’s what you should aim for. So... make an effort to increase your intake of unprocessed eggs, fish, seafood, meats, poultry and dairy products.
Bottom Line: Eating enough protein is a very effective way to lose weight. Some studies suggest that protein is particularly effective against belly fat accumulation
Carb restriction is a very effective way to lose fat. This is supported by numerous studies... when people cut carbs, their appetite goes down and they lose weight. Over 20 randomized controlled trials have now shown that low-carb diets lead to two to three times more weight loss than low-fat diets. This is true even when the low-carb groups are allowed to eat as much as they want, while the low-fat groups are calorie restricted and hungry. Low-carb diets also lead to quick reductions in water weight, which gives people near instant results... a major difference on the scale is often seen within a few days
However... if you need to lose weight fast, then consider dropping your carbs down to 50 grams per day. This will put your body into ketosis, killing your appetite and making your body start burning primarily fats for fuel. Of course, low-carb diets have many other health benefits besides just weight loss. They can have life-saving effects in type two diabetics, for example
Bottom Line: Studies have shown that low- carb diets are particularly effective at getting rid of the fat in the belly area, around the organs and in the liver.
Dietary fiber is mostly indigestible plant matter. It is often claimed that eating plenty of fiber can help with weight loss. This is true... but it’s important to keep in mind that not all fiber is created equal. It seems to be mostly the viscous fibers that can have an effect on your weight. These are fibers that bind water and form a thick gel that “sits” in the gut. This gel can dramatically slow the movement of food through your stomach and small bowel, and slow down the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The end result is a prolonged feeling of fullness and reduced appetite. One review study found that an additional 14 grams of fiber per day were linked to a 10 per cent decrease in calorie intake and weight loss of 2 kg (4.5 lbs) over four months.
The best way to get more fiber is to eat a lot of plant foods like vegetables and fruit. Legumes are also a good source, as well as some cereals like oats. Then you could also try taking a fiber supplement like glucomannan. This is one of the most viscous dietary fibers in existence, and has been shown to cause weight loss in many studies.
Bottom Line: There is some evidence that soluble dietary fiber may lead to reduced amounts of belly fat, which should cause major improvements in metabolic health
It is often claimed that eating plenty of fiber can help with weight loss. This is true... but it’s important to keep in mind that not all fiber is created equal. It seems to be mostly the viscous fibers that can have an effect on your weight. These are fibers that bind water and form a thick gel that “sits” in the gut. This gel can dramatically slow the movement of food through your stomach, slow down the digestion and absorption of nutrients
Exercise is important for various reasons. It is among the best things you can do if you want to live a long, healthy life and avoid disease. Getting into all of the amazing health benefits of exercise is beyond the scope of this article, but exercise does appear to be effective at reducing belly fat. However... keep in mind that I’m not talking about abdominal exercises here. Aerobic exercise (like walking, running, swimming, etc) has been shown to cause major reductions in belly fat in numerous studies. Exercise also leads to reduced inflammation, blood sugar levels and all the other metabolic abnormalities that are associated with central obesity
Bottom Line: Exercise can be very effective if you are trying to lose belly fat. Exercise also has a number of other health benefits
What you eat is important. Pretty much everyone knows this. However... surprisingly, most people actually don’t have a clue what they are really eating. People think they’re eating “high protein,” “low-carb” or whatever... but tend to drastically over- or underestimate. I think that for anyone who truly wants to optimize their diet, tracking things for a while is absolutely essential. It doesn’t mean you need to weigh and measure everything for the rest of your life, but doing it every now and then for a few days in a row can help you realize where you need to make changes. If you want to boost your protein intake to 25-30 per cent of calories, as recommended above, just eating more protein rich foods won’t cut it. You need to actually measure and fine tune in order to reach that goal.
By Kris Gunnars
