Ten Ways to Reduce Belly Fat

 1. Limit Sugar Intake

a. Sugar from refined foods such as white breads, and other flour products. Sugar from artificially flavored drinks, sodas and alcohol. Sugar from sweets, cakes, cookies, pies, Danishes, pastries, muffins and added sugar to teas, coffees and other beverages.

2. Reduce Stress

a. Stress has a direct effect on weight gained, especially in our mid-section. Stress can lead to unhealthy eating and unhelathy lifestyle practices.

3. Practice eating less

a. Choose MYPLATE, it is a perfect example of how your plate should look at meal time. If you load your plate with more vegetables, less starch and meats, you are cutting sugar and fat from your diet. (myplate can be accessed at www.myplate.org)

4. Exercise

a. Are you doing a hundred crunches daily and still not seeing the results? Crunches don’t necessarily burn stomach fat, they do however tighten stomach muscles. If stomach fat is the issue, crunches should be paired with cardio exercises. Walking, jogging, swimming, Pilates, and Zumba are just some of the activities that will help you fight the bulge.

5. Snack on Healthy Low Calorie Foods

a. While there are those of us who can eat 3 meals a day and be satisfied, there are those who need snacks. If you are eating smaller meals and not feeling satisfied, snacking is a way to keep from over eating.

6. Eat More Fruits, and Vegetables

a. This cannot be stressed enough. Fresh fruits and vegetables without added sugar and fats are a nutritious, delicious way to enjoy foods. They are naturally low in calories and loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will help your body fight the effects of stress and other illnesses.

7. Stay Hydrated

a. Dehydration causes our bodies to hold on to water. Retaining water can give the appearance of a puffy or bloated look especially in the stomach area. Dehydration can also increase cravings and lead to excessive intake of sugary beverages.

8. Get Some Sleep

 a. Sleeping is an important part of our metabolic function. It allows our body to restore itself, and sleeping will ensure that your body is producing enough of the hormone leptin. Leptin is a hormone that helps your body regulates appetite and metabolism. Lack of sleep can lead to stress, and again stress can lead to weigh gain. 6-8 hours is recommended.

9. Take Time To Eat

a. Rushed eating can lead to choosing foods that are not healthy and eating more than you should. Take time to savor and enjoy your meals.

10. Avoid Fast and Salty Food

a. Fast foods are usually higher in calories, fats, sugar and sodium. All of which will add fat to your mid section. A high sodium diet leads to water retention and water retention causes bloating and puffiness.