5 Ways To Lose Belly Fat, According To Experts

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5 Ways To Lose Belly Fat, According To Experts
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• Washboard abs, a toned tummy and a flat stomach
  are the dreams for many. While a trim middle can
  be difficult to achieve without a strict
  lifestyle and a dose of favorable genetics, there
  are good reasons to reduce your belly fatand
  they have much more to do with your overall
  health than with the way you look.

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• While its not possible to spot-reduce fat on any
  particular area of your body, there are
  strategies you can use to reduce your overall
  body fat and thus your belly fat.

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1. Banish Midnight Snacking

• Who hasnt found a bowl of cereal to taste better
  in the wee hours of the night rather than after
  the sun comes up? Still, it might be better to
  close your eating window as early in the day as
  is feasible for you.
• Research has shown that eating according to your
  body clock and natural circadian rhythms helps
  reduce fat storage, says registered dietitian
  Elizabeth Ward, co-author of The Menopause Diet
  Plan A Natural Guide to Hormones, Health, and
  Happiness.

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• Eating earlier in the day when your body is much
  better at processing food will help you control
  your weight. If you skew your calorie intake to
  later in the day, its going to be difficult for
  you to prevent weight gain.
• She explains this is a hormonal response related
  to insulin, which does a better job of clearing
  glucose from the blood earlier in the day. Wards
  advice? Shut down any snacking after dinner.

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2. Carefully Consider Your Carbs

• While dietary fat has gotten a bad rap over the
  years, its more likely that carbohydrates are
  the culprit of a growing waistline.
• Theres a general misunderstanding among people
  who have cholesterol problems that its simply
  through consumption of fat, says internist
  Spencer Kroll, M.D., who specializes in
  cholesterol and lipid diseases in his private
  medical practice in Marlboro, New Jersey.

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• The overconsumption of carbohydrates and
  processed foods are the primary contributors to
  the accumulation of abdominal fat. Ive spent
  years trying to change peoples ideas that its
  not just about ice cream and heavy cuts of
  meatits really about carb modification.
• You dont necessarily have to follow a low-carb
  eating style, but it is a good idea to reduce
  your consumption of simple carbs, such as fruit
  juice and cookies. Instead, look for
  carbohydrates that also come with fiber like
  vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains. Aim
  to consume at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber a
  day, recommends Ward.

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3. Engage In Cardio And Strength Training

• Exercise is a key component of weight loss, along
  with belly fat reduction specifically. A mix of
  resistance training and aerobic activity will
  give you the most benefits.
• Research is still underway about the optimal
  intensity and duration of exercise, but a good
  starting point is to follow the Center for
  Disease Control and Preventions recommendation
  of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic
  activity (think fast walking and mellow bike
  rides) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like
  running and playing basketball) a week, along
  with at least two days of muscle-strengthening
  activities.

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4. Fill Your Plate With Protein

• Including lean protein on your plate every time
  you eat helps you feel full. Aim to consume at
  least 20 to 30 grams of protein with each meal
  and 10 grams of protein with each snack,
  recommends Ward. People who get enough protein
  feel very satisfied, and theyre not looking for
  all the refined carbohydrateschips, cookies,
  cake, candiesor foods that have trans fats like
  the pastries youd buy at a bakery or French
  fries, she says.

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5. Prioritize Getting Good Sleep

• Just as a bad nights sleep can ruin your whole
  day, a track record of bad sleep can mess with a
  lot of other aspects of your lifeand one of
  those might just be belly fat.
• A study in Sleep found routinely logging less
  than five hours of sleep a night to be associated
  with a significant increase in both visceral and
  subcutaneous fat accumulation among adults
  younger than 40.