For a long time, I struggled with excess fat around my midsection (abdomen). The leading causes of excess belly fat include a poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. I recorded a great improvement when I improved my nutrition, exercised more, and made several lifestyle changes. I know some people who did the same – some by deciding to rent a treadmill, others by changing their diets. In addition to making you look great, losing excess belly fat could help you live longer. Belly fat increases your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, or even cancer.
I knew I had to do something about my huge belly when I started to experience pre-hypertension. Losing weight, particularly around my midsection, restored my health and improved my sleep quality.
Here are some practical weight-loss strategies that helped me get rid of excess belly fat.
Cut Down on the Carbs
Adopting a low carbohydrate diet played a significant role in my weight loss journey. Cutting down on the carbs is a great way to lose weight without the need to count calories. With a low carbohydrate diet, I could eat until full and still lose weight. This healthy diet will help you achieve a healthy weight loss without the need to starve yourself. You should keep your protein intake high while you are on a low-carb diet. Proteins enhance the metabolism rate, which speeds up the burning of excess belly fat.
Create a Sustainable Eating Plan
One mistake I made during my weight loss journey is expecting instant results. I adopted a strict diet that was not sustainable; after a while, I went back to my old eating habits. If you want to achieve your weight loss goals, you should have a sustainable eating plan. I started seeing good results when I shifted my intake away from problem foods and learned better food choices. I didn’t even have to monitor my daily calorie intake. You should shift from foods that are high in carbs and eat healthier foods like vegetables, high-fiber foods, and proteins.
Physical Exercise
Consistent physical activities will help burn excess body fat. You can choose a physical exercise that suits you best, including walking, dancing, cycling, running, or jogging, swimming, and weight training. Combining exercise with a healthy diet is an excellent way to lose excess belly fat. The amount of exercise will depend on your weight loss goals. I engaged in a 30 to 60 minutes session of moderate to vigorous exercises every day.
Don’t Ignore the Labels
I always read labels on different food items. When buying yogurt, for instance, I don’t just pick any brand because some brands claim they are low fat, yet they have added sugars and high carbs. You should be careful when buying foods like mayonnaise, salad dressings, and sauces; most have many calories due to their high-fat content.
Hang-out with Like-minded People
I would advise you to hang around like-minded people while trying to lose excess weight or belly fat. You will feel encouraged to press on even when you feel like giving up. I benefited a lot from a couple of my friends who would accompany me to the gym. They would also correct me whenever I gave in to the urge to eat junk food. You are more likely to exercise and eat healthier if you are in the company of people who do the same.
Don’t Give Up
You should not give up if your weight doesn’t seem to go down despite your efforts. I felt more encouraged by focusing more on how my clothes fit instead of how much I weighed. If you notice that your clothes start to feel loose, it’s a sign that you are making good progress.
Conclusion
Just knowing that you need to lose excess belly fat is not enough; you have to follow the right strategies. At first, I was skeptical because I assumed it’s impossible to target belly fat with diet. However, a healthy diet and regular exercise helped me lose weight overall, and combining the two played a role in shrinking my waistline. Losing weight helps reduce visceral fat, which accumulates within the abdominal cavity. You may not see this fat, but it could cause a wide range of health complications.