Be sure to include a good protein source at every meal, such as:. Stress can make you gain belly fat by triggering the adrenal glands to produce cortisol , also known as the stress hormone. Research shows that high cortisol levels increase appetite and drive abdominal fat storage 19 , Increased cortisol further adds to fat gain around the middle To help reduce belly fat, engage in activities that relieve stress.

Practicing yoga or meditation can be effective. Stress may promote fat gain around your waist. These include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease 22 , 23 , Observational studies show a relationship between high sugar intake and increased abdominal fat 25 , Even natural sugars, such as real honey , should be used in moderation.

Excess sugar intake is a major cause of weight gain in many people. Limit your intake of candy and processed foods high in added sugar. Aerobic exercise cardio is an effective way to improve your health and burn calories.

Studies also show that it can be an effective form of exercise for reducing belly fat. However, results are mixed as to whether moderate or high intensity exercise is more beneficial 27 , 28 , One study found that postmenopausal women lost more fat from all areas when they did aerobic exercise for minutes per week, compared with those who exercised minutes per week However, researchers also noted that changes in visceral belly fat were not significantly different between either group Aerobic exercise is an effective weight loss method.

In fact, low carb diets may cause belly fat loss in people with overweight, those at risk for type 2 diabetes, and people with polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS 31 , 32 , Some research suggests that replacing refined carbs with unprocessed starchy carbs may improve metabolic health and reduce belly fat 34 , A high intake of refined carbs is associated with excessive belly fat.

Consider reducing your carb intake or replacing refined carbs in your diet with healthy carb sources, such as whole grains, legumes, or vegetables.

Resistance training, also known as weightlifting or strength training, is important for preserving and gaining muscle mass. Based on studies involving people with prediabetes , type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease, resistance training may also be beneficial for belly fat loss 37 , In fact, one study involving teenagers with overweight showed that a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in visceral fat Strength training can be an important weight loss strategy and may help reduce belly fat.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are high in added sugars like fructose, which can contribute to belly fat. One study of people with type 2 diabetes found that consuming at least one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per week was associated with increased belly fat compared to consuming less than one serving per week Sleep is important for many aspects of your health, including weight.

Studies show that not getting enough sleep may be linked to a higher risk of obesity and increased belly fat for some groups 43 , 44 , 45 , A year study involving more than 68, women found that those who slept fewer than 5 hours per night were significantly more likely to gain weight than those who slept 7 hours or more per night The condition known as sleep apnea , where breathing stops intermittently during the night, has also been linked to excess visceral fat If you suspect you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, consider speaking to a doctor about treatment options.

Sleep deprivation is linked to an increased risk of weight gain. Many things can help you lose weight and belly fat, but consuming fewer calories than your body needs for weight maintenance is key Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker or app can help monitor your calorie intake.

This strategy has been shown to be beneficial for weight loss 50 , In addition, food tracking tools help you to see your intake of protein, carbs, fiber, and micronutrients.

Many also allow you to record your exercise and physical activity. You can find several free apps or websites to track nutrient and calorie intake on this page.

Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker are two of the most popular ways to do this. Fatty fish can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet. Studies in adults and children with fatty liver disease have shown that omega-3 supplements may significantly reduce liver and abdominal fat 54 , 55 , Eating fatty fish or taking omega-3 supplements sourced from fish oil or algae may improve your overall health.

Some evidence also suggests it may reduce belly fat in people with fatty liver disease. For example, an 8-ounce milliliter serving of unsweetened apple juice contains 24 g of sugar, over half of which is fructose Research suggests that consuming high amounts of fruit juice could contribute to weight gain due to the excessive amount of calories that it provides rather than the fructose that it contains Still, to help reduce excess belly fat, moderate your intake and enjoy other beverages with lower sugar content, such as water, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling water with a wedge of lemon or lime.

Fruit juice often contains as much sugar as soda and may contribute to weight gain if consumed in high amounts. Probiotics are bacteria found in some foods and supplements. They may have health benefits, including helping improve gut health and enhancing immune function Researchers have found that different types of bacteria play a role in weight regulation and that having the right balance can help with weight loss, including loss of belly fat.

Those shown to reduce belly fat include members of the Lactobacillus family, such as Lactobacillus fermentum , Lactobacillus amylovorus , and Lactobacillus gasseri 61 , 62 , 63 , However, while probiotics may be beneficial for weight loss , more research is needed.

Taking probiotic supplements may help promote a healthy digestive system. Studies also suggest that beneficial gut bacteria may help promote weight loss. Intermittent fasting has recently become very popular as a weight loss method. One popular method involves hour fasts once or twice per week.

Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period. One study found that combining intermittent fasting with protein pacing — which involves consuming nutrient-dense meals spaced evenly throughout the day — led to greater reductions in body weight, total fat, and visceral fat compared to calorie restriction Although certain modified intermittent fasting methods appear to be better options, stop fasting immediately if you experience any negative effects.

Additionally, talk with a doctor before trying intermittent fasting or making other changes to your diet. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. Studies suggest that it may be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and belly fat.

Green tea is an exceptionally healthy beverage. It contains caffeine and the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate EGCG , which appear to boost metabolism 68 , EGCG is a catechin, which several studies suggest may help you lose belly fat.

The effect may be strengthened when green tea consumption is combined with exercise 70 , 71 , Interestingly, one review concluded that green tea could increase weight loss, especially when consumed in doses of less than milligrams per day for 12 weeks Another review showed that regular consumption of green tea could be beneficial for reducing body weight and waist circumference Though more research is needed, regularly drinking green tea has been linked to weight loss.

Interestingly, many of these methods are generally associated with balanced eating and an overall healthy lifestyle. Therefore, changing your lifestyle for the long term is the key to losing your belly fat and keeping it off.

When you have healthy habits, stay active, and reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods , fat loss tends to follow as a natural side effect Losing weight and keeping it off may be difficult unless you maintain consistent dietary habits and lifestyle measures. Studies suggest that intermittent fasting may be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and belly fat.

While there are healthy ways to lose weight, it will likely take longer than 7 days. There are no magic solutions to losing belly fat. Adopting some or all of the strategies and lifestyle goals discussed in this article may help you lose belly fat and improve overall health.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY. Belly fat is the most harmful fat in your body, linked to many diseases. You can also incorporate hills into outdoor workouts.

Rather than a long and low-intensity cardio workout, try the HIIT method of exercise—intense, fast-paced intervals that can leave you completely exhausted after only a to minute session. This form of cardio training also incorporates strength training exercises and increases the afterburn effect , allowing your body to continue burning calories after your workout is over.

You can rotate between 30 seconds of your favorite exercises, with rest in between, as long as they work a variety of muscle groups—such as squats, push-ups and kettlebell swings. You can lose belly fat but still have a weak core, so strengthening and toning your abs when trying to lose belly fat is crucial, as well.

To make a traditional plank routine more challenging, add in side planks:. Too little sleep —or too much of it—can throw your stress and regulatory hormones out of whack, which may lead to weight gain. A single night of sleep deprivation can increase levels of ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger, making you more likely to overeat the next day, according to a study in the journal Obesity.

Reduced sleep may also lead to fatigue during the day and less physical activity, which may be another reason why people who don't get enough sleep on a regular tend to gain weight. If you're dehydrated , it can be hard to tell if you're hungry or just thirsty.

If you're craving a midday snack, have a glass of water and wait a few minutes before reassessing your hunger level. Water also helps food move through your digestive system, lessening feelings of bloating.

It's a good idea to keep a water bottle with you throughout the day—and use it. Add cucumber slices and mint sprigs or fresh fruit to your water to infuse flavor. Have you ever decided to skip a meal to cut back on your daily calorie count? Despite saving a few calories in the moment, this strategy almost always backfires.

When you skip meals , you'll begin to experience excessive hunger that can lead to craving less nutritious foods—and lots of them.

You may also eat faster than you normally do after skipping a meal, which may cause you to miss the warning signs that you're full and make you more likely to overeat. Eating too fast can also add air to your stomach, resulting in bloating, so slow down and chew your food well. Unfortunately, there's no fast fix for belly fat.

However, there are certain things you can do to help speed up the process. Mindful lifestyle changes and a commitment to changing your eating and exercise habits over time are your best bet. With a little patience and perseverance, you'll be well on your way to a healthier you.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Special Diets Weight Loss Quick Weight-Loss. By Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD. Reviewed by Dietitian Novella Lui is a registered dietitian and a nutrition and health writer.

Reviewed by Dietitian Novella Lui, RD, M. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines. In This Article View All. In This Article. What Is Belly Fat, and Is It Dangerous? What to Eat to Lose Belly Fat. Exercises to Reduce Belly Fat. Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Belly Fat. The Bottom Line. Foods to Lose Belly Fat.

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Eat healthy omega-3 fatty acid more. Use mustard oil, incorporate nuts, fish etc in diet. Exercise for at least 30 minutes; do cardio exercise like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, Zumba, aerobics, sports etc. per day. Try combining it with abdominal strengthening exercise to tighten the muscle.

Try Yoga, try doing Surya namaskar daily. Rules to lose belly fat: 10 lifestyle changes to reduce visceral fat By Parmita Uniyal , New Delhi. Jul 18, PM IST. Share Via. See pics: Morning workout: 7 easy exercises to lose belly fat If you are largely sedentary, and rarely move your body, your belly fat is unlikely to bid adieu anytime soon.

Discover the thrill of cricket like never before, exclusively on HT. Explore now! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON. Share this article. Belly Fat. Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin. Join Hindustan Times Create free account and unlock exciting features like Newsletters, Alerts and Recommendations Get personalised news and exciting deals Bookmark the stories you want to read later.

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HT Premium. Elections HT Insight. My Account. Sign in. Instead, focus on adding healthy protein and fiber sources to your diet. Cruciferous veggies may help keep you full for longer and contain many nutrients.

These include:. Protein can boost your stamina and energy without adding a lot of calories to your daily calorie needs. Some protein sources include:. Avoid or limit artificially sweetened drinks, including energy drinks and diet sodas.

Stick to anti-inflammatory beverages, such as unsweetened green tea and water. High-intensity interval training , also called HIIT, has been linked to the reduction of fat among adults with more weight. In one study , adults who participated in HIIT exercise three times per week saw similar results as people who did daily minute sessions of moderate cardio.

Study authors point out that sticking to the regimen long term is needed for successful results. You can use an app or stopwatch to time your intervals. Break for 45 seconds before repeating the exercise for as many reps as you can within 45 seconds.

Repeat that in a circuit with five to seven exercises. To burn fat, do a HIIT or cardio workout before you move to other exercises, like the ones listed below. Raising your heart rate before other kinds of exercise, like weightlifting and Pilates, is a great way to supercharge your workout.

The hundred is a classic Pilates exercise that targets the deep inner ab muscles. Jackknife crunches are floor exercises that engage the lower abs.

Beyond diet and exercise, there are other lifestyle changes you can make to aid your weight loss. Healthy habits tend to have a domino effect. If you can add one or two healthy changes to your routine, it will become easier to add more as time goes on.

Toning your abdomen after pregnancy may pose additional challenges. Wait until you get clearance from your doctor before jumping into any kind of diet and exercise routine. During pregnancy, many women gain weight.

You can, for the most part, follow the same protocols as you would before you were pregnant to lose postpartum weight, with a few exceptions. If it appears that the muscles in your lower abs have been separated by pregnancy, you may have a condition called diastasis recti.

It can worsen with traditional crunch exercises. Ask your doctor about workouts and physical therapy options if you believe you might have this condition. Your sex may have something to do with the reasons why you gain belly fat. Females tend to store fat in the lower belly because of hormones, genetics, and age, and may be difficult to reduce in some cases.

However, everyone should take the same basic approach to lose weight, regardless of sex or gender. Losing weight overall is the only way to lose belly fat in a healthy way. Toning and tightening your ab muscles with floor exercises, changing your diet, and pursuing healthy habits will all contribute to trimming your waistline.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Walking is a great form of physical activity that's free, low risk and easy to do. Importantly, it can also help you lose weight and belly fat.

Trimming your waistline requires patience and some discipline. The best approach is to target body fat overall instead of concentrating only on your…. Many people store fat in the belly, and losing fat from this area can be hard. Here are 18 effective tips to lose belly fat, based on studies.

Some people believe that ab exercises like crunches and sit-ups can help you burn belly fat. But do they actually work? Excess belly fat is very unhealthy. It can drive diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Here are 11 things that can make you gain belly fat.

Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed…. Some studies suggest vaping may help manage your weight, but others show mixed….

Cut down on simple carbohydrates. Bread, biscuits, white rice, maida and maida, products, white potatoes must be avoided. Eat food items that have wholegrains, are fibrous and low in sugar.

Consume more fibre. Add more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, salad to your diet. They will help improve satiety and keep you fuller for longer. Incorporate healthy lean proteins in your diet like dals, tofu, chicken, low fat milk etc. Do not skip breakfast.

Make sure your breakfast includes proteins and has enough fibre. Eat healthy omega-3 fatty acid more. Use mustard oil, incorporate nuts, fish etc in diet. Exercise for at least 30 minutes; do cardio exercise like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, Zumba, aerobics, sports etc.

per day. Try combining it with abdominal strengthening exercise to tighten the muscle. Try Yoga, try doing Surya namaskar daily. Rules to lose belly fat: 10 lifestyle changes to reduce visceral fat By Parmita Uniyal , New Delhi.

Jul 18, PM IST. Share Via. See pics: Morning workout: 7 easy exercises to lose belly fat If you are largely sedentary, and rarely move your body, your belly fat is unlikely to bid adieu anytime soon. Discover the thrill of cricket like never before, exclusively on HT. Explore now! SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON.

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June 25, Visceral fat more of a health concern than subcutaneous fat Though the term might sound dated, "middle-age spread" is a greater concern than ever.

Are you pear-shaped or apple-shaped? Exercise and dieting helps you lose belly fat So what can we do about tubby tummies? Share This Page Share this page to Facebook Share this page to Twitter Share this page via Email. Print This Page Click to Print.

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You can also eat the vegetables raw, as salads, or juice them. However, store-bought juices are high in sugar and deficient in fibre, which can increase calorie consumption and even lead to weight gain. So, always have juices that are made at home — they are healthy and sugar-free.

Eating a healthy snack in-between meals will help satisfy your hunger and you will also consume some nutrients. On the other hand, snacking all day, especially on foods with low nutritional value, may lead to overeating. Remember to choose a snack that has protein, fat, or fibre to satisfy your hunger and get energy.

Fruits are the best morning snack as they contain micronutrients and iron, which not only acts as an energy booster but also helps reduce bloating. Another great option is dry fruits, as they are low in calories and extremely filling. In the evening, you can treat yourself with sweet potato, peanuts , makhana, or herbal tea with turmeric, ginger, black pepper.

Buy Now Our best subscription plan now has a special price. Having a healthy gut health is crucial because it lowers digestive disorders. Furthermore, gut bacteria may also influence your weight by altering how certain foods are absorbed in the body. For example, certain kinds of gut bacteria break down dietary fibre, which aid in weight loss.

Having more probiotic items such as homemade pickles, chutneys , yogurt, kimchi, and so on, is one of the best strategies to promote good bacteria and healthy gut health. Along with probiotics, your body also needs an adequate amount of vitamin D , a deficiency of which lead to constipation, which can further increase toxicity in the body and lead to belly fat.

On the other hand, a good amount of vitamin D helps absorb calcium efficiently while assisting tissue repair and muscle development because, as science explains, body fat can only be eliminated by replacing it with muscles. Exercises such as weight training and cardiovascular activity will help you lose fat all over your body.

Even aerobic exercises, such as walking, running, and swimming, can help you lose a lot of belly fat. Studies also demonstrate that exercise is important not just for belly fat reduction but also for weight maintenance , as stopping exercising after a long period of doing so will result in a gain in belly fat.

A higher cortisol level is a strong contributor to belly fat. Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is a vital hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland which helps in the regulation of blood sugar and metabolism, among other things.

Studies show that an adequate amount of stress is good for our bodies as it may increase productivity and efficiency. However, when we are confronted with a crisis, this stress response limits unnecessary internal bodily functions so that our body can focus. Even though our body unfreezes after the stressor is eliminated, prolonged stress can keep stress hormone levels elevated, leading to high blood pressure and sugar levels, which is not good.