How To Lose Belly Fat Naturally.

A trim stomach area does give a fit look to a body. Men and women alike desire to have a flat stomach, with no belly flab, or juggling love handles. When you have the right knowledge it’s easier to achieve results, so the purpose of this post is to give you some effective insights on the various aspects involved in reducing belly fat. If you can put these insights into practice you can achieve a trim waist line, with reduced or no belly flab and no hanging love handles.
Before we get into the details of strategies required to lose belly fat, it’s important to gain some perspective on how/why we tend to gather fat around our tummy region, so let’s start with that.


What is the Cause of a Bulging Belly Area?

The human body contains “fat cells” that are distributed across the body. These fat cells perform the function of storing “lipids” (or fat) which can be used by the body when sufficient calories are not obtained from the food intake. Moreover these fat cells also perform the important function of cushioning, or creating a padding, around internal organs and also insulate the body.

Apart from being stored around the internal organs, and in the liver and kidneys, fat cells are accumulated in the form of “adipose tissue” around certain regions of the body. In women, adipose tissues (with fat cells) mainly aggregate around the thighs, buttocks, breast and hips, whereas in men these tissues are mostly congregated around the “belly” region and chest region. That’s the reason why men are more likely to have a belly flab compared to women who are more likely to have bulky hips. (However, in women, after menopause, the fat cells tend to aggregate around the belly region and become a cause for belly flab).

Given the fact that in a female body, before it reaches menopause, fat mostly gets deposited around the hip region, there is less concentration of fat around the stomach in younger women, but it’s possible to have a slight flab around this region owing to excess fat deposition in the body. In men, however, it’s easy to develop tummy fat and have a flab around the belly region, with protruding love handles, because of the concentration of fat cells around this region – that’s the reason why men have a harder time getting rid of belly fat than women.

Strategies to Lose Belly Flab.

The secret to have a flat stomach is to lose the fat concentration in your body. Remember that the flab is created by the “enlargement” of fat cells due to over deposition of fat in them. If you reduce the fat content in the fat cells, they will come back to their normal size and your body would take a natural toned look.

Here are some effective strategies to reduce your belly fat and even develop a “pack” (4,6,8) around the stomach (if you find it over ambitious you can just stick with a flat stomach).

Avoid feeding excess calories to the body.

Remember that it’s the excess calories that get stored as “fat” in the cells. From the food that you eat your body takes up a few calories for performing external actions and a few calories for performing internal functions, some calories are used to feed the muscles, tissues and to generate new cells, anything that’s left out is “excess calorie” for the day and the only option is for the body to store it in fat cells.

As an individual, you will need to determine the average amount of calories that your body requires for its sustenance and develop a system where-by you avoid exceeding this amount through food intake. You can use the “calorie requirement” calculator on this link from mayo clinic website, to get an approximate idea of how many calories are sufficient for your body. You can also use a websites like calorieking.com to get an estimate of the number of calorie present in a certain food item that you are consuming.

I know it does not seem too cool to become a calorie counting food geek, but a calculative and disciplined approach can give you effective results than a trial and error approach.

 Focus on Aerobic exercises

Apart from managing the calorie intake it’s also essential to burn off the stored up fat in order to reduce your belly fat accumulation. The only way to burn off fat is to use up the calories, you obtained from food intake, in a manner that requires the body to take the calories from the “fat cells” to supply your energy needs.

Aerobic exercises like speed walking, running, cycling and swimming are effective means of straining the body physically to burn up the calories. If you are new to aerobics, start off slowly and increase your exercise duration as you gain more stamina and strength in your muscles. Exercises like running (outside or on a treadmill) or speed walking help tighten the muscles around the stomach region and also causes the body to shed fat to adapt to the routine. Aerobics are far more effective than weight training when it comes to toning the stomach region. 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercises per day should be your goal, but you can start off with 15-20 minutes of exercise initially to get your body adapted to the routine. Make sure you find a way to enjoy this exercise routine instead of doing it as a “chore” – get some cool gear, join a good gym or just choose some nice location where you can exercise while enjoying the surroundings.

Abdomen exercises for better toning.

If you can perform a few abdomen exercises per day, along with your aerobic exercise routine, you will be able to achieve the result of having a toned stomach faster. Stomach crunches or sit-ups (you can check out various sit up routines on some instructional youtube videos) and squats are two main routines that help tone the muscles around the abdomen region. Try doing 30 repetition & 3 sets everyday for each routine (you can increase the sets or reps as you go along).

Eating an all fruit breakfast.

One of the best ways to reduce body fat is to take up an all fruit breakfast routine where you eat only fruits in the morning, till noon. Citrus fruits are virtual fat burners because of the presence of Vitamin C in them. You should start off your morning with a glass of lemon juice, in warm water and follow it up with a breakfast of cut fruits (focusing more on citrus fruits). You can get more information on this post on how an all fruit breakfast can help reduce fat – burning fat through fruit breakfast.

Reduce consumption of foods with saturated fats.

Of the three macro nutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fat – it’s seen that fats have double the calories of the previous two. If you eat one gram of carbohydrates or one gram of proteins you would gain 4 calories while 1 gram of fat would cause you to gain 8 calories. But your body does require healthy fats (mono saturated fats with essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6), so what you need to reduce is the consumption of saturated fats. Foods that contain a lot of saturated fats are – cheese, butter, lard, cream, red meats and palm oil. Also make sure that you consume healthy fats in moderation mostly through “whole food” sources like grilled fish, olive oil, avocados and lean cuts of poultry.

Focus on eating whole foods.
One of most effective ways to control body fat is to eat a diet focused on whole foods rather than consuming processed and refined foods. Whole foods like whole cereals, lentils, vegetables, nuts, fruits, poultry, fish, white meat and eggs are rich in essential minerals, vitamins and provide marco-nutrients in sufficient quantities to meet the calorie requirements of the body. Processed foods like pastries, cakes, milk chocolates, ice-creams, burgers, pizzas, candies, refined flour breads, refined sugar sweets etc are not only calorie intensive but use an unhealthy mix of fats and refined carbohydrates that are generally bad for the body.


In conclusion
 A pronounced belly fat is just your body’s way of telling you that you need to make a more conscious choice relative to your lifestyle, mostly with respect to your diet and exercising habits. A healthy diet with a disciplined exercise routine will easily ensure that you lose your belly fat and accomplish your desire for a flatter, and well toned, stomach.



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Non Fattening Foods

Snacks are one of the main downfalls of weight loss plans. Mainly because the unhealthy snacks are easily accessible in vending machines, convenience stores and cafeterias, where as healthy snacks typically need to be brought from home. When leaving the house for the day, be snack smart. Plan not only your main meals, but also your snacks. Many dietitians say that healthy snacking between meals can help you avoid over indulging at meals and encourage overall weight loss. Below are 18 healthy snacks to curb your hunger cravings without ruining your diet.

Apples

Not only do apples keep the doctor away, but they also keep your waistline healthy. Apples are full of soluble fiber which keeps you feeling full longer. They also help keep your blood sugar levels from spiking and falling, by slowly releasing the sugars they contain. Not to mention they are easy to toss into your bag to keep handy for easy snacking.

Bananas

Often called Potassium Sticks, bananas are a great snack throughout the day and before or after a workout. They are low in fat and full of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Manganese, and, of course, Potassium. The creamy, sweet flavor is great for those craving a sweet snack without all the added sugars of a candy bar.

Berries

Fresh, frozen or in a small smoothie, berries are a great snack. Not only are they naturally sweet for those sugar cravings, but they are also low in fat and high in vitamins and antioxidants. Toss a few raspberries, blueberries and strawberries together for a delicious, snack that you’ll love.

Chewing gum

Sometimes those cravings for a snack aren’t induced by hunger, but rather boredom or habit. A great way to avoid eating additional unneeded calories is to chew on some sugar-free gum. More often than not you’ll find you didn’t actually want something to eat but just something to chew

Cut vegetables

Fresh cut vegetables, aka crudités, are a healthy, filling snack. Baby carrots are always a popular choice because they require essentially no prep time, but don’t feel limited to that. Make snacking easy by washing and slicing several days worth of cucumbers, bell peppers, jicama, broccoli, etc. into snack sizes. You can enjoy them plain or with a low fat dressing, hummus or natural peanut butter.

Cheese slices

Cheese gets a bad reputation as a fattening snack, but if you choose a cheese made from skim or 2% milk you lower fat content significantly without drastically reducing the protein that keeps you feeling full longer. Enjoy it on its own or one some whole wheat crackers.

 Dark Bread

Bread gets a bad reputation because most breads are highly processed and don’t provide much nutritional benefit. Breads that are good for your include whole wheat, whole grain, pumpernickel, and others that don’t use white flour. These good breads contain good levels of dietary fiber, are considered complex carbohydrates that keep your blood sugar levels stable, and provide you with important nutrients like Manganese and Selenium. Enjoy it plain, toasted, or topped with a little natural peanut butter.

Dates

Most people never consider buying dates, but they’re missing out. Dates are a great low-fat energy boosting snack. They are full of great nutrients and minerals like Vitamin A, Calcium and Iron as well as dietary fiber. Dates are full of natural sugars, which makes them a wonderful pick-me-up, but don’t over indulge. Extra bonus unlike candy, dates won’t get you lectures from your dentist because they actually help strengthen your enamel.

Grapefruit

There is a reason that grapefruit is encouraged in many diets. It is filling, low in fat and cholesterol, and high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Potassium. Those who want a sweet grapefruit should look for ones from Texas or Florida.

Plain Greek Yogurt

Creamy, versatile and just plain tasty, plain Greek yogurt is a great go-to snack. You can mix in spices and make it into a dip for vegetables or whole wheat crackers. It goes great mixed with berries or a bit of honey. Or just enjoy the flavor alone. You want to choose a plain yogurt, so you can control the sugar content and avoid any unnecessary things like added color or artificial flavor.

 Popcorn

Air popped popcorn, unlike movie theater popcorn, is very healthy and filling. Instead of drowning the kernels in butter and salt, try just sprinkling a non-salt seasoning mix on them or even a bit of chili and lime spices. Air popped popcorn is great for those who are habitual nibblers because the serving size is surprisingly large when it is butter free, allowing for longer munching.

Small baked potato

Baked potatoes are not inherently fattening, it all the sour cream, butter and cheese added that makes them fattening. A small baked potato can make an excellent healthy snack when topped with salsa or even spaghetti sauce. They are easy to make in a microwave or oven and keep you feeling full and satisfied long after you’ve finished.

Trail mix

Trail mix is relied upon by hikers to provide them with long lasting, healthy energy, and in everyday life if offered the same kind of benefits. Make your own mix at home by swinging by the bulk food section of your grocery store and getting some unsalted almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and some unsweetened dried fruit. Mix it all together and keep handy for snack time. You can even toast the nuts and seeds to bring out a richer flavor.

Just remember a snack is just a little nibble between meals, not an additional meal. Be mindful of portion size. Snacking tends to get a bad reputation for causing weight gain, but those that snack smart know first-hand how it can help support weight loss.



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Fattening Foods

Today everyone is in danger to become obese because of the life style and the food consumed by the average person. With this immense risk comes all the associated health problems such as heart problems, digestion problems, stress problems, and even social problems. This is the main reason why people all over the world are turning paranoid about fattening foods. Questions such as ‘are mangoes fattening’ or ‘are watermelons fattening’ or ‘is rice fattening’ and so on keep popping up all over.

No Food is Really Fattening

The good news is that eaten in moderation, no food is really fattening. There are certain rules that need to be observed on how to eat less fattening foods and more of fat burning foods and if you follow those rules, you can stay fit and trim and still eat whatever pleases your heart. These rules are briefly listed below:

Pattern of eating –
 
 A person who wants to really watch their weight should start their day with a healthy (read large) breakfast. The fact that the body was without any intake for about 8-10 hours (during the night) requires replenishment. Also, because of a good breakfast the following meals could be easily moderated. Lunch should be taken at fixed timings give or take maximum 30 minutes. The lunch should be lighter than the breakfast and should preferably not be followed by a nap. The dinner should be taken at least three to four hours before sleeping time so that the digestion would be almost completed by the time you sleep.


What you eat –

 The rule here is to eat (consume) fewer calories than you need for your work. Hence, you should be aware of the calorie count of your food as well as how much you really burn. You could look for assistance in this matter with a nutritionist or a gym instructor. In case you love high calorie food – go right ahead and eat what you like. However, ensure that you exercise enough to burn them off.

Exercise –
      
The key to keeping fit and trim is exercising. Whatever food you like to eat – even you live only on chocolate cake – can be “managed” with the right exercise. However, the best results would be when the diet and exercise regimen complement each other. You can eat a normal diet without bothering how much you could gain from each of the foods you consume, provided you exercise regularly.


The Bad News About Fattening Foods

The bad news is that most people are bad with mathematics when it comes to calorie count intake vis-à-vis burn out. Hence, instead of balancing their food intake with the exercises needed to burn out the calories consumed, they rather starve themselves through so-called ‘diets’. These dieting programs actually starve the system of certain foods creating a vacuum which at the slightest provocation/ temptation can turn into major binges. In turn these binges add dramatically to the weight of the person, triggering another crash diet and hence a vicious circle is set.

There is more bad news. Most of the foods we like are fattening; this is because we tend to overindulge in those foods and hence create extra fat in the body. As mentioned above, there are indeed foods that contain or contribute more to fat building that others – but then if you know the calorie count for each – all foods become equal to you. You could choose any foods that combined give you the total amount of calories you need per day.

 Your Help In Weight Loss

Most people have a long list of what they could eat and what they could not – based on each foods calorie count. Who does not love French fries or a toast drenched in butter or a slice of black forest cake? How many people can eat these foods without any guilt? Very few. Why? Because they feel they are indulging in themselves when they do this.

Similarly, how many people happily consume tea (green, black, chamomile, etc), coffee, fish oil, olive oil, etc because they feel it helps them lose weight? This is partially true. Some of these foods prevent or obstruct hunger for which the person eats less. Some foods activate the metabolism to move at a higher rate – these are called negative calories foods – while others have almost negligible calorie count.

Your best aids in weight loss is not what type of foods you consume but how you consume these foods. So, stop asking which food is fattening or which is not. Rather ask which food contributes what to your health. Each one of the food chain is important – carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, etc. Learn about the qualities of each food and design a balanced diet for yourself. At the same time remember to balance the calorie intake with those that you burn on daily basis.

This is all you would need to maintain a healthy, fit and trim body.


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