How to lose belly weight

How to lose belly weight is a frequently asked question. Belly weight is one of the most stubborn areas of the body. But there are ways how to solve it.

How to lose belly weight?

To lose belly weight you need to burn more calories than you consume. Is it simple? It might sound easy but it is not.

The key is to attack belly weight from two angles:

Good balanced diet
Regular physical activity in order to increase calories deficit

There are a number of good balanced diets, and you can choose the one which suits you best. Here are a few important points to consider when selecting the diet to help you to lose belly weight:

Eat food rich in soluble fibre. Soluble fibre does not make you put on weight. Include these products into your diet: beans, avocado, broccoli, turnip.
Limit alcohol intake. Avoid sugary cocktails.
Eat food rich in protein.
Avoid refined carbs and trans fats.

Refined carbs – these are so-called “bad” carbs, such as white bread, pasta, white rice, sweets, most cereals, pizza dough. These products do not have nutritional value.

Trans Fats exist in small amounts in some meat and dairy products. Some foods have them added artificially:

Fried foods – french fries and fish sticks
Margarine
Frozen pizza
Microwave popcorn
Cakes, cookies, pies (we recommend make those at home to avoid artificial trans fats)

Exercises to reduce belly fat

Best exercises to lose belly weight are cardio ones, such as:

Fast walking (we recommend minimum 10k steps a day)
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Rowing
Group aerobic classes

Fast walking is my favourite one. In modern busy life it’s hard sometimes to find dedicated time for exercise. But whenever you can walk, don’t jump into the car.

I also use a smartwatch to monitor my daily steps and calories burned. You can also purchase a mini home bike. I use mine while watching TV.

Other exercises you can easily do at home to lose belly weight:

Raise legs – lie on a mat and raise both legs up to 90 degrees and hold them up for a few seconds. Repeat 10-15 times.
Crunches – lie on a mat with your knees bent and your feet on the ground. Lift your hands and then place them behind the head. You can also keep them crossed on the chest.
Plank – position yourself in a push-up position. Keep your body straight and refrain from bending your knees. Look forward. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then relax. Take a short break and repeat the same exercise for 7 times.

The key to keeping your stomach flat is a regular healthy lifestyle. Make the above tips a part of your daily routine.

Last but not least tips on how to lose belly weight is to reduce stress and get quality sleep.

Why are these important? We often use food to cope with stress. Stress eating prompts us to pick up ready made, accessible foods which are often unhealthy.

Try to understand what causes stress and how to deal with it without picking up unhealthy foods.

Adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. Sleeping less automatically makes you snack more.

Although all of the above might seem like a lot to take on, you can start gradually by adding a short 30 minutes walk every day.

I find preparing meals in advance very helpful. Weekends I do my grocery shopping and buy a lot of fresh vegetables, meat, and fish. I cook a few meals and leave them in the fridge. Some soups and sauces can be frozen as well.

Wednesdays I cook for the second half of the week. Prepare some food lists and menus which can be altered between weeks and days. Fresh salad is quick-to-make when you are busy and can be a good addition to any dish.

I prefer to bake meat and fish. Not a big fan of cooking, I add some seasoning to fresh sources of protein and simply bake them to limit calories and cooking time.

When you eat outside, be smart. Choose salad vs pasta or pizza. Occasional cheat meals will not give you an immediate big belly, but those have to be rear.

Avoid desserts when you eat outside. You can have a couple of glasses of wine but be careful as alcohol does increase appetite. Also with alcohol we tend to lose control levels and highly likely to opt for unhealthy meals options.

There are many fitness products helping to lose belly weight. This one is quite useful, you can wear it during training or leisure: