How To Lose Belly Fat
When we think about being in shape we usually think about a flat stomach with little belly fat. When we look at an out of shape body the first thing we notice is usually the belly. Losing belly fat is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to reshaping our bodies.
We can not intentionally target our belly fat the way we all wish we could. It just doesn’t work that way. Usually, when we lose weight we lose it where we last gained it. The belly is often the first place we have gained.
DIET TO LOSE BELLY FAT
For me, the place I gain the most weight is in my belly. This is a very common problem that has been linked to insulin resistance. While not full-on diabetic many people struggle with insulin resistance and never know it until their dr informs them that it may be the reason for their larger midsection. If you have not had your A1C checked in a long time (or ever) you may benefit from having your doctor check yours.
To lose belly fat we need to reduce our sugars to a level our body can burn off rather than store. Mild cases can simply cut the sugar in their diet while others with more belly fat or a harder addiction to sugar will need to reduce sugar and carbs, even more, to help lose belly fat and prevent more from piling on. Get a blood sugar meter to get a full picture of how your blood sugar changes through the day.
Eat a diet high in vitamin D and spend time outside in the sun. Healthy vitamin D levels tell your body that you are in a time of plenty not scarcity and that it is okay to let go of extra fat stores. If your diet is lacking in Vitamin D consider taking a Vitamin D3 supplement.
Ditch the alcohol to help reduce your belly fat. Alcohol is well known for adding inches to the midsection. This is due to how the body metabolizes high carb alcoholic beverages that are largely empty calories. this leads to the well-known beer gut.
Get plenty of protein. Protein is great for helping to keep yourself feeling full, balancing blood sugar levels, and protecting or building muscle mass that helps to increase your calorie burn. Adding a protein shake to your breakfast can help you lose belly fat and gain lean muscle.
EXERCISE TO HELP LOSE BELLY FAT
While reducing your calorie intake is vital for losing weight in general studies have found that to really lose belly fat you need to get in cardio exercise that burns through the carbs and sugars in your diet forcing your body to burn off excess fat including around the midsection.
Start using weights or other forms of resistance training. Building lean muscle will not bulk up your body bit ut will fill in loose skin as your weight drops, add defined curves to your body, and increase your natural daily calorie burn. Muscle burns more calories just existing than your body will burn naturally with less muscle mass.
LIFE FACTORS THAT CAN HELP YOU LOSE BELLY FAT
Stress can be one of the biggest reasons women gain belly fat and one of the biggest reasons we struggle to lose belly fat. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol that can affect our overall well being. Cortisol can lead to our body storing fat as a survival mechanism. Take time to find ways to reduce your stress from practicing mindfulness activities to finding help around the house.
Getting quality sleep is another issue that us moms face that can prevent us from losing belly fat. Look for ways that you can improve your overall sleep from comfortable pillows to talking to your partner about helping with night waking from time to time.
