Search: 

Five Ways to Get Rid of Belly Fat

You can blame genetics, a beer habit from college, or just your sedentary lifestyle for those extra inches around your waistline, but there are ways to lose those stubborn pounds for good.   

Belly fat is a common problem for both men and women, and can be increasingly difficult to get rid of with age. However, our culture’s obsession with a sleek and flat stomach isn’t the only reason to lose that midsection. Belly fat also increases your risk for heart disease, and may have a negative impact on your health overall.  

The American Heart Association reports on the link between abdominal obesity and heart disease risk in the December 2007 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The study suggests those with a higher waist-hip ratio – even those who were relatively healthy – had a much higher risk of developing coronary heart disease.  

When you realize that belly fat is just stored energy, making changes in your lifestyle to burn off that extra energy just makes sense. From regular exercise to changing up the diet, here are just five ways to get rid of belly fat with ease:    

1. Walk every day. Walking is a fat burning activity in itself, and a consistent walking routine may help you shed a few extra pounds. The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of exercise per day to stay healthy, but some health experts recommend 45-60 minutes of daily walking to lose weight. Since there are no ‘spot exercises’ for losing belly fat, losing weight overall may help you get closer to losing that extra belly (and body) fat.  

2. Cut back on the sugar. Curb that sweet tooth and you’ll be doing your belly a favor; sugar is processed in the body very quickly and will be converted into body fat immediately if you don’t burn it off. Sugary snacks and sweets will quickly add inches to your waistline, so watch out for ‘sneaky’ sugar in everyday foods; cereals, bread, and even those healthy-looking granola bars are often loaded with extra sugar and can keep you stuck on a sugar high-low cycle.  

3. Add a few weights to your workout. If you find yourself spending hours on the cardio machine every week with little or no results, your muscles may not be working as hard as you think they are. Resistance training is one of the simplest ways to increase your calorie output, and can help you burn off that belly fat – and a few extra pounds – with ease.  

4. Sit up straight! It’s not only good for your posture, but may also give your abdominals a daily workout. The extra muscle contractions will burn a few extra calories than slouching, and you can ‘train’ your abdominals to hold that stomach in for a more streamlined look overall.  

5. Reduce stress in your life. Too much stress releases cortisol into the body, a hormone that keeps the metabolism in check by releasing glucose into the system. Too much cortisol can trigger the appetite, and you may end up overeating carbohydrates and sugar in order to feel better. This extra sugar in the bloodstream will also turn into fat, but you can make lifestyle changes to reduce stress levels entirely. Sleeping 7-8 hours each night, taking breaks, and meditating regularly can help balance out any unhealthy stress levels.    

Getting rid of belly fat will take time and losing weight overall will require a long-term commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise. Still, cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, or surgery such as abdominoplasty are other options when lifestyle changes aren’t getting the results you need.   

Meet with a cosmetic surgeon in your area to learn more about surgery that may be a good match for you, or visit a medical spa to learn about body wraps and nutritional counseling services that can help you achieve the look you want. Today’s innovative treatment options make it easy to manage or lose belly fat for good, but diet and lifestyle changes are still an important part of the process.

Abdominal Liposuction (Liposculpture) Surgery Information Guide

Search: 

Dissatisfied with our Health Articles? Have a health article suggestion?
Tell us how we can improve.

• Doctors in Your Area | 
• Research Your Procedure | 
• Finance Your Procedure | 
• Recommend Your Doctor | 
• Doctors Only

• Home | 
• Site Map | 
• Site Search | 
• Help | 
• About Us | 
• Feedback | 
• Advertise With Us

• Add a LocateADoc.com Doctor Search to Your Web Site | 
• Conditions of Use | 
• Privacy Notice