BELLY FAT
It is the deposition of excess fat on the abdominal region (stomach) of the body. Also known as central obesity.
To know how to reduce belly fat, first, we should know where belly fat comes from.
CAUSES OF BELLY FAT-
1) FATTY FOOD- With the increased amount of oily food, butter, and other saturated food in our diet, our body gets more fat than what it requires to perform our daily needs. So it starts storing it and slowly the amount of fat increases, especially in the stomach region.
2) SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES – Most people with excessive belly fat can confirm that they spend most of their time either working by sitting on a chair for a long time or relaxing on the sofa watching tv.
3) ALCOHOL AND BEER- Alcohol and beer consumption in large amounts can increase the fat in the body as they have an excessive amount of carbohydrates in them.
Beer belly is quite common in people who are addicted to drinking too much beer and alcohol for a long time.
4) TIGHT WAIST CLOTHES – Wearing tight clothes and a belt around the waist for a long time prevent the waist from expanding at the same rate with which our stomach is expanding. So the stomach outgrows the waist over a period of time and stomach fat starts hanging from the front and side of the waist which is more commonly seen in males.
5) STRESS- It is less talked about but a stressful life can cause an increase in fat deposits in our body.
6) POST PREGNANCY- After pregnancy, most females find it difficult to lose belly fat and if not controlled then it starts increasing in some women.
HOW TO REDUCE BELLY FAT-
1) OILY AND FATTY FOOD – It is very important to stop eating fatty and oily food as these foods are known to increase fat in the body.
2) SUGAR – Sugar and sweet food products like chocolate, and ice cream can increase belly fat, so it’s better to decrease the amount of sugar consumption as much as possible.
3) FRUITS AND VEGETABLES – Our food plate should contain more fruits and boiled vegetables. It will help decrease belly fat.
4) PROTEIN – It helps to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat. Boiled eggs, chicken breast, pulses, and soybeans have a good amount of protein in them and they should be included in the diet.
5) QUANTITATIVE DIET– We should decrease the quantity of our diet when we start our journey to decrease belly fat because with a decreased amount of calories we consume, our body will burn out more body fat to produce more calories to meet our energy needs every day.
6) LEMON WATER – Drink warm lemon water after morning breakfast as it will help to reduce body fat.
7) PLANK EXERCISE– It is one of the best exercises to reduce belly fat and it also helps to tone our abdominal muscles to keep us in good shape.
To do plank exercises we should balance our body weight on the front part of the arm and toes of the feet. We should lie on the ground facing the ground and keep both elbows till the front part arm flat on the ground with fists close and facing each other at our shoulder length distance. Our body should be parallel to the ground and the lower part of the body should be balanced on the feet perpendicular to the ground.
Slowly increase the time of plank exercise as it takes time and practice to do it correctly.
8) AlCOHOL – Cut down on alcohol as much as possible as it will help reduce the unwanted extra carbohydrate in our body which will reduce fat.
9) TIGHT WAIST CLOTHES – Avoid wearing tight belts and pants. wear more comfortable clothes which won’t let the stomach hang over the belt.
10) ACTIVE LIFESTYLE – Avoid sitting long hours on the chair and perform a little exercise in between work to help burn extra calories while working also. Don’t watch television for a long time as we are more inclined of snacking while watching TV.
11) POST PREGNANCY WORKOUT – Consult the doctor and enquire about the time after which you can start workouts as it varies from person to person depending on the health conditions of the women.
12) STRESS-FREE LIFE – It is difficult to be stress-free, especially in today’s fast-paced lifestyle but we should try to be happier and reduce stress in our life.
13) JOGGING and CYCLING– These two are good and effective ways of losing belly fat if done on a regular basis.
14) SWIMMING– It is a good whole-body exercise to keep our body in shape and maintain muscle tone. so it is a good hobby to learn to swim.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE-
Belly fat will not be reduced with some magic pills, so be prepared for a long journey and focus on the goal of getting in shape. In a few months, results will be seen.
Always work out with a positive mindset and keep small targets and achieve them.
STAY HEALTHY AND FIT.