There
are 19 effective tips to lose belly fat, backed by scientific studies.
1.
Eat plenty of soluble fiber
Soluble
fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that helps slow down food as it passes
through your digestive system.
Make
an effort to consume high fiber foods every day. Excellent sources of soluble
fiber include:
flax
seeds
shirataki
noodles
Brussels
sprouts
avocados
legumes
blackberries
SUMMARY
Soluble
fiber may help you to lose weight by increasing fullness and reducing calorie
absorption. Try to include plenty of high fiber foods in your weight loss diet.
2.
Avoid foods that contain trans fats
Trans
fats are created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, such as soybean
oil.
SUMMARY
Some
studies have linked a high intake of trans fat to increased belly fat gain.
Regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight, limiting your intake of
trans fat is a good idea.
3.
Don’t drink too much alcohol
Alcohol
can have health benefits in small amounts, but it’s seriously harmful if you
drink too much.
Research
suggests that too much alcohol can also make you gain belly fat.
4.
Eat a high protein diet
Protein
is an extremely important nutrient for weight management
High
protein intake increases the release of the fullness hormone PYY, which
decreases appetite and promotes fullness.
Be
sure to include a good protein source at every meal, such as
meat
fish
eggs
dairy
whey
protein
beans
SUMMARY
High
protein foods, such as fish, lean meat, and beans, are ideal if you’re trying
to shed some extra pounds around your waist.
5.
Reduce your stress levels
Stress
can make you gain belly fat by triggering the adrenal glands to produce
cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone.
SUMMARY
Stress
may promote fat gain around your waist. Minimizing stress should be one of your
priorities if you’re trying to lose weight.
6.
Don’t eat a lot of sugary foods
Sugar
contains fructose, which has been linked to several chronic diseases when
consumed in excess.
SUMMARY
Excessive
sugar intake is a major cause of weight gain in many people. Limit your intake
of candy and processed foods high in added sugar.
7.
Do aerobic exercise (cardio)
Aerobic
exercise (cardio) is an effective way to improve your health and burn calories.
SUMMARY
Aerobic
exercise is an effective weight loss method. Studies suggest it’s particularly
effective at slimming your waistline.
8.
Cut back on carbs — especially refined carbs
Reducing
your carb intake can be very beneficial for losing fat, including abdominal
fat.
SUMMARY
A
high intake of refined carbs is associated with excessive belly fat. Consider
reducing your carb intake or replacing refined carbs in your diet with healthy
carb sources, such as whole grains, legumes, or vegetables.
9.
Perform resistance training (lift weights)
Resistance
training, also known as weight lifting or strength training, is important for
preserving and gaining muscle mass.
SUMMARY
Strength
training can be an important weight loss strategy and may help reduce belly
fat. Studies suggest it’s even more effective in combination with aerobic
exercise.
10.
Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages
Sugar-sweetened
beverages are loaded with liquid fructose, which can make you gain belly fat.
To
lose belly fat, it’s best to completely avoid sugar-sweetened beverages such
as:
soda
punch
sweet
tea
alcoholic
mixers containing sugar
SUMMARY
Avoiding
all liquid forms of sugar, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, is very important
if you’re trying to shed some extra pounds.
11.
Get plenty of restful sleep
Sleep
is important for many aspects of your health, including weight. Studies show
that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to gain more weight, which may
include belly fat (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Sleep
deprivation is linked to an increased risk of weight gain. Getting enough high
quality sleep should be one of your main priorities if you plan to lose weight
and improve your health.
12.
Track your food intake and exercise
Many
things can help you lose weight and belly fat, but consuming fewer calories
than your body needs for weight maintenance is key (49Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
As
a general weight loss advice, it’s always a good idea to keep track of what
you’re eating. Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker are two of
the most popular ways to do this.
13.
Eat fatty fish every week
Fatty
fish are incredibly healthy.
They’re
rich in high quality protein and omega-3 fats that protect you from disease
(52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source).
Aim
to get 2–3 servings of fatty fish per week. Good choices include:
salmon
herring
sardines
mackerel
anchovies
SUMMARY
Eating
fatty fish or taking omega-3 supplements may improve your overall health. Some
evidence also suggests it may reduce belly fat in people with fatty liver
disease.
14.
Stop drinking fruit juice
Although
fruit juice provides vitamins and minerals, it’s just as high in sugar as soda
and other sweetened beverages.
Drinking
large amounts may carry the same risk for abdominal fat gain (57Trusted
Source).
SUMMARY
When
it comes to fat gain, fruit juice can be just as bad as sugary soda. Consider
avoiding all sources of liquid sugar to increase your chance of successfully
losing weight.
15.
Add apple cider vinegar to your diet
Drinking
apple cider vinegar has impressive health benefits, including lowering blood
sugar levels (59Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Apple
cider vinegar may help you to lose some weight. Animal studies suggest it may
help to reduce belly fat.
16.
Eat probiotic foods or take a probiotic supplement
Probiotics
are bacteria found in some foods and supplements. They have many health
benefits, including helping improve gut health and enhancing immune function
(64Trusted Source).
Researchers
have found that different types of bacteria play a role in weight regulation
and that having the right balance can help with weight loss, including loss of
belly fat.
Those
shown to reduce belly fat include members of the Lactobacillus family, such as
Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus amylovorus and especially Lactobacillus
gasseri (65Trusted Source, 66, 67Trusted Source, 68Trusted Source).
Probiotic
supplements typically contain several types of bacteria, so make sure you
purchase one that provides one or more of these bacterial strains.
Shop
probiotic supplements online.
SUMMARY
Taking
probiotic supplements may help promote a healthy digestive system. Studies also
suggest that beneficial gut bacteria may help promote weight loss.
17.
Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent
fasting has recently become very popular as a weight loss method.
SUMMARY
Intermittent
fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and
fasting. Studies suggest that it may be one of the most effective ways to lose
weight and belly fat.
18.
Drink green tea
Green
tea is an exceptionally healthy beverage.
SUMMARY
Regularly
drinking green tea has been linked to weight loss, though it’s probably not as
effective on its own and best combined with exercise
19.
Change your lifestyle and combine different methods
Just
doing one of the items on this list won’t have a big effect on its own.
If
you want good results, you need to combine different methods that have been
shown to be effective.
Interestingly,
many of these methods are things generally associated with healthy eating and
an overall healthy lifestyle.
Therefore,
changing your lifestyle for the long term is the key to losing your belly fat
and keeping it off.
When
you have healthy habits and eat real food, fat loss tends to follow as a
natural side effect.
SUMMARY
Losing
weight and keeping it off is difficult unless you permanently change your
dietary habits and lifestyle.
The
bottom line
There
are no magic solutions to losing belly fat.
Weight
loss always requires some effort, commitment, and perseverance on your behalf.
Successfully
adopting some or all of the strategies and lifestyle goals discussed in this
article will definitely help you lose the extra pounds around your waist.
