4 Tips to (Naturally) Lose Belly Fat
Belly fat is one of the most difficult types of fat to get rid of.
For many, achieving a slim waistline seems impossible. While it’s certainly not easy, there are many good habits you can adopt to gradually burn away that stubborn belly fat.
Our friends at Women’s Health recommended 4 tips to successfully lose belly for good. Read on to learn more:
1. Learn how many calories your body needs
Not to recycle the old adage but you really can’t out-exercise a bad diet. To lose belly fat (and this goes for all body fat), you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than you’re expending through exercise and general living.
‘When it comes to knowing how to lose belly fat, the best way to start is to watch what you eat,’ Belalij says. ‘When you digest large amounts of calories, your body allocates some of these to functional systems which work to keep you alive (think the brain, muscles and organs),’ says Belalij. ‘It also uses it to fill up energy stores. Any excess is then stored in fat cells around the body – typically being those of the belly.’
2. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods to reduce belly fat
It’s not all about eating less. Music to our ears, we’re sure you’ll agree. Rather than simply cutting down on cals, you need to consider the kind of food you’re consuming. (In most cases you actually have to eat a lot more nutrient-dense food to hit the same calorie count as processed ones.)
Belalij suggests building meals around lots of nutrient-rich vegetables, a source of protein and some healthy, unprocessed carbs. ‘Start with leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens, then add carrots, broccoli and peas.
3. Consider macro counting to lose belly fat
If you’re a little more familiar with counting calories and want to fine-tune your fat loss efforts, it might be time to consider learning how to count and calculate your macros.
‘Counting macros’ is a diet technique to make sure you’re eating the right amounts of each macronutrient – protein, fat and carbohydrates. By tweaking the volume of each you can make your fat loss efforts more efficient.
4. Increase your NEAT to burn belly fat
‘NEAT simply refers to the energy used carrying out any daily activity that isn’t formal exercise (e.g. running or resistance training) or sleeping,’ says Elliott Upton, personal trainer at Ultimate Performance and Head of LiveUP Online Coaching.
NEAT plays a major role in how much energy you expend per day (aka how many calories you burn) and increasing your metabolic rate. It also helps control your blood sugar, aid muscle recovery, lower stress levels and improve cardiovascular health.
You can increase your NEAT by walking instead of taking public transport, opting for the stairs over the elevator or doing household chores.”
