An expanding waistline could indicate many things: a sedentary lifestyle, too many carbohydrates, aging or genetics. In today’s guide, we are going to talk about some belly fat burning exercises, belly fat burning foods and other natural remedies to lose belly fat at home.
1. Not knowing which belly fat burning foods to eat (and ones to avoid)
Some of the worst foods for accumulation of belly fat are butter, red meat and cheese. Whole milk, margarine, saturated and trans fats found in baked items not just cause excess fat deposits around the waist, hips and thighs; they could also cause heart disease. Avoid the above belly fat foods completely. Choose the following instead:
- Whole grains-Replace refined grains with whole grains. For example, choose air-fried popcorn instead of couscous which is a refined grain. A diet high in fiber can trim the waistline.
- Fruits and vegetables. Berries like blue berries are especially good and have shown great promise in fighting belly fat in lab studies.
- Beans are also good foods to eat as they are packed with fiber to keep you full longer.
- Green tea- Green tea has healthy catechins and antioxidants that fight free radicals. These help in reversing effects of aging. Studies have shown that people who consume green tea regularly can lose weight a lot faster than those who don’t provided one follows a healthy diet and exercise regime.
- Low fat dairy
- Good fats like olive oil, coconut oil, fatty fish, avocado, nuts and seeds etc.
Read also: How to lose belly fat without exercise
2. Drinking too much alcohol (especially beer)
The easiest way to lose belly fat is to prevent it from accumulating in the first place. Now that you have resolved to lose weight-limit your alcohol intake completely. Choose water, herbal tea or fresh fruit juices as far as possible. Also limit intake of sugary drinks, packaged fruit juices, sodas etc which cause the fat to accumulate around the waist.
3. Not cutting back on calories
This may not be an easy way to lose belly fat but it is the only proven way you can do so at home, naturally. Simply reduce your portions. If you are in the habit of piling your plate high with food, then you need to start by consciously eating just half of it. Slowly cut back your total calorie intake –men can aim for 1200-1500 calories per day while women can choose to aim for 1000 calories per day. Talk to your doctor first before opting for crash dieting. Total calorie intake also depends on your BMI. You can also measure yourself up first before you start trying to lose belly fat at home.
4. Not doing belly fat burning exercises
People with a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to gain belly fat. The following belly fat burning exercises can help:
- Ab crunches- Do 3 sets of 20 each.
- Planking– Plank at least for 1 minute for up to 3 times a day. You can do the normal plank and the sideways plant. We have shown some images below for how to plank to lose belly fat. This is a proven exercise which is known to help you develop the core muscles.
- Walking/Jogging– Jogging is better than walking from weight loss point of view. Start small. Talk to your doctor if you are fit enough to take this up.
- Swimming– Swim for 30 minutes a day and slowly increase the time to an hour. Try different strokes like breast stroke etc to maximize your workout.
For 5 days a week, do cardio exercises like brisk walking, swimming or bike riding. On 3 non consecutive days, do exercises that target the mid section-ab crunches, sit ups etc. Every day, watch your portions, fast once a week (drink just fruit juices and eat fruits/vegetables/stews) and keep tabs on your thoughts too. Negative thoughts often lead to comfort eating which causes belly fat.
Here is how to plank
Note that belly fat can even be attributed to ageing. In women, changing estrogen levels could also be a reason for greater fat in the tummy region. Genetics too play a major role in weight gain around the belly. If you are not able to lose belly fat despite these remedies given above, talk to your doctor.