Belly fat, or visceral fat, can be dangerous to your health. It may be a contributor to various chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, dementia and some cancers.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lose belly fat. These include making healthy nutrition choices, exercise, and addressing stress.
Exercise
Exercise is the best way to get rid of belly fat and keep it off. It can be as simple as walking or swimming, or more structured, such as group sports and dance classes.
The key is to do it regularly, at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity aerobic activity like walking, dancing or running, says Hairston. And it’s a good idea to increase your level of intensity over time.
In addition, regular exercise can help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke, as well as improve your mood and sex life. It can also boost your metabolism and prevent weight gain if you’re already overweight or obese, says Stewart.
Diet
Belly fat is a common problem that many people struggle to lose. It’s also associated with a range of health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
When it comes to losing belly fat, diet is an essential component in achieving your goals. Changing your diet can help you lose excess body fat and build lean muscle mass to tone your stomach.
In addition, eating a low-calorie diet that’s rich in protein can help you maintain a healthy weight and stave off hunger. It can also promote weight loss by helping you feel full, so you eat less calories during the day.
In addition to cutting back on calories, you should limit your intake of saturated fats, added sugars and processed foods. Excessive consumption of these ingredients can contribute to an increase in body fat.
Sleep
Sleep is a crucial part of a healthy weight loss plan. Without adequate rest, your hormones become haywire, increasing your risk of weight gain.
When you sleep, your body goes through several stages, including non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). During the NREM phase, your breathing slows.
You may dream a lot during the REM stage, where your eyes dart back and forth behind your lids. Breathing slows to the lowest rates during this stage, too.
In addition, the rate of your heartbeat increases to daytime levels, and you’re more likely to feel jittery during this time.
New research from Mayo Clinic shows that short sleep combined with free access to food can increase calorie consumption, and lead to fat accumulation inside your belly. That’s particularly unhealthy fat, which is linked to many chronic health conditions.
Stress Management
Stress is something that affects all of us. It’s a normal reaction to change or a challenge, but too much of it can have detrimental effects on our health.
It can wreak havoc on our hormones, heart and immune system, digestion and sleep. It can also make us susceptible to weight gain, headaches, anxiety and depression.
If you’re experiencing chronic stress, your body’s levels of cortisol – the main stress hormone – are elevated more often than normal. This can impact your weight, body mass index and waist measurements.
If you’re feeling chronically stressed, it’s important to find ways to lower your cortisol levels. This can include practicing healthy habits and managing your diet.
