How to Deal With the Problem of Belly Fat

Belly fat can be caused by overeating, illness or your body's metabolism slowing down due to age or fatigue. Most often belly fat is caused by lifestyle. Lethargic or sedentary habits that include minimal or no exercise -- and unhealthy eating habits -- will guarantee belly fat hangs around. There are several changes you can make in your diet and activity level that can help you deal with belly fat and get rid of it.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat frequently and don't starve yourself. Your body needs food to produce energy. And energy burns fat. Eating at least three meals a day will prevent your body from going into starvation mode, which is when it will store fat.

• 2

  Replace high sugar snacks with healthy snacks. Eating between meals is recommended for healthy body function. If you resist snacking when you're hungry, you'll be more likely to overeat later and eat the wrong types of foods. Refined sugars, saturated fats and salts combine to contribute to belly fat. Replacing processed foods like chips and chocolate bars with natural foods such as yogurt, fresh fruit or whole grain snacks will curb sugar cravings and help your body burn fat by giving you lasting energy and avoiding blood sugar highs and lows.

• 3

  Eat protein-rich foods such as lean meat, chicken, fish and eggs. Protein is necessary for your body to build and maintain muscle and for its production of energy. To burn belly fat and build muscle instead, you need to include protein in your diet.

• 4

  Consume good carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates for energy. Whole wheat bread, rice and vegetables contain carbohydrates that can help your body produce energy -- which helps burn belly fat.

• 5

  Choose foods high in fiber to burn belly fat at a faster rate. Fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans help boost your body's metabolism which will burn fat at a more rapid rate.

• 6

  Eat good fats. Dietary fat is necessary for good health and critical to healthy weight loss. Fats found in olive oil, fish oil, nuts and seeds are easy to fit into your diet and will help boost fat loss.

• 7

  Exercise regularly. You don't have to join a gym to exercise properly. Activities like walking, running or jogging three to five times a week are excellent fat burning exercises. To target belly fat specifically, consider toning exercises such as pilates, yoga or weight training.

• 8

  Stick to a plan. Belly fat can be eliminated permanently as long as the lifestyle changes you make are consistent. Eating healthy one day or even for several days or weeks and then reverting back to your old diet of refined sugars and skipping meals won't work. If you have a plan and follow it, then healthy choices will become second nature and you won't feel as though you're depriving yourself.