How to Banish Belly Fat

According to Gary Hunter, an obesity researcher, belly fat is more dangerous than fat that collects on the hips, legs or other areas of the body, because it surrounds vital abdominal organs and releases chemicals that lead to inflammation, causing health problems like diabetes, heart disease or even cancer. Fortunately, you can get rid of your excess belly fat naturally and safely without resorting to drastic surgical procedures like liposuction. The belly fat won't vanish overnight, but once it's gone, you'll be proud of the body you've worked for and will work to keep it healthy.

Instructions

• 1

  Change your diet. Plastic surgeon James Lyons says, "Diet is 85 percent of the deal when it comes to shedding belly fat." Don't eat processed foods that contain a lot of excess sugars and fat grams. Instead, shop for natural foods that are high in fiber and made from whole grains. This will help you feel fuller without overeating. In addition, avoiding refined carbohydrates is a good way to boost your metabolism to burn your belly fat faster.

• 2

  Modify your eating habits. Instead of eating small breakfast and a huge dinner followed by dessert, eat a large breakfast and decrease your meal size throughout the day. If you can't stomach a big breakfast in the morning, break your three meals down into four to five meals. The idea here is that you'll give your body the fuel it needs to get your metabolism going and you'll use that fuel for your daily tasks instead of over-compensating at the end of the day because you've burned more calories than you've been able to take in. When you eat past 8 p.m, that food has a much higher tendency of not getting burned off, and stores itself as fat while you sleep.

• 3

  Find ways to lower your stress before bed and make sure you get an adequate amount of sleep. When your body is stressed, it releases a hormone called cortisol which prompts your body to store fat around you belly in case it will need it later if the situation gets worse. Being sleep-deprived or sleeping too much sends a message to your body that you're stressed. Take time at night to wind down before you go to sleep, and take the time to take a deep breath and relax at different points throughout your day. You could try drinking a cup of calming tea, watching a favorite television show, or reading a book to put your mind at ease.

• 4

  Exercise on a regular basis. In order to shed belly fat, try to exercise at least two times a week for 40 minutes or more. This prolonged period of exercise will get your blood flowing and muscles working, and will help you cut into your fat stores. On days that you don't work out for 40 minutes or more, try to do at least 15 minutes of cardio and then shift your focus to core-strengthening exercises like pilates or yoga. The cardio will help you burn fat, but the core-strengthening exercises will build up the abdominal muscles near your belly fat, causing that fat to melt away.