How to Lower Belly Fat

Belly fat is one of the hardest types of fat to get rid of because it is a natural occurrence that functions to protect internal organs from outside trauma. However, too much of this fat can be dangerous and cause health problems. Most want to get rid of belly fat for cosmetic or self-esteem-related reasons. While belly fat is one of the hardest types of fat to burn, there are ways to lower the amount of belly fat one has.

Instructions

• 1

  Change your eating habits. Working out and doing abdominal exercises are much less effective unless you have healthy eating habits. Eating five or six mini-meals a day can help you boost metabolism and consume fewer calories. Eating foods such as fish, vegetables and fruit as opposed to fast food, foods high in saturated fat and sugar will also help you to lose belly fat. It is better not to keep junk food in the house at all.

• 2

  Watch what you drink. Surprisingly, changing what, how and when you drink can also greatly help to lower the amount of belly fat. Drinking skim milk actually aids fat burning in the abdominal region. Healthy, low-fat dairy products work because they release fat from fat cells and lower the amount of fat that is absorbed into the body. Green tea or other high-antioxidant drinks will boost metabolism and help to burn fat. Drinking more water will lower calorie intake, aid in metabolic functioning and cleanse the body overall. Decreasing alcohol intake will help to lose a belly as well.

• 3

  Start a cardio routine. In addition to good eating and drinking habits, cardio exercise is a great way to lose belly fat. Accelerating the heart rate for a period of time burns calories and fat, lowering the amount of fat all over the body. Aerobic cardio workouts and interval workouts are particularly effective ways to burn fat. Aim to get in at least 20 minutes of cardio three to four times a week.

• 4

  Add resistance training to an exercise program. While most people immediately turn to abdominal exercises to reduce belly fat, full-body resistance training is actually key. General weightlifting boosts metabolism and builds muscles, which eat through more calories per pound than fat.

• 5

  Work out the mid-section. Crunches and other abdominal exercises can help reduce the waistline, so long as good eating and exercise habits are also in play. Abdominal exercises alone will do very little to lower the amount of belly fat on any type of person. Regular crunches, oblique crunches, reverse crunches and lateral stretching are all good exercises to strengthen the core region.

• 6

  Get at least eight hours of sleep every night. High-stress, light-sleeping individuals, or individuals who could classify themselves as "worriers," will be more susceptible to gain weight around the middle than others. Getting enough good, uninterrupted sleep is important to fight off weight gain. Sleeping aids digestion. In addition, not getting enough sleep will lower the amount of a hormone called leptin, which speeds up the metabolic rate and suppresses the appetite.