Tips for Stomach Fat Loss

Losing stomach fat can be a frustrating and overwhelming goal for many people. It takes commitment both to diet and exercise to lose weight. Changing one's diet can be challenging but is essential to losing body fat. By decreasing the amount of "bad" foods and increasing the presence of natural foods in one's diet, as well as regularly exercising, one can accomplish the goal given enough patience and determination.

Avoid "Bad" Carbohydrates and Sugar

• Some carbohydrates are good for you and will not interfere with weight loss. These include vegetables, fruit, rice and oats. Foods containing refined flour, like bread, pasta and cake, should be avoided. The body has difficulty processing large amounts of carbohydrates, which slows the metabolism. Excess carbohydrates are converted to sugar, which, if not burned off through exercise, contributes largely to stomach fat.

Reduce Fat and Calorie Intake

• Opting for low-fat or low-calorie foods is an important part of any weight loss diet. If one's intake of fat and calories is more than one can burn in a workout, one will not lose weight. One strategy is to eat six small meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones. This will keep one's metabolism going and reduce one's cravings for fatty or high-calorie foods.

Avoid Processed Food

• Eating all natural foods that are high in protein and fiber is one way of losing stomach fat. Processed foods often contain high amounts of carbohydrates, saturated fat, salt and sugar. A raw food diet, sometimes called a "caveman" diet, often results in quick reduction of stomach fat. Fruits and nuts figure prominently in a natural diet because they contain some sugar, which gives one energy, and no saturated fat. Some foods, including salmon, yogurt and grapefruit, actually boost the metabolism.

Exercise

• Exercise is an excellent way to burn fat. Cardiovascular workouts will burn fat, while weight training and exercises that strengthen the abdomen will tone muscles. Varying your workout so that it is not the same every day will keep your body working to lose weight. Crunches and hip lifts are popular abdominal exercises, and any aerobic exercise such as jogging will contribute to weight loss.

Avoid Alcohol and Soft Drinks

• Alcohol and soft drinks have no nutritional value and are high in calories. The carbohydrates and calories in alcoholic drinks, and the sugar in soft drinks, add up quickly in the body and result in stomach fat. One or two drinks on the weekend may not lead to dramatic weight gain, but excessive drinking will certainly make weight loss more difficult.