|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Loss

How to Lose Your Belly for Men

Visceral fat is often referred to as belly fat. This fat develops deep inside the abdomen and poses the greatest health threats. According to doctors at the Mayo Clinic, men who have belly fat have increased risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea. The Mayo Clinic considers a waist size larger than 40 inches or 102 centimeters to be unhealthy. Getting rid of belly fat requires a two-part regimen of diet and physical activity.

Things You'll Need

  • Comfortable exercise clothing
  • Running shoes or trainers
Show More

Instructions

  1. Diet

    • 1

      Find out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or the amount of calories your body needs every day. To calculate your BMR, use the following formula: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years). You can also find BMR calculators online.

    • 2

      Add extra calories to your BMR to factor in your activity level. If you are sedentary, multiply your BMR by 1.2. If you are lightly active, multiply your BMR by 1.375. If you are moderately active, multiply your BMR by 1.55. If you are very active, multiply your BMR by 1.725.

    • 3

      Aim to lose one to two pounds per week. This is the number that Mayo Clinic doctors agree is realistic and is easiest to maintain over the long run. To do this, eat 500 calories less than your daily caloric requirements. Losing 500 calories per day will lead to a pound of fat loss over 7 days.

    • 4

      Eat a healthy, varied diet that includes low-fat protein as well as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Eating less calories may mean you are eating less nutrients so eating a variety of foods will help you get a variety of vitamins and minerals. You can also supplement with daily vitamins for added support.

    • 5
      Cutting down on beer can help you lose weight.

      Cut down on alcoholic beverages and sodas which are loaded with calories but do not offer any nutritional value.

    Exercise

    • 6

      Increase your daily physical activity until you are burning 500 calories per day. This will lead to an extra pound of fat loss every week.

    • 7

      Change your exercise routine every two to four weeks to keep your body from getting accustomed to the exercise. Once your body gets used to an exercise, it becomes more efficient and requires less calories to perform the same activity. Changing your exercises will keep your body challenged.

    • 8

      Add two days of strength training to your week, in accordance with American Heart Association guidelines. This will help maintain and build muscle.

    • 9

      Choose a variety of strength training exercises that target all your muscle groups: Chest, back, legs, arms and core.

    • 10

      Begin your strength training slowly, using lighter weights and longer rest periods. Gradually move to heavier weights and shorter rest periods.

Weight Loss - Related Articles