How to Tone and Lose Belly Fat

Excess belly fat is unattractive, and increases your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease and various types of cancer. In order to lose fat in one area of the body, you will have to lower fat all over your body. A restrictive diet or hundreds of sit-ups will not tone and get rid of your belly fat. To achieve a toned, flat stomach, it will take a combination of diet and exercise.

Things You'll Need

• Exercise equipment or gym membership

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Obtain a gym membership at a local gym. Joining a gym that is easily accessible will keep you from making excuses not to go.

• 2

  Measure your body fat and the circumference of your waistline to keep track of your progress. A doctor or trainer at the gym can assist you with this.

• 3

  Eat up to six small, nutritious meals spread out over the day. Eating frequently will keep your metabolism moving and keep you from craving result-sabotaging foods. Choose fiber-rich, whole grain foods and avoid high-sugar products and saturated fats. Always eat breakfast to jump-start your metabolism and avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals triggers your body to go into survival mode and it holds on to fat instead of burning it.

• 4

  Incorporate regular cardiovascular exercise into your lifestyle to burn calories. Cardiovascular exercises include running, swimming, biking or working out on the elliptical machine or stair-climber.

• 5

  Workout with weights to build muscle mass and tone your body. Muscle mass keeps you burning calories even after you've stopped working out, and takes up less space than fat. Weight training is essential because it tones and tightens the muscles that will show after the fat has burned off your body.

• 6

  Target the belly with stomach exercises such as sit-ups, crunches and side bends. Once the belly fat has melted away, your toned abdominal muscles will be visible.

• 7

  Drink eight to 10 glasses of water per day to stay hydrated. Water flushes your system and keeps joints from stiffening.

• 8

  Limit your alcohol consumption. Alcohol has no nutrients and is full of empty calories that lead to belly fat.

• 9

  Avoid getting stressed. Increased stress levels trigger the stress hormone cortisol, which has been associated with belly fat. Meditation and breathing deeply can help reduce stress. If necessary to keep your stress level down, delegate tasks at work.