How to Combat Belly Fat

Belly fat can begin as a small bulge in your lower abdomen and quickly develop into a large gut. There are countless causes of excess weight around the waistline, but often people who carry additional weight can narrow the causes to poor diet and a sedentary life. You can banish belly weight and slim your stomach. But to achieve a smaller waist, you'll need a consistent routine and a healthier lifestyle.

Instructions

• 1

  Do Pilates and abdominal exercises. Core exercises like Pilates are designed to strengthen and reduce the size of your stomach and build muscle definition. Start working your core muscles with 20 to 30 minute of exercise most days of the week. Sit-ups, leg lifts and side crunches are also effective ways to combat belly fat.

• 2

  Dance! Dancing is a great way to burn fat and calories throughout your entire body to lose weight, especially in the belly. Salsa and belly dancing offer a combination of cardio and stomach toning movements. Other exercise options include running, walking and aerobics.

• 3

  Decrease fat intake and make healthy food choices. Eat fewer unhealthy, fatty foods and fill up on lean meats like salmon and turkey, fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks such as yogurt and nuts. Reduce food portions to take in fewer calories and slim your entire body.

• 4

  Drink plenty of water and fruits juices, and eat less salt to reduce fluid retention and shed extra abdominal weight. Eating a lot of salty foods and drinking little water can result in carrying pounds of water or fluid in the stomach area.

• 5

  Decrease soda and alcohol intake. Bloating is another culprit of extra belly weight. Alcohol can slow the metabolism, whereas soda and dairy products (if lactose intolerant) can bring on bloating and increase the size of your stomach.