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Natural Way to Decrease Belly Fat

According to the Mayo Clinic, gaining fat in your stomach is especially unhealthy compared to extra fat on other parts of your body. Excess fat in your abdomen elevates your risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers and diabetes. By making a few lifestyle changes and doing abdominal exercise, you can naturally reduce belly fat.

  1. Eating Habits

    • Junk foods such as cookies, sweets and chips have high sugar content and refined carbohydrates, which elevate your blood sugar levels, resulting in decreased fat burning and increased appetite. To decrease belly fat, remove junk foods from your home. If they are not in your house, you’ll think about them less and will be less tempted to eat them.

      Separate good carbs from bad carbs. Avoid refined flours that create foods such as pasta, bread, doughnuts, cakes and biscuits, which result in poor digestion and fat accumulation. Eat good carbs such as fresh fruits and vegetables instead. Foods like oats, brown rice and sweet potatoes are slow-release carbs, which are beneficial; once consumed, they slowly elevate blood sugar levels. Stick to a diet that draws most of its carbs from fruits and vegetables instead of refined flours.

      Refrain from eating late-night snacks. The biggest issue with eating late-night snacks is that not much activity takes place afterward, except going to bed, resulting in excess sugar transforming into fat. A strict diet is necessary to lose belly fat.

    Alcohol Consumption

    • Drinking a lot of alcohol causes you to gain fat around your waist, so lower your alcohol consumption. Because alcohol does not have any nutrients, all the calories you consume are stored as fat. To lose weight quickly, you have to stop drinking for awhile. If you decide to drink again, do so in moderation. Try not to drink every day. When you do drink, restrict yourself to one beer or a glass of wine for the day.

    Tone Your Tummy

    • For a flatter belly, practice toning your tummy. Traditional sit-ups are not the most effective way of getting a toner stomach, according to Mayo Clinic. Try targeting the deeper abdominal muscles instead. Get on all fours and take a deep breath while letting your tummy hang down. Begin exhaling. At the end of exhaling, gently pull your bellybutton inward and upward to your spine. You will feel your waist tighten slightly, as though you are trying to squeeze through a partially closed door. Hold it for 10 seconds and then rest your body for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times. Over time, you will be able to accomplish this exercise standing up.

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