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Belly Fat Cures

An unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity can result in weight gain. And oftentimes, fat settles in the abdomen. But you don't have to live with a bulging gut. There are several tricks and techniques to help you reduce belly fat.

  1. Diet and Belly Fat

    • There's nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite foods or sweet treats. But if you consume unhealthy foods on a regular basis, you're more likely to gain extra weight and develop a larger abdomen. Recognizing bad eating habits and altering your diet is key to getting rid of belly fat and losing weight. Certain foods have a high calorie and/or high fat content. Rather than eat anything and everything, read the nutritional labels before purchasing groceries, and choose foods with lower calories and lower fat content. Replace sugary snacks with fresh fruits, and eat plenty of vegetables and whole grains.

      Count calories, and aim to eat 500 fewer calories a day. If you normally survive on 2,000 calories a day, reduce your daily intake to 1,500. Stick with this technique, and you'll shed at least one pound a week and reduce your belly fat.

    The Power of Exercise

    • You can reduce your weight with diet modifications alone. But if you're looking to slim your abdomen, you'll have to incorporate exercise into your weight loss plan. It doesn't take much to get into shape and lose weight. Exercise burns fat, speeds your metabolism and improves your overall health. And if your time's limited, aim for at least 30 minutes of activity a day. This can include walking around the neighborhood, doing a workout DVD or hitting the gym. In addition to cardio workouts, include abdominal exercises in your routine. Ab exercises quickly transform your abdomen and improve muscle tone. Great choices include crunches, Pilates moves and dances that work the core muscles.

    Water Weight vs. Belly Fat

    • It's easy to mistake water weight for belly fat. If you're unable to reduce your abdomen through diet and exercise, water retention may be the problem. Different factors play a role in fluid retention--medications, diet and hormones. But fortunately, there's a way to resolve this common problem. You can get rid of excess water in your body quickly by increasing your fluid intake. Drinking beverages like water and juice stimulates the kidneys and flushes water from your body. In fact, it's possible to drop several pounds of water weight and notice a slimmer abdomen within days of adjusting your water intake. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day, and keep a close eye on your sodium intake. Excess sodium consumption also contributes to water retention and weight gain, so eat no more than 2,400 mg of sodium a day.

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