New Year's Resolution: How to Lose Stomach Fat

Another new year arrives and you make yet another resolution to lose that stomach fat and the extra weight you've been carrying around. Easy to say, harder to do in many cases. Don't let the idea of weight loss overwhelm you. Take it slow and work toward your goal of a healthier you throughout the year.

Dangers of Stomach Fat

• Stomach fat is also called visceral fat, and it can be very dangerous to your health. Unlike subcutaneous fat that is just beneath your skin, visceral or abdominal fat is located deeper among your internal organs. Visceral fat envelopes your organs and releases fatty acids that can travel to your liver, which increases your cholesterol levels. People who have excess stomach fat have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Eating Right

• Losing weight right after ushering in the new year can be difficult for some people. Leftovers from holiday celebrations and edible gifts beckon, making temptation hard to resist. Cold weather and the comfort foods that go along with it can make for slow progress as well. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases' Weight-Control Information Network (WIN) suggests thinking about your eating in terms of a "healthy plan" rather than using the restrictive term "diet." WIN recommends focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whole grains and lean proteins.

Exercising

• Exercise plays a key role in losing stomach fat too. Aim for between 75 minutes of vigorous or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly to burn some fat and calories. Include muscle-strengthening exercises a couple times a week too. Harvard Health Publications explains that visceral fat responds well to a combination of healthy eating and exercise. In other words, stick with it and you are likely to see positive results. The 75- to 150-minute guideline is a minimum recommendation; you may need to put in more time than this to see results.

Staying Motivated

• By the end of February, many people have already given up on their New Year's resolutions, reports CBS News. Staying motivated can be tough when others have already thrown in the towel. Keep on top of your weight-loss journey by making yourself accountable, making it as easy on yourself as possible and including regular rewards. Start small by making minor changes in the way you eat. Add exercise next, especially activities such as walking on a treadmill, doing yoga or step aerobics that you can do indoors during the winter. Set realistic goals that are attainable and reward yourself with a small item such as a book, song download or shopping trip when you meet them.

Results

• The goods news is once you've fulfilled your New Year's resolution to lose stomach fat, you are likely to have shed it for good. According to a study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers, people who lost visceral fat through exercise kept it off for a year or more. Study participants exercised an average of 80 minutes a week, focusing on either aerobic activities or strength training. Some of the people in the study gained a bit of weight back after a year, but did not regain any of the most dangerous type of abdominal fat.