Belly fat is a condition characterized by fats accumulating around the abdomen. Fats accumulate in the abdomen in two regions: either around organs or underneath the skin.
In most cases, belly fat results in weight gain. According to medics, belly fat around the body organs is more dangerous and can lead to organs failure.
Causes of Belly Fat
Excess belly fat develops due to many factors such as:
• Poor diet.
• Lack of regular exercise.
• Stress and inadequate sleep.
• Drug abuse, especially alcoholism and smoking.
The accumulation of belly fat may be fast and occurs gradually without many individuals noticing. However, getting rid of belly fat is strenuous and takes time. Therefore, losing belly fat is possible, but it will require a lot of dedication.
How to get rid of belly fat?
Many people with belly fat always look for ways to get rid of their condition. Some of the knowledge out there on losing belly fat is ineffective. It would help if you focused on strategies that will have more impact on the belly fat, such as the following:
1. Be keen on the diet.
A balanced diet helps you reduce belly fat. However, you need to take a small number of meals regularly. Water should accompany the meals since it helps in excess fat breakdown.
For effective belly fat reduction, avoid sugary food and sweetened drinks. Such meals with added sugars inhibit body metabolism, reducing fat breakdown. The fat accumulates around the abdominal organs. Why would you then overload the body with a lot of glucose and fructose?
Also, do not forget to take in food rich in fibers, e.g., vegetables and fruits. They slow down digestion, reducing the excess conversion of food into fats stored around body organs.
Lastly, eat fewer carbohydrates and increase the proteins. Carbs are known to increase food appetite, hence fat build-up. Proteins help reduce food cravings.
2. Engage in regular exercises.
Regular exercises help the body break down stored fats due to the demand for more energy by the body. However, the activities should not be strenuous but simple and regular. Even if you have no time for regular exercise, you may opt to walk to work or class for at least 30 minutes a day to maintain a healthy and flexible body. You may also engage in swimming activities as a form of exercise.
Home exercises that effectively reduce belly fat include sit-ups and squatting. They tighten the abdominal muscles, hence reducing the abdominal circumference and cavity.
3. Always have adequate sleep and avoid stress.
Inadequate sleep results in increased craving for food, hence overfeeding. People who sleep less than 5.5 have a high urge to take more calories. Adequate sleep goes for 7-8 hours a day.
Stress releases the stress hormone (cortisol) that leads to a build-up of abdominal fats in the body. It’s advisable to engage in pleasurable activities to reduce stress.
Though belly fat is seen by many as signs of wealth, those with it have always resented having it. With all the complications associated with it, you should avoid developing belly fat, and in case you have belly fat, apply the above remedies to get rid of it.
