A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary habits can lead to buildup of belly fat. These stubborn fat deposits are not that easy to get rid of and can be really frustrating for those looking to restore a youthful looking body. Fitness experts recommend these simple but effective diet and exercise ideas to reduce belly fat and get the body back in shape:
- It is important to eat it right. Having a healthy and balanced diet with adequate macro and micro nutrients is the key to reduce belly fat. Eat more of raw fruits or veggies, or steam-cooked veggies instead of takeaways and fast food.
- It is common that people often confuse thirst for hunger and end up eating unhealthy foods. Learn to differentiate thirst and hunger. Drinking two cups of water before each meal can reduce your calorie intake and reduce belly fat. But take care not to drink more water than necessary.
- Reduce salt intake. Instead, use lemon, herbs, and spices like pepper for seasoning.
- Carnitine, a compound that helps the body to convert fat into energy, can help with stubborn belly fat to some extent. It is found in low-fat dairy products, lean red meat, skinless chicken, fish, peanut butter, avocados, asparagus and whole wheat.
- Include more of fat burning foods in your diet. Good options are: garlic, onion, ginger, cayenne pepper, cabbage, tomato, and spices like cinnamon and mustard.
Don’t forget exercise. The combination or right diet and regular exercise is the key to reducing fat. Do more of belly fat targeted exercises such as crunches, twist crunches, side crunch, reverse crunches, vertical leg crunch, bicycle exercise and lunge twists. Cardio exercises such as walking, running, jogging, cycling and swimming can also help. Importantly, instead of working out for hours or running a few miles, doing short bursts of active exercises are very helpful to reduce stubborn fat.