At Rising Fitness in Houston, Texas, everyone works hard to get the results they want. One of the most frequent goals we often hear is the desire for a tight tummy. That takes more than just exercise. You have to eat right, too. In order to lose belly fat, you have to lose fat all over your body. Belly fat is visceral fat, the most dangerous type of fat, since it crowds your organs and increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer and hypertension. You need to exercise to strengthen abdominal muscles, but if there’s a layer of fat, no matter how much of a six pack you have, it won’t show. Eating right solves that problem.
Foods high in fiber are better for eliminating belly fat than others are.
Foods high in fiber are important to making that Buddha belly disappear. There are two types of fiber and both are important. Insoluble fiber can’t be digested by the body, but it does add bulk to the stool to help prevent constipation and the bloating that comes with it. No bloating means a smaller belly. The other type of fiber is soluble. It creates a gel in the intestines that feeds the microbes in the gut and nurtures a wider variety of beneficial gut microbes to aid in digestion. The beneficial microbes also produce short-chain fatty acids, which are linked to reducing or eliminating belly fat. Oatmeal, beans, asparagus, apples, quinoa and avocados are a few of these.
Grab a banana for a snack or put it on your cereal in the morning.
Rather than heading for the candy counter at the grocery or hitting up the candy machine at work, take a banana to work for your afternoon snack. They have the perfect carrying case and are easy to transport. They have resistant starch that triggers the liver to switch burning more fat and gives your metabolism a jump-start in the process. The potassium in the banana help prevent water retention and bloating, too.
Make a non-alcoholic tropical drink.
Toss chunks of pineapple and papaya with coconut milk in a blender for a belly busting drink. The papaya contains papain that breaks down food that’s hard to digest and reduces inflammation and belly bloat. Pineapple is a source of bromelain that also minimizes bloating. Mix it with coconut milk for the MCTs—medium chain triglycerides— that is available immediately for energy and not as likely to be stored as fat. You could also skip the coconut milk and enjoy the papaya or pineapple as a tasty treat.
- Fennel bulb and fennel seed are both good for your digestion and help reduce the bloating that can cause a puffy belly. Make some fennel tea or chew on some fennel seed. Grow fennel in your yard, it has beautiful foliage that is light and delicate.
- No matter what you eat, if you don’t deal with stress, you could potentially accumulate belly fat. Stress increases cortisol levels and cortisol is connected to belly fat. Exercise burns off cortisol and meditation or controlled breathing can help prevent it.
- Apple cider vinegar might help get rid of belly fat. The acetic acid in the vinegar has been shown in animal studies to reduce belly fat and human studies confirm it helps weight loss. A tablespoon in an 8-oz glass of water in the morning is all it takes.
- Sometimes not eating certain foods can bring the biggest benefits. Cut out products with added sugar, white flour, highly processed foods, soft drinks and fried foods to help reduce belly fat.
For more information, contact us today at Rising Fitness Gym