Belly Fat

As we age, it seems harder and harder to keep that trim, slim figure. Belly fat creeps up, seemingly overnight. Fortunately, there are ways to target belly fat and it may not be what you think.

First, the good news. If you have excess weight to lose, the first place that usually slims down first is the belly area. Although you'll lose weight all over, the stomach area tends to lose more. So the first tip is not unexpected. In order to lose weight anywhere on your body you need to -

Reduce your calorie intake

It really can be as simple as that. Following easy weight loss tips can help you to reduce the amount of calories that you eat and as a result, you'll lose weight, including around your belly.

Switch to whole grains

One important diet tip is to include lots of fruits and vegetables and switch to whole grains. A study which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that eating whole grains instead of refined grains (you know, white flour) helped people lose more weight in the stomach area. This is an easy and delicious tip.

Eat dark chocolate

I knew this would grab your attention. Another food switch is to use monounsaturated fats. That means you should use olive oil instead of other vegetable oils. You can eat nuts, seeds, avocados and yes, even dark chocolate. The key is not to overeat. These make great snacks so pre-measure what you should eat and then enjoy. (But don't go back for seconds.)

Exercise

Of course, getting rid of belly fat is easier when you exercise. Now, I'm not talking about lots of crunches. Yes, crunches are one of the best abdominal exercises. But that just gives you great muscles under fat. To get rid of fat you need a combination of resistance training and aerobic exercise. So go ahead and do some ab exercises, but be sure to add lots of aerobic exercise too. Walking is a very good exercise that requires no special equipment and is easy to do. But do something.

Reduce stress

You may have seen the commercials for drugs to block cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone. High levels of this hormone can cause excess fat to accumulate in the stomach area. Plus, if you are an emotional eater, stress can cause you to eat more. Reducing stress can help to lower cortisol levels. This will make your exercise and diet routine much more effective.

You can get rid of belly fat, but there's no easy pill that will make it disappear. Change your diet, start exercising and reduce your stress and watch that stomach start to shrink. Always remember that this is just my experience and research. Always check with your doctor when making drastic changes and for professional advice.