Lose Belly Fat

There are a lot of gimmicks and infommercials around about how to get rid of that pesky, unflattering belly fat. While there's no "magic bullet" that will target abdominal fat in particular, this article will explain what causes an expanding waistline, and how you can make the extra baggage go away.

Steps

 * 1) Understand the risks associated with belly fat. Belly fat is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Specifically it's the deepest layer of belly fat--the fat you can't see or grab--that poses health risks. That's because these "visceral" fat cells actually produce hormones and other substances that can affect your health (e.g. increased insulin resistance and/or breast cancer risk). The fact that they're located right next to and in between organs in your abdominal cavity doesn't help. For example, fat next to the liver drains into it, causing a fatty liver, which is a risk factor for insulin resistance, setting the stage for Type 2 diabetes.
 * 2) * [[Image:Tape_2721.jpg|thumb]]Wrap a tape measure around your waist at the level of your navel. A measurement of more than 35 inches (women) and 40 inches (men) is considered to be unhealthy.
 * 3) Exercise for weight loss. Aerobic exercise will facilitate fat loss all over your body, including your belly. You can't "spot-burn" belly fat, but it's usually the first to burn off when you exercise, regardless of your body shape.  Just be sure that you focus on calorie-burning exercises, rather than sit-ups or crunches. If your abdominal muscles are covered in fat, no strengthening of those muscles is going to change that. Aerobic exercise is key.
 * 4) *An additional benefit is that exercise reduces stress and insulin levels, which reduces the presence of cortisol, a hormone that leads to more belly fat deposits.
 * 5) Change your diet. Unless you restrict your calorie intake, you're not going to lose belly fat. There are some tactics that might help do away with belly fat faster, but only when you've already consistently restricted your calorie intake. For example, eating an avocado after eating an entire bag of chips isn't going to help you get rid of belly fat--in fact, it'll probably make the problem worse!
 * 6) *[[Image:Wholegrain_725.jpg|thumb|Whole grain pasta salad]]Switch out refined grains for whole grains. In a scientific study, people who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more belly fat than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains. A diet rich in whole grains changes the glucose and insulin response in your body, which hastens the melting of fat, and visceral fat, that deep layer of fat, is easier for your body to burn than the subcutaneous fat under your skin (the fat that you can see and grab).
 * 7) *Studies suggests that a diet with a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats (avocados, nuts, seeds, soybeans, chocolate) can prevent the accumulation of both types of belly fat. Some experts argue, though, that it's not that these fats specifically target abdominal fat in any way; it's that anyone will probably lose weight on a lower calorie diet (regardless of where those calories come from) and as discussed earlier, belly fat is usually the first to go.
 * 8) *Trans fats (in margarines, crackers, cookies--anything made with partially hydrogenated oils) seem to result in more fat being deposited in the abdomen, so avoid these as much as you can.
 * 9) *Soluble fiber (apples, oats, cherries) lowers insulin levels, which, as mentioned earlier, can reduce the presence of cortisol in the stomach.
 * 10) * MUFAs (Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids) can burn more belly fat. These MUFAs are highly present in the following food items.
 * 11) **Oils like olive oil and canola oil
 * 12) **Nuts and seeds like cashew, peanut etc.
 * 13) **Avocado
 * 14) **Dark chocolate
 * 15) **Grape seed oil
 * 16) **Soybean oil

Tips

 * The way your body distributes fat is largely beyond control (heredity, menopause). What is within your control is your level of body fat overall--if you keep that low, it won't really matter where the fat goes, because there won't be much fat to deposit in the first place.
 * Many women start gaining more weight in their belly as they get older, especially after menopause. The body fat distribution changes--less fat goes to your arms, legs and hips, and more of it goes to your midsection. Some people even find their waistline widening while their weight remains the same! Nonetheless, the above steps will help to do away with belly fat.
 * Spot reduction is not really possible. Although some research has indicated that reducing small amounts of fat from a specific area of the body may be possible with exercise, it is not possible to target weight loss.
 * Beginning a weight loss exercise program will also be a must, so do your research and choose the best program for you and your goal.

Warnings

 * Doing only sit-ups and crunches can actually cause the appearance of more belly fat, as the abdominal muscles grow in size and shape, they will push out against the fat, making it appear larger and thicker.
 * Always consult a doctor before starting an exercise regimen.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Lose Weight
 * How to Get Six Pack Abs
 * How to Be Healthy