You want to lose belly fat and you want to do it pronto. Well, welcome to adulthood, where we only notice we want to tweak our bodies a few weeks before a big event is coming up. But losing belly fat takes time. You can’t take a pill and expect to get a flat belly in a day or two. But there are six things you can do that can drastically improve the way your belly looks in just two months.
Cut Down On Sugar
The more sugar you consume, the more calories you’ll accrue, causing your body to store more fat in your belly. Cut down on sugar-sweetened beverages. While you’re at it, take donuts, cookies, and candies out of the equation too. This will prevent sugar spikes in your insulin levels which can promote extra storage of belly fat. But if you’re craving a snack, reach for a breakfast bar, yogurt or even nut butter.
Eat Less, Expend More
When it comes to calories, you need to cut down on your daily intake and expend more calories (energy) if you want to lose body fat. But be careful. If you eat fewer than the daily required number of calories, you’ll slow your metabolism down and deprive your body of nutrients. We recommend you check with a dietitian, as they can put you on the right eating plan. And in the meantime, you can start having salads or vegetable soup bowls for dinner.
Get Rid Of Refined Grains
Refined grains are a lot like sugar in that they seriously mess with your insulin levels. They cause your blood sugar to spike, which leads to weight gain. Dry and refined carbs like flour tortillas, baked chips, popcorn and pretzels will pack on the pounds. Try whole grains like barley, oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta and brown rice instead.
Strength Train To Lose Weight
Strength training builds lean muscle mass, which helps you burn more calories, even when you’re resting. But to build muscles, you need to progressively overload, aka do more than you did before. The more you push yourself, the more calories you’ll burn. Do compound exercises like barbell squats and leg press to target large muscle groups and burn more calories. Do planks and push-ups in between leg exercises. You can’t lose weight in specific places like your gut. You can only lose overall body fat. But think of how toned your midsection will look once you burn off all that fat.
Try High-Intensity Interval Training
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves periods of exercise where you go all out and follow it up with a longer rest period. You can do HIIT by sprinting on the treadmill, doing cardio, weightlifting or bodyweight exercises. If you do HIIT twice a week, you’ll see a drop in body fat.
Get Some Rest
Diet and exercise are a great way to lose fat, but most people don’t realize that a lack of sleep can increase the production of cortisol. The stress hormone spikes when you don’t get enough sleep because it’s trying to keep your body from shutting down. Either way, you’ll feel tired and experience food cravings. So, if you’re not getting seven to nine hours of sleep at night, you’re undoing all the great work that comes from dieting and exercising.
