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Fat deposits on the abdomen are not only a cosmetic problem. For most people, being overweight poses a serious health risk. Many medical studies confirm that excess abdominal fat is directly related to the development of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes. That is why, in order to maintain an attractive figure and well-being, it is important to get rid of extra centimeters on the stomach.
In order to determine the degree of body fat, it is enough to measure the waist. This can be done at home with a regular tape measure or measuring tape used by tailors. The following sizes are considered optimal:
Men – 102 cm (40 inches).
Women – 88 cm (35 inches).
If the result is greater, we should talk about abdominal obesity. A slight excess of these indicators requires certain actions to reduce the waist. Too much difference indicates a serious problem that needs to be addressed in a timely manner.
Currently, there are many traditional and folk methods that help get rid of fat deposits in the abdomen. Science offers 6 specific, scientifically proven ways to reduce the stomach.
1. Eliminate sugar and sugary drinks from your diet
Too much sugar in food is extremely harmful to health. Clinical observations indicate that oversaturation of cells with glucose causes metabolic disorders.
Sugar enters the body in the form of glucose and fructose. The latter can be absorbed by the liver only in small quantities. The liver, supersaturated with fructose, converts it into lipids. Such metabolic processes cause the formation of fatty deposits in the abdominal cavity, which can cause fatty hepatosis. This condition is also called fatty liver, in which its cells (hepatocytes) degenerate into fat.
Many scientists are of the opinion that these metabolic processes underlie the detrimental effect of sugar on human health. An increase in the volume of abdominal fat, transformation of liver cells lead to cell resistance to insulin (a state of resistance) and a violation of metabolic processes.
Drinks contain sugar in liquid form, which is even more harmful to the body. The brain is designed in such a way that it cannot control the intake of liquid calories in the same way as solid ones. Therefore, when drinking drinks containing sugar, a person consumes more calories. Numerous studies have shown that children who drink sugary drinks every day increase their risk of developing obesity by 60%. [1]
At the first signs of obesity, it is important to minimize the amount of sugar consumed. To do this, you need to reconsider your usual diet, completely exclude sugary drinks from it: sweet soda, fruit juices, sports energy drinks. Instead, include fresh fruits in your diet, which are much healthier. A large amount of fiber weakens the negative effect of fructose. The amount of glucose obtained from fruits is significantly less when eating products with refined sugar. When buying ready-made products, pay attention to the amount of sugar indicated on the package.
2. Include More Protein in Your Diet
Protein should be the main element of the diet for weight loss. Medical observations have shown that protein reduces hunger by 60%, speeds up metabolic processes and helps to consume 441 kcal less daily. [2]
To reduce the waist, you must first increase the amount of foods containing protein. This will significantly reduce body weight and save the result for a long time after the course of the diet.
Several studies have confirmed the effectiveness of a protein diet for reducing belly fat. One of them found that the quality and amount of protein consumed are inversely proportional to the amount of abdominal fat. The more protein the subjects consumed, the less their weight became.
Another, longer observation, led to the conclusion that the consumption of refined sugar and oil leads to an increase in adipose tissue, and the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet leads to a decrease. Adhering to a protein diet for 5 years made it possible to avoid the formation of fat folds in the waist area.
The best sources of protein are:
Whole eggs.
Fish and seafood.
Meat.
Nuts.
Dairy.
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These foods should be included in the daily diet. You can include coconut oil in your diet. It has been proven that cooking with it can reduce the amount of subcutaneous fat. To get a visible result, it is enough to consume two tablespoons of coconut oil per day.
If you can’t get enough protein from foods, you can take protein supplements. Such drugs include whey protein, protein powders, they can be useful if a person is a vegan.
3. Eliminate carbohydrates from the diet
Reducing carbohydrates is the surest way to get rid of a bulky belly. As soon as a person reduces carbohydrates, there is a decrease in appetite, a decrease in body weight. This statement is based on data from more than twenty randomized controlled trials. [3]
Groups of subjects on a low-carbohydrate diet lose 2-3 times more excess weight than those whose diet is to reduce fat. This effect is observed even when members of the carbohydrate-restricting group eat as much food as they want. The subjects of the second group (with fat restriction) receive few calories and experience a feeling of hunger.
Low-carbohydrate diets promote the elimination of excess water, which quickly leads to weight loss. A comparison of a low-calorie diet with a low-carb diet showed that it is the latter that gives the most effective disposal of abdominal fat, fat capsules around the internal organs and in the liver.
Excessive consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods is a major factor in the development of obesity. With sufficient protein intake from the diet, you need to exclude:
Sugar.
Candies.
White bread.
Milk chocolate.
Fast food.
Ice cream.
To lose weight quickly, you need to limit your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams per day. Over time, ketosis sets in – starvation of the cells of the body, in which the breakdown of fats begins. A low-carbohydrate diet is necessary not only for weight loss, but also for the treatment of certain diseases, such as type II diabetes.
4. Choose foods rich in fiber
Dietary fiber is plant fiber that cannot be digested in the digestive tract. Not all fiber fibers are the same. Some of them are soluble, viscous, fibers that can affect weight. Viscous fibers are able to bind liquid, forming a thick gel. The gel clot is located in the intestines and slows down the progress of the food bolus. In this regard, the digestion process slows down, nutrients are less absorbed. A person who consumes fiber experiences a feeling of fullness for longer, which reduces appetite and contributes to the loss of extra pounds.
The claim that adding fiber to the diet greatly aids in weight loss has been proven by many medical experiments. During one of them, the subjects received an additional 14 grams of fiber per day for 4 months. This resulted in a 10% reduction in calorie intake and a 2 kg weight loss. [4]
A 5-year long-term study found that taking 10 g of soluble fiber daily reduced belly fat by 3,7%. From this it follows that viscous fiber effectively fights excess weight. [5]
In order to increase the amount of fiber, you need to introduce fresh herbs, raw vegetables and fruits, legumes, whole oats into your daily diet. With a lack of plant fiber, you can take supplements, such as glucomannan. Its effectiveness in weight loss has not been proven by any study.
5. Physical exercise is a must for reducing the abdomen
Physical exercise is necessary for various reasons. To maintain health, it is important to provide yourself with an optimal set of loads. Within the framework of one article, it is impossible to highlight all the health benefits of physical education, but we can definitely say that it helps to reduce body fat in the waist area.
There are no specific exercises aimed at reducing the abdomen. It is impossible to remove excess weight in one place, even uncontrolled intense loads will not be able to get rid of fat deposits in the waist area.
In one study, subjects were instructed to perform physical training aimed at the abdominal muscles. 6 weeks after evaluation has not been identified some reduction in belly fat.
Aerobic exercise – walking, running, swimming – is effective enough to combat excess belly fat. Observations have proven that these exercises reduce the amount of fat in the abdomen. [6]
Properly performed sports loads ensure the constancy of weight, prevent the re-formation of lipid deposits. Physical exercise helps to cope with inflammation, lowers blood sugar concentration and improves metabolic mechanisms. Restoring normal metabolism allows you to eliminate excess fat in the abdominal cavity.
6. Think about what and how much you eat
It is known that the quality of food is an important aspect for maintaining health. Most people in real life have no idea what they eat every day. Based on some data, they think they are on a “protein diet” or a “low carb” diet. These beliefs are wrong, most often too exaggerated.
To normalize daily nutrition, it is important to regularly take into account the quality and quantity of food consumed. It’s impossible to constantly weigh portions or study every food label. It is necessary to pay attention to this issue several days a month in order to correct eating habits.
To effectively and permanently reduce body fat, it will not be enough just to eat more protein. While following the recommendation to increase the amount of calories received from protein up to 25% to 30%, attention should be paid to other energy components. Self-organization and the desire to achieve a certain result are important here.
To control the number of calories consumed, you can use an online calorie calculator, install one of the applications on any electronic device to record consumed foods. It is advisable to perform calculations of caloric value once a month. To do this, you can set the volume and number of calories in familiar foods.
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