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| Simple Ways to Reduce Stomach Fat |
Excess weight in your abdomen can be boring, not only because it is extremely difficult to give up, but also because it has an impact on your overall health. Extra belly fat increases your risk of problems such as heart disease and diabetes, and according to the Certified Strength and Condition Specialist, Michele Olson, PhD, life is full of sneaky little saboteurs that make weight gain in this region much too easy.
"Due to changes in hormones, daily stress, lack of sleep, as well as possible pregnancies, women's weight gain is often stored more and more in the abdominal area," says Olson, also a clinical professor. at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.
And even if you can not reduce losses, you can change your lifestyle to lose weight quickly. Here, health professionals offer their best science-based strategies to win the bulge battle.
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a million times: the abdominals are made in the kitchen. Unfortunately, if you regularly eat ultra-processed foods (chips, store-bought pastries and sweets), you will not be able to see yours. "These foods are produced using sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, which in large amounts promotes the accumulation of visceral fat in the liver, resulting in weight gain, inflammation and associated diseases, "says Rachel Fine, RD, owner of La Pointe Nutrition.
Instead, opt for meals that contain healthy amounts of soluble fiber such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, avocado and citrus fruits. Research shows that an increase in these foods is linked to a decrease in visceral fat, that is to say belly.
Reducing alcohol consumption can also help, says Fine. Alcohol contains about seven calories per gram - "just below the fat, which equals nine calories per gram". And because alcohol is absorbed quickly, "when consumed too much, the metabolism of alcohol alters the metabolism of other macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, ... The storage of fat rather than breakdowns" , she says.
While rethinking your drinks, also limit your consumption of soft drinks, advises Vanessa Voltolina, RD, licensed dietician based in New York, pointing out that these soft drinks, although delicious, can cause ventral swellings. (Sorry LaCroix!)
Instead, stick to the water, which according to Emily Incledon, can act as an appetite suppressant and help flush out your body to reduce the feeling of bloat.
Good news: Training is not only good for adding years to your life, improving the health of your brain and reducing the level of stress. It can also help you control your gut. In fact, research in the journal Cell Metabolism reveals that exercise helps specifically reduce visceral fat.
The key to losing belly fat with exercise, however, is to make sure your sweating session is intense. You will want to work at least 85% of your maximum heart rate, says Olson. "The higher your heart rate, the higher the release of epinephrine in your blood and cells," she says. "One of the positive side effects of epinephrine is that it also activates a greater release of abdominal fat in the blood that will be used as a source of energy."
So what kind of exercise is best for burning belly fat? Olson recommends intense weight training, Tabata interval training, sprint style cardio and kettlebell exercises. Of course, a little abdominal work will not hurt either - especially the movements (like dead insects) that target the transverse abdomen, the deep core muscles that act as a waist belt and enclose you.
Not being up to zzz is also a surefire way to compromise your waistline. This is because lack of sleep stuns the hormones of hunger, resulting in an increase in ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and a decrease in leptin, which signals when you are full. In addition, research has shown that when you are not well rested, you are also more likely to eat junk food (hello Ben & Jerry's!) - and it can even become more difficult for you to develop your muscle mass.
To help keep belly fat in check, try cuddling with your pillow for at least seven to eight hours each night. And if possible, hit the hay at the same time each night - a study found that women who did it with a sleep of about eight hours a night had lower body fat.
Stress, which can take many forms, can wreak havoc on your health. Whether it's something you consider a "big deal", like working on a project to meet a crucial deadline, or something smaller, like someone who cut you off during your morning commute, your body treat them the same way, by adopting your fight or flight response.
"As your body perceives stress better, cortisol, often called the stress hormone, is released by the adrenal glands," says Nana Yaw Adu-Sarkodie, a family board licensed physician who practices home care in Baltimore. . "Normal levels are released when you wake up in the morning or while exercising. Chronic stress can lead to increased cortisol and other stress hormones, leading to increased blood sugar levels, weight gain, digestive problems, depression and many other health effects. "
A study in psychosomatic medicine confirms the link between stress and weight gain, revealing that women most vulnerable to the effects of stress are more likely to have excess abdominal fat and higher levels of cortisol stress. One of the reasons could be that women tend to eat more, especially sweets, on days when they are stressed, according to a study by the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
That's why it's better to keep your cool. One way to do it: practice mindfulness. According to a 2011 study by the Journal of Obesity, women who experienced the greatest stress reduction by effectively mastering stress reduction techniques tended to lose the deepest belly fat. So go ahead and take some deep breaths, hit the carpet for soothing yoga, or open one of these guided meditation apps. Your belly will thank you in the long run.