Over the past several decades, there has been an epidemic spreading through the United States. Every year, more and more people suffer from being overweight or obese.
And while these weight conditions might not cause immediate fatalities, over time they wear at the health, causing a long list of illnesses and conditions that decrease the overall quality of life.
Being overweight or obese contributes to many health problems. However, there’s a certain type of fat that has been found to be worse than all others: Belly fat.
Also known as visceral fat, when people gain belly fat, the areas around their internal organs are being surrounded by fat. Unfortunately, this greatly increases the likelihood of cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
For those who are trying to gain control of their health and wellness, burning belly fat needs to be a huge priority.
Losing fat around the abdominals doesn’t just make people look slimmer and more fit, but it also protects their health. The key is finding the best foods and exercises to support this type of weight loss.
In the article below, several different aspects of burning belly fat will be examined and explained. By the end, readers will know exactly what they can do to burn belly fat and transform their bodies, all from the comfort of their homes.
The Causes of Belly Fat
Before a plan for losing belly fat is created, a better idea of what causes belly fat is needed. The two biggest contributing factors to gaining weight around the belly are diet and exercise, or the lack thereof.
In order to lose or maintain weight, people need to burn more calories than they consume. Unfortunately, for those who consistently eat foods high in fat or don’t exercise regularly, this means weight is gained quickly, especially around the abdominals.
Eating too much or eating the wrong things combined with a sedentary lifestyle are two of the biggest causes of belly fat and the first place people need to start when it comes to losing weight.
While poor diet and lack of exercise are two of the biggest contributing factors to belly fat, there are several other aspects that are often ignored, despite the big roles they play in health. More than 60% of people in the United States suffer from some form of thyroid problem, which can lead to issues with the metabolism.
When the metabolism is compromised, it can cause fat to be gained no matter the strictness of diet and exercise programs. Another influence on weight is genetics. If people come from a family where fat around the belly is common, they might be susceptible to the health condition.
There are also several habits that can cause fat to accumulate around the abdominals. Posture plays a huge part in how fat settles around the stomach.
When people slouch, the fat is more likely to form around their abdominals, which is why sitting straight can help decrease dangerous belly fat. Another habit that can lead to belly fat is becoming overstressed.
While stress is something everyone will have to face, how it is dealt with can influence how much cortisol is released into the body. Because too much cortisol in the system can cause overeating, those who don’t learn how to deal with and release their stress are more likely to have belly fat.
Foods to Fight Belly Fat
As mentioned above, there are two key things involved when it comes to losing weight, but specifically to losing fat around the belly.
These two things, diet and exercise, go hand in hand to help burn through fat so people can get their bodies, and their lives, back on track. Over the past several years, huge amounts of focus have been put on the exercise aspect of fighting belly fat, despite the symbiotic relationship the two parts of weight loss have.
While exercise is a very important part of this weight loss process, food actually plays a slightly bigger role. As stated previously, weight is lost when the amount of calories burned each day are more than the calories consumed.
However, the body can only be forced to burn so many calories a day, no matter how hard people push themselves. So, the best way to support healthy weight loss is to eat foods that are lower in calories.
The list below contains some of the best belly fat fighting foods available. They can be easily incorporated into any diet, allowing people to lose their belly fat sooner rather than later.
The foundation of a day of healthy eating is a healthy, filling breakfast. In recent years, breakfasts have become overlooked, with most people rushing through them or replacing them with a cup of coffee. The lack of a filling breakfast can lead to snacking throughout the day.
As far as breakfasts go, oatmeal is one of the best foods to eat. The grain is extremely rich in fiber, which means it helps eaters stay full throughout the day.
In addition to being so high in fiber, eating oatmeal for breakfast can help boost the metabolism, balance out blood sugar levels, and provide steady energy throughout the morning. Oatmeal is also extremely versatile and can be mixed with a wide range of toppings and liquids, so eaters don’t get bored.
2. Black Beans
Black beans are another fiber-rich food that can help fight belly fat. As mentioned above, fiber helps keep people feeling full for longer, so they are less likely to snack throughout the day.
However, black beans have another benefit because they’re also filled with protein, which also helps keep people full. Finally, black beans are packed with flavonoids. Recent studies have found that flavonoids help prevent the body from storing excess fat in the belly.
These dark, rich berries come with a wide range of health benefits. Being filled with antioxidants, blueberries are able to fight free radicals in the body, even reversing damage caused by these free radicals. However, when it comes to fight belly fat, there’s another benefit to blueberries.
Blueberries are extremely nutrient rich and their nutrient content doesn’t change much when they are frozen. For those who want to make sure they get the nutrients they need on a daily basis, blueberries are a simple solution.
They can easily be added to smoothies and shakes, providing a boost in fat-fighting nutrients whether fresh or frozen.
Blueberries aren’t the only fruit that pack a punch when it comes to burning belly fat. Pears are another delicious fruit option that are high in fiber.
However, these fruits have an added benefit. In a 14 year study, it was found that catechins and flavonols, two powerful antioxidants, prevent fat from being stored in the belly.
Pears just happen to be filled with catechins and flavonols, making them the perfect choice for those trying to regain their health.
Another very diverse food option, almonds can be added to almost any dish, sweet or savory, bringing many amazing health benefits with them.
A handful of almonds can help curb the appetite in between meals, without causing a diet to be broken. However, the real power in almonds is found in their monounsaturated fats (MUFA).
MUFAs have been found to burn away belly fat, helping users lose the unwanted weight. Almonds are also high in protein and fiber which, as already discussed above, curb appetites and keep people feeling full for longer.
Sunflower seeds are another option for those who want a source of MUFAs.
6. White Tea
Technically not a food, white tea has been found to offer amazing belly fat blasting capabilities. In a recent study, when cells were exposed to white tea, they absorbed 70% less fat than normal.
This amazing result means that white tea can actually prevent the buildup of fat in the body. Even better, white tea can also breakdown fat that already exists in the body. With this dual approach to belly fat, white tea is the perfect beverage for those looking to lose weight.
Eating lean, low-calorie meat is vital for those who are trying to lose weight around their belly. While most fish and poultry are excellent options for those trying to change their diets, salmon is actually one of the best meats for this purpose.
First, salmon is a lean protein, which means it provides the muscles with support to grow and keeps eaters feeling full. Second, salmon is low in calories, giving lots of energy because it burns more calories while it’s being digested.
However, the biggest reason salmon is a favorite for those trying to lose belly fat is because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
These acids have been found to decrease the amount of inflammation in the body, which often contributes to weight gain and even increases the likelihood of diabetes.
More importantly, omega-3 fatty acids help keep the hormones in the body balanced. Again, as mentioned above, hormone imbalances are much more common than most people realize, often contributing to weight gain around the stomach.
Exercises to Burn Belly Fat
The second aspect of burning belly fat involves getting more active. However, while adopting exercise routines will help people lose weight, when it comes to burning belly fat, very specific exercises are needed.
The exercises required for losing weight around the abdominals need to be targeted, focused on that specific area.
And, because muscle strength needs to be built in the abdominals and on the back, various exercises need to be used for each and every workout.
A list of some of the best exercises for reducing fat around the stomach can be found below. As is the case with all exercises, these should be started with care, preferably after a medical professional has been consulted.
Coming in various different forms, crunches activate the entire midsection, even strengthening the back, to provide a total and complete workout.
In order to properly do crunches, a person must lay flat on the floor, then lift their legs into a bridge position. Keeping their lower back on the floor, crunches occur when people lift the top part of their back towards their knees, making sure to control, and not strain, their neck.
As mentioned above, there are several different crunch forms. The first alternative is a reverse crunch. In this exercise, instead of lifting the upper back, people would lift their knees to their chest until their shins are parallel to the floor.
Another option for crunches is the twisted crunch, which will activate the muscles on the side of the stomach. As the name suggests, this form of crunch involves keeping the legs just off and parallel to the ground and twisting the shoulders to the left or right at each lift.
For those who want to take their crunches to the next level, there are options that engage more of the abdominals.
A favorite is bicycle crunches, which involves keeping the legs pulled up and folding one leg at the knee at every rise of the torso. A vertical leg crunch requires users to keep their legs crossed and straight up in the air during the exercise.
No form of exercise is more important for burning away belly fat than cardio. While crunches are perfect for toning and building up muscle in the abdominals, cardio is needed to burn away the fat that has built up below the abdominals.
And because cardio is notorious for burning high levels of fat, any exercise that involves cardio is perfect for getting rid of a belly.
When people think cardio, usually the first thing that comes to mind is running. However, there are many other amazing cardio options and it’s actually better for those starting out with cardio to avoid running.
To start, people can take brisk walks whenever possible. Eventually, this can become jogging, which will then turn into running. For those who don’t want to run, there’s also swimming or cycling.
There are even exercise classes that focus on fun ways of doing cardio, like Zumba or other dance-based options.
For those looking for a fast way to melt the pounds, cardio is the best answer.
3. Weight Training
Often when the phrase ‘weight training’ is used, people think of big, muscled men, the very opposite of what most people with belly fat want to look like.
What’s interesting about weight training, however, is that it helps boost the metabolism and strengthen the bones, both very important for those trying to lose weight and get healthy.
Adding a little bit of weight training to a cardio routine will help people burn fat faster and give shape to the body once the fat comes off.
Most of the exercises above are quite high impact, meaning they can cause strain to the body. One of the best things about yoga is that it is low-impact, but still works all the muscles of the body.
Yoga is a perfect alternative to weight training and crunches because it activates the entire body, keeping all muscles engaged, despite its slow, methodic movements. For those who are worried about straining their bodies, yoga is the perfect solution.
Yoga is also able to improve posture, which as mentioned above can cause fat to form around the belly, and increase flexibility.
And there are many different forms of yoga, perfect for those who like to mix things up or who want to try a few options first. Plus, yoga instills a peace of mind and focus that many people need when they’re working on transforming their bodies and their health.
Even though everyone will have a different journey when it comes to burning away their belly fat, the points and tips above can help anyone reach their goals.