Besides being pretty unsexy, belly fat is also dangerous, raising the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Here’s how to start losing belly fat fast.
1. Cut Out Sugar
Eating sugar, especially refined sugars that are added in food and beverages, is a leading contributing factor to visceral fat. The glucose and fructose that come from sugar are simple carbohydrates that get quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolized to release energy. When there’s excess intake, they get converted to glycogen to be stored in fat tissue.
Cutting out sugar is perhaps one of the best things you can do today to lose belly fat fast. When you get a sugar craving, try eating a fresh fruit next time. Can’t drink your coffee without a sweetener? Try Nutriplus Natose Stevia, a 100% natural sweetener that gives you the taste you want, without the harmful side effects. You can also use it in your baking recipes.
Read: The Bitter Truth about Sugar (and why you need to Quit)
2. Eat more Protein
Protein is a powerful macronutrient that can truly help you fight belly fat. When you eat more protein, it keeps you fuller longer and reduces the hunger hormone ghrelin, helping you slash the total calories you consume in a day. High-protein meals, with 20 to 30 grams of protein each, can also help you burn more calories by raising the body’s metabolic rate.
Eat up to three protein-rich meals a day to keep your appetite and cravings in check. Good sources of protein include dal, yoghurt, different types of nuts, cauliflower, dates, chickpeas etc. You can also start your day with a healthy protein shake using Nutriplus Protein Power, or add it to other recipes. Include one or more of these in every meal and say hello to a slimmer waistline!
5 Easy Ways to Sneak Protein into your Meals
3. Add More Fibre
Getting more fiber into your diet, especially soluble fiber found in oats, chia seeds, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, can help reduce fat accumulation in the abdominal area. Fibre swells up with water, increasing the bulk of your stomach contents and giving you a feeling of fullness. It also reduces fat absorption from food by binding with bile acids required for the digestion of dietary fats. Fiber can also bind with sugars and other carbohydrates, delaying or reducing their absorption into the bloodstream.
Sprinkle or mix a sachet of Nutriplus Fibrefit into your food. It’s tasteless and odorless and will blend in with what you are eating or drinking without ruining its taste.
Read about the benefits of a high fibre diet here.
4. Drink Herbal Teas
Drinking several cups of tea a day can help shrink your belly fat. Green tea is a great choice, but several herbal teas are just as effective. Herbal teas are low in fat and high in nutrition. Catechins in the tea speed up metabolism and increase fat burning by stimulating the liver, especially when combined with exercise.
Certain herbal teas contain natural elements that can prevent and help to lessen stomach fat. QNet’s Celesteal range of teas include a wide range of six delicious teas blended with traditional indian herbs that can help greatly enhance your wellbeing.
Learn more about the herbs in your tea.
5. Work out Regularly
Regular exercise is key to weight loss and maintenance. And since there’s no consensus on whether the ideal workout is aerobic or resistance training, your best bet is to do a little of both. Resistance training is especially important for people over 30, who will otherwise begin to lose bone density. Contrary to popular belief, abdominal crunches are not going to melt away belly fat, though they will help build muscle that could help define the area. And since muscle mass has a higher resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure than fat, it could help you trim down.
