Losing belly fat has become a goal for almost everyone. The easiest way to achieve this is by building sustainable habits, not resorting to quick fixes. The key is consistency, not striving for perfection.
Part 1: What to do (Basic principles)
1. Improve your drinking habits:
- Drink plenty of water: Choose water or herbal tea instead of soft drinks, packaged juices, and sugary tea/coffee.
- Reduce alcohol consumption: Alcohol contains a lot of “empty” calories and directly contributes to increased belly fat.
2. Simple dietary changes (not dieting):
No complicated diet is needed, just a few simple changes will suffice:
- Choose brown over white: Opt for whole-grain bread/roti, brown rice, and oats instead of refined flour products. These keep you feeling full for longer.
- Include protein in every meal: Protein keeps you feeling full. Eat foods like eggs, yogurt/Greek yogurt, chicken, fish, lentils, kidney beans, etc.
- Increase your fiber intake: Include vegetables with every meal. Eat fruits, a handful of nuts, and seeds.
- Eat more home-cooked meals: This way, you’ll know exactly what you’re eating.
3. Simple physical activity:
No need for a gym, just move around:
- Walk daily: Make it a habit to walk briskly for 30 minutes a day and set a goal.
- Strength training (twice a week): Muscles constantly burn calories. Do simple body weight exercises:
- Squats
- Push-ups (on your knees are also acceptable)
- Plank (start with 20 seconds)
- Lunges
- Move around during breaks: If you have a desk job, get up and walk around for at least 5 minutes every hour.
4. Sleep and stress management are essential:
This is a forgotten but crucial step.
- Get 7-8 hours of sleep: Lack of sleep increases the hunger-inducing hormone (ghrelin), leading to increased cravings for junk food.
- Reduce stress: Stress increases the hormone cortisol, which causes belly fat to accumulate. Take 5 minutes to practice deep breathing, go for a short walk, and listen to music.
Part 2: What not to do (3 big mistakes):
- Avoid “liquid calories”: Sweet drinks don’t fill you up, but they provide a lot of calories.
- Avoid highly processed foods: Stay away from chips, biscuits, frozen pizza, and fast food as much as possible. These all contribute to belly fat.
- Avoid crash dieting (extreme calorie restriction): This slows down metabolism and can lead to muscle loss or weight regain.