Medical research now points out that fat around the waist has more visceral fat, which is located deep inside the abdominal cavity that surrounds the internal organs and is associated with chronic diseases namely diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, heart disease — even hormone-fueled cancers like those of the breast, colon, and prostate.
Get rid of that gut now with these five tips:
- Don’t eat sugar and avoid sugar-sweetened drinks.
Studies show that it has uniquely harmful effects on metabolic health. When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose, and is forced to turn it all into fat. Then there’s the evil of liquid sugar (common in Indonesian restaurant drinks). Liquid calories don’t get “registered” by the brain in the same way as solid calories. - Eating more protein is a great long-term strategy to reduce belly fat. If weight loss is your goal, then adding protein is perhaps the single most effective change you can do to your diet. Not only will it help you lose, it can also help you avoid re-gaining weight if you ever decide to abandon your weight loss efforts. So make an effort to increase your intake of high-protein foods such as whole eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat, dairy products and some whole grains.
- Cut carbs from your diet
Carb restriction is a very effective way to lose fat. This is supported by numerous studies. When people cut carbs, their appetite goes down and they lose weight, simple as that. Low-carb diets also lead to quick reductions in water weight, which gives people near instant results. A major difference on the scale is often seen within a few days. There are also studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets, showing that low-carb diets specifically target the fat in the belly, and around the organs and liver. - Eat foods rich in fiber, especially viscous fiber
Dietary fiber is mostly indigestible plant matter and often claimed that eating plenty of fiber can help with weight loss but it’s important to keep in mind that not all fiber is created equal. It seems to be mostly the soluble and viscous fibers that have an effect on your weight. These are fibers that bind water and form a thick gel that “sits” in the gut. This gel can dramatically slow the movement of food through your stomach and small bowel, and slow down the digestion and absorption of nutrients. The best way to get more fiber is to eat a lot of plant foods like vegetables and fruit. - Exercise is very effective at reducing belly fat
Finally, exercise is important for various reasons and among the best things you can do if you want to live a long, healthy life and avoid disease. However, keep in mind that abdominal exercises are not effective and “spot” reduction (losing fat in one spot) is not possible. Therefore, endless amounts of crunches will not make you lose fat from the belly. Aerobic exercise (like walking, running, swimming, etc.) has been shown to cause major reductions in belly fat in numerous studies.
Health-e reporting with sources: Bicycling; Authority Nutrition
