Millions of people make resolutions to improve their fitness in the new year each year.
According to a 2018 Marist Poll survey supported by NPR and PBS NewsHour, the most popular New Year's plans are to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose weight, which together make up about a third of all resolutions.
Even though many people seek to reduce their stubborn belly fat through exercise and healthier eating habits, it’s always the last thing to go when trying to get to your desired weight goal.
Losing visceral fat (belly fat) is vital for maintaining overall health, so knowing the foods that help cause the deadly belly fat is essential. Incorporate the following steps to eliminate these habits to help you lose stubborn belly fat and lower your risk for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Reduce your alcohol consumption
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to weight gain and raise your risk of developing health issues. Your body's capacity to burn fat is also hampered by alcohol. Furthermore, alcohol use causes your body to burn alcohol for energy rather than fat, which might make it challenging to lose visceral fat, also known as belly fat.
According to Dr William Li, author of “Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer”, alcohol stimulates your appetite and makes you more likely to eat more food, especially high-calorie, unhealthy foods which contributes to visceral fat storage. Fourth, alcohol can interfere with your sleep, which can affect your metabolism and hormone.
Eat slowly
This gives your brain the chance to get the signal that you’re full, so you’re less likely to overeat. Moreover, if you go slowly, you're more likely to consider what you're eating and make wise, nutritious decisions.
Avoid processed foods
One of the worst foods to eat if you want to lose belly fat is processed food, which includes hot dogs, sausages, frozen dinners, sugary cereals, and candies. To maintain their shelf stability for a long time, processed goods frequently contain high levels of salt and other preservatives.
Don't ignore stress
High levels of stress can increase cortisol and lead to fat storage predominantly in the belly. Use self-care techniques to find a solution to cope with stress.
Drop the ice cream
One of the worst things to eat when trying to shed visceral fat is ice cream. This is because it contains many calories, sugar, and unhealthy fats, all of which increase the storing of body fat around the stomach. Furthermore, many ice creams contain artificial sweeteners and preservatives which can worsen inflammation in the body and make weight loss more challenging.
Exercise
If you stay sedentary for most of the day, you have less likelihood of reducing your belly fat. Take every opportunity to move as much as possible.
Exercise has been shown to enhance your physical and mental health as well as your libido. Try to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes or so a few times a week without even signing up for a marathon.