In these beautiful days when wearing light clothes and other swimsuits is the order of the day, many of you wish find a nice flat stomach. But did you know that storing extra weight in the stomach and waist area is as unsightly as it is dangerous for your health? In fact, a plump belly is often the sign of a much more embarrassing fat: visceral fat. In other words, the fat that settles around your organs, inside your body. The latter can become the cause of heart problems and type II diabetesall the more reason to to fight against the excess kilos located at the level of the belly. Get a belly flat should therefore become a primary objective, both in summer and winter! Fortunately, there are effective ways to slim down your waist and get rid of that irritating abdominal fat, as well as its cousin visceral fat. Here are 9 tips to give yourself the best chance of getting a flat stomach.
1. You can't choose which part of your body you will lose weight on
Before you embark on an endless series of "special abdominal" exercises, in the hope of finding the flat stomach you've been dreaming of, it is scientifically proven thatwe can't choose the precise part of your anatomy where you will lose weight. So trying to lose only belly fat would be a red herring. James O. Hill, executive director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado, says, "You can't target fat loss to specific areas. In fact, experts say, weight loss can only be comprehensive. Exercising a specific area of the body will certainly build muscle, but not specifically get rid of the fat in that area. The good news is that when you lose weight, it is primarily in the upper body that fat is burned. Abdominal and visceral fat will therefore be the first to disappear! With an appropriate diet and regular exercise, you can be sure that your overall body fat will melt away, especially that of your stomach.
2. Play sports regularly
Sport is obviously an essential part of weight (and fat) loss wherever you are used to storing it. It is this one which will constitute the most effective way to lose belly. However, for those of you who are less physically fit or less motivated, "moving" regularly will also be a solution to get a flat stomach and melt visceral fat at the same time.
So, gentle exercise will help if you do it for at least 30 minutes and regularly (5 times a week). Whether it's a brisk walk, playing soccer with your kids or gardening, these small efforts will count as "moderate exercise" and will be effective in limiting fat storage in the belly. This is provided that these activities make you sweat a little and increase your heart rate.
The practice of "cardio" sports will be the most likely to allow you to eliminate the fat located at the level of the belly. These intensive sports, to be practiced for a minimum of 20 minutes 4 times a week, will be essentially running, swimming, cycling or aerobics.
3. Get rid of stress
Since stress appears to be a factor that favors the storage of fat, it is useful to avoid it as much as possible. Moreover, practicing "zen" activities, such as yoga, meditation or pilates, will considerably reduce your propensity to store fat in the belly. Knowing that practicing sports in general will also have this de-stressing role thanks to the release of happiness hormones (endorphins).
4. Get enough sleep, but not too much!
A 2010 Wake Forest University study showed that people who sleep too much (8 hours or more per night) and those who do not sleep enough (5 hours or less per night) are the most likely to store abdominal and visceral fat. The ideal way to stay slim and healthy is to get 7 to 7.5 hours of sleep per night. Similarly, it is important to go to bed and get up at fixed times so as not to upset your biological clock and thus not to secrete fat storage hormones (cortisol).
5. Eat enough fiber
In addition to its transit benefits, a 2011 study found that people who consumed at least 10 grams of fiber per day (the equivalent of one cup of peas or two small apples) would produce less abdominal and visceral fat. The daily consumption of bread complete would be, in the same way, beneficial to lose belly.
6. Eat foods rich in good fats
As many of you know, there are "good" and "bad" fats. Bad fats (saturated fats), mainly of animal origin, are responsible for various health problems such as cholesterol, heart problems and type II diabetes if ingested in excessive quantities. Good fats", on the other hand, that is unsaturated fats (and more particularly polyunsaturated fats), are known to be beneficial. They are found in foods such as hazelnuts, seeds, sunflower oil and fatty fish. According to a recent Swedish study, people who consume these polyunsaturated fats would gain more muscle mass and store less belly fat than those consuming saturated fats.
7. Fill up on protein
If proteins are known to be essential for athletes, this is also true for people who are overweight. In other words, to be slim and have a flat stomach, you need to consume enough protein. According to one study, an obese person who consumes twice as much protein as another will lose much more weight than the latter. Proteins play an important role in burning fat because they protect the body from insulin. Insulin promotes the storage of fat, especially in the abdomen.
8. Drink green tea
It is now proven that drinking green tea can help you lose belly fat. Combined with a little exercise, the antioxidants contained in this drink are stored by the body and promote weight loss in the stomach area. In comparison, people who exercise as much without drinking green tea would lose less fat.
9. Use vinegar on a daily basis
As surprising as it may seem, The consumption of vinegar also has its role to play and can help you find a flat stomach! A 2009 Japanese study found that consuming a tablespoon of vinegar every day for 8 weeks would significantly increase abdominal fat loss. Vinegar would also burn our visceral fat. So, if you want to get back to your dream waist, start using vinegar!
