The latest gist that has been trending recently is “flesh looks good on you”. I hear now that even the skinny ones are looking at adding some flesh- either in the “upper or lower” region. People are looking to add some fat. However what we dread the most is gaining this weight around our abdomen. No one wants the belly fat!
It is usually estimated by measuring the circumference around your waist with a simple tape measure. Anything above 40 inches (102 cm) in men and 35 inches (88 cm) in women equals belly fat.
This belly fat can either be as a result of the Subcutaneous or Visceral fat stored in your body.
Subcutaneous fat is right under your skin. It’s commonly found in the thighs, butt, and abdomen.
Visceral fat is the toxic fat found deep in the abdomen. It can access major organs in the body thus preventing highway flow of blood through the blood vessels thereby causing major damage. It affects the liver’s ability to manage cholesterol putting one at a risk of heart diseases. This is the major cause/source of tommy fat.
The bad habits we indulge in that causes tommy fat is
- Eating late into the late
- Smoking
- Constant Fatty Food Intake
- Drinking Alcohol
- Excess Intake of Sugar
Eating Late into the Night slows down your body metabolism. Research shows that the earlier you eat before going to bed the quicker it takes the food to digest. The later you eat, the more calories you’re likely to eat, tending to store up as fat in your belly. The less sleep you’ll get. Less sleep equals a slower metabolism, and that means weight gain/ belly fat.
Smoking; Nicotine in cigarettes prevents fat-burning in the abdomen. Thereby putting smokers at a higher possibility of having more visceral fat than non-smokers.
Constant fatty food intake causes clogging fats which are more likely to go straight to your belly. One theory is that the body doesn’t know what to do with this excess fat, and the abdomen is a quick place to store it. These fats interferes with the insulin’s purpose of fat distribution throughout the body. Instead it stores in the abdomen.
Excess Intake of sugar and calories from drinks (alcohol) need to be avoided. Alcohol prevents fat-burning in the stomach. If you ensure moderation in sugar/drinks, the calories will burn off. But when you overdo it, they end up turning into fat in your abdomen. Research shows that. As a result, calories from alcohol are more likely to become part of your visceral fat layer, making the possibility of developing a beer (or margarita or wine) gut all too real.
Now, to get rid of the excess belly fat
- Begin to eat healthy
- Regular exercises
- Ensure adequate sleep and rest
- Adore your body
- Stay away from sweetened drinks, alcohol and sugar
- Reduce your carbs intake
Healthy Eating
Losing the belly fat is a gradual process. Cut down on your excess fat intake. The key is to get about 30 percent of your daily calories from fat. Women who ate a diet rich in healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocados, and nuts, slashed their risk of heart disease.
Also, watch your intake of some Nigerian meals especially the swallows. Eating meals like Eba, Fufu and Pounded yam constantly/ late into the night causes belly fat. Cutting down on some of these meal will reduce the tommy fat in no time.
Exercise All The Way
Regular heart-pumping exercise is one of the most effective ways to get fat off belly fat. Diet in itself is good. It will reduce your weight, but exercise helps give your body a unique shape Exercise keeps eliminate belly fat faster. Aerobic exercises in particular like walking, running, swimming, etc. cause major reductions in belly fat. Dedication to the exercise will ensure a rapid reduction in belly fat. This will help with a daily routine work out on getting rid of the excess fat.
Adequate Sleep and Rest
It has been observed that lack of sleep can make you hungrier, it kicks in the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. These hormones make you crave sweet, salty snacks, thereby increasing the stress hormone cortisol, which may be associated with abdominal fat.
Adore your body
Don’t be laid back and hopeless. Get rid of depression. Depression is an excuse to allow yourself misbehave and do anyhow. It is a ticket to allow anything. Consciously get out of the phase of feeling depressed about your body. No one will love you more than you love yourself. Love and appreciate yourself. Give yourself the best care and pampering it deserves. Women who feel bad about their weight and themselves are more likely to give up on their diet goals and eat too much. Do good things for yourself. Make yourself happy.
You could:
- Take a walk.
- Visit the spa: get a massage. Before you know it, that extra belly flab will be a forgotten issue.
Anything above 40 inches (102 cm) in men and 35 inches (88 cm) in women, is known as
Stay Away From Sweetened Drinks, Alcohol and Sugar
Sweetened drinks, alcohol and sugar have uniquely harmful effects on metabolic health. Alcohol contains excess added sugar. Sugar is half glucose, half fructose, and fructose can only be metabolized by the liver in any significant amount. When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose, and is forced to turn it all into fat. This can lead to increased accumulation of fat in the belly.
Make a decision to minimize the amount of sugar in your diet.
Instead eat whole fruit, the amount of fructose you get from fruit is preferred to what you get from a diet high in refined sugar.
Reduce Carbs in Your Diet
Reduction in carbs (carbohydrates) is a very effective way to lose belly fat. When people cut carbs, their appetite go down and they lose weight. Go on a low carbs diet. Studies have shown that low-carb diets are particularly effective at getting rid of the fat in the belly.
When you follow these steps and quit smoking as well, you would see a remarkable difference in the belly fat. If you have worked or currently working on your belly fat, kindly share some tips that have helped you thus far in the comment section.
Leave a Reply