You'll love these simple but effective tips.
Trimming our tummies is normally easier said than done. And if the thought of doing endless stomach crunches and ditching your favourite foods doesn’t appeal, then these top tips on how to lose belly fat could be the answer to your fitness prayers.
Just a few small adjustments to your daily routine could equal big results when it comes to your tum. A quick overhaul of your fridge here. And a firming product there could help to give you that washboard stomach in next to no time.
And with party season approaching, our fail-safe how to lose belly flat plan could mean that, that LBD bodycon is back on the menu. Hooray! So what are you waiting for?
With more than 20 tips to scroll through, there’s something to suit everyone. And every step you take will get you closer to that flat stomach dream. And once you’ve achieved your goal, you’ll have the perfect excuse to head out and buy a whole new wardrobe.
Belly fat banished
It’s surprisingly simple to get the outline you want and there’s no better time than the present to get to work. And if you’re feeling inspired by this, why not try?:
Swap dried fruit for fresh fruitI
“Dried fruit is often considered a healthy snack. However, it has got a very high level of sugar that has been concentrated during the drying process. Alternatively, try to eat fresh fruit that will fill you up quickly, so you eat less. Watermelon, strawberries and grapefruit contain about 90 percent of water and are great as a snack,” says Shona Wilkinson, Nutritionist at SuperfoodUK.com
Swap your latte for an americano
“Some lattes can have anywhere from 200-290 calories. By only having a small splash of milk in your Americano you could save huge calories, whilst not sacrificing too much flavour,” says Lily Soutter, Nutritionist and weight loss expert at lilysoutternutrition.com.
Laugh your way to a flat stomach
No matter how embarrassing, you can cackle your way to a toned tum! Every time you laugh you strengthen your abs. Think we’re having a laugh? Try out a Laughter Yoga retreat.
Get yourself hula hooping
Hula hooping with a weighted hoop is great for keeping your waist trim. Five minutes in the morning and five minutes before bed could see you lose up to two inches from your waistline in just one week. Tip: It helps with posture and strengthens your back!
Too busy to exercise?
You can speed up the fat busting process with Mama Mio’s Get Waisted Body Shaper, £35. Tip: Massaging the cream into your stomach for 30 seconds will boost the energy levels in your skin leaving you with a tight, toned tum.
Buy it here Mama Mio
Eat as little sugar as possible
It might be tough but grin and bare that porridge without sugar. Consuming little, if any, sugar will help to keep glucagon levels high. Glucagon is a fat zapping hormone, which converts fat to energy, preventing it from setting up camp on your waistline.
Say no to that glass of wine
Sorry ladies but alcohol is essentially liquid sugar. The chemical composition of alcohol and its process in the body increases the amount of cortisol, which in turn leads to the accumulation of belly fat. Tip: Alcohol often induces hunger so try detoxing for a week or two.
Belly busting blueberries!
Eating blueberries can help reduce belly fat. Tip: Try jazzing up your cereal with fresh blueberries in the morning.
The treadmill doesn’t always banish belly fat
When it comes to belly fat nothing beats aerobic exercise. Tip: Try 20 minutes of heart pounding interval training three times a week. It burns more stomach fat than longer and slower cardio sessions.
Swap your chair for a fitness ball
Tip: Balancing on a ball in front of your TV will help to strengthen your core. If you’re feeling more adventurous try kneeling down with your elbows on the ball and hands together. Roll forward and straighten your legs behind you. Slowly move the ball in small circles with your elbows without moving your body.
Swap your usual cuppa for green tea
Green tea contains antioxidants that help to reduce belly fat. Tip: To improve your workout sip on green tea beforehand.
Plump for pilates
Pilates is great for attacking those hard to reach stomach muscles. Tip: Lie on your back with your hands just below your navel. Exhale and let your stomach expand. Pull your belly button towards your spine while drawing your abdomen toward the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat 8 to 10 times.
Don’t stress!
Try to forget about those money worries, troublesome teens and the dreaded in-laws because anxiety produces extra cortisol that encourages fat storage. And unfortunately your mid section is four times more likely to store stress fat. Stress causes the body to start stocking fat in the gut. Tip: Try yoga, meditation or a massage to unwind. If you’re a stress eater, keep healthy snacks such as almonds on hand to prevent junk-food binging.
Sucking in your stomach
Not everyone has time for the gym so try sucking your belly button in as far as possible when you’re washing up or waiting for a bus. Keeping these muscles tense will help to tone your core and flatten that stomach.
Skipping meals makes it worse
Nibble on small portions throughout the day to keep your metabolism running, so your body won’t panic, go into starvation mode, and stop burning calories – which is what happens when you haven’t eaten in a while. Tip: Skipping meals is likely to make you overeat.
Sleep it off… zzz
A Lack of sleep increases your chances of gaining weight. When you’re tired, the hormones that stimulate appetite increase and the hormones that help you feel full drop. Tip: Aim for seven to eight hours a night.
I like to move it, move it!
We’re less physical than ever before so get down the gym or do an exercise class! Tip: To trim your tummy, walk around when you’re on the phone, tap your toes when you’re surfing the web and do squats when you’re brushing your teeth! Silly but useful!
Phone a friend
Tip: Enlist the aid of a workout or diet buddy, and you could lose inches together! You can inspire and motivate each other, and even have a little friendly competition!
Could it just be bloating?
If it is then there are loads of things you can do to get a slimmer waist, almost overnight. Tip: Swap fizzy drinks for still drinks, chew slowly and take pre and pro biotic supplements, which will increase your good gut bacteria and lessen the bloating.
Eat after exercising
The best time to eat a big meal is after exercising as your body goes into a recovery state meaning calories are more likely to be absorbed by muscle tissue than stored as fat.
