Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Exercise to burn belly fat
• Part 2 of 3: Change your diet
• Part 3 of 3: Change your lifestyle

Belly fat is one of the biggest problems for dieters and fitness enthusiasts. Unfortunately, there is no magical treatment that results in a flatter stomach, and some people are simply more prone to a rounder waist. Your genes can cause your body to tend towards a rounder stomach due to the shape of your internal organs or the way your body stores fat. However, if you want to grow a flat stomach, there are steps you can take. You need to focus on nutrition and weight loss to reduce your overall fat percentage, resulting in a flatter and firmer belly.

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Part 1 of 3: Exercise to burn belly fat

1. Concentrate on your whole body. Local fat burning is a diet myth. Strengthening certain areas, such as the arms and stomach, can give them a slimmer and thinner appearance, but if you want to get rid of fat, you will have to focus on your entire body.
   • Losing weight and keeping the excess weight from returning involves a controlled calorie diet and 60 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, a day. Belly fat is usually the first thing to go when you're trying to lose weight, and regular high-intensity aerobic exercise often leads to a slimmer waistline.
   • Circuit training is another great exercise for fighting belly fat by reducing fat in your entire body. Circuit workouts can be found online or you can sign up for classes at your gym. Workouts are divided into circuits that combine cardio exercises. Circuits are done one after the other, without breaks. A good circuit routine increases heart rate and strengthens various muscles, shifting focus to the whole body, not just the abdominal region.
2. Work on your core muscles. To shape your abs, you need to target your core muscles by doing abdominal exercises. This does not help to lose fat, but can give an already slim stomach a more muscular, and therefore flatter, appearance. It can also increase the effectiveness of your current workouts, helping you burn more calories during your regular routines.
   • The crunch is a classic abdominal exercise. Lie on your back and place your feet against a wall so that they form a 90 degree angle. Cross your arms in front of your chest, lift your head and bring your shoulders forward, and take three breaths before lying down again. Repeat.
   • The plank is another popular core exercise. Lie in the push-up position with your hands under your shoulders. Stretch your legs back and place your feet next to each other. Instead of lowering yourself for a push-up, hold this pose for as long as you can. Challenge yourself to keep this up longer and longer.
   • Exercise routines such as pilates and yoga mainly focus on the core muscles. You can register for classes or look for training online. Many enthusiasts and YouTube vloggers post easy-to-follow pilates and yoga routines, which can be done from home with just a mat and regular sportswear.
3. Do side bends. Although local fat burning is impossible, there are exercises that mainly focus on the abdominal environment. Side bends can increase the blood flow to the abdomen, and with it the oxygen supply, which helps with muscle development and a tighter abdomen. It can also help strengthen the whole body, resulting in more efficient workouts and less muscle soreness.
   • Bend to one side while holding the opposite arm above your head, then bend to the other side lifting the other arm. Do this 10 stretches in a row on both sides of your body. Many people do this exercise with weights, but this is bad for your muscles and can also result in a thicker waist as a result of excess muscle growth.
   • When trying to narrow your waist, focus on exercises that involve twisting and rotating your waist so that your waist doesn't get thicker.

Part 2 of 3: Change your diet

1. Limit the use of salt. Salt can negatively affect your weight loss efforts, which can torpedo your ability to lose troublesome belly fat. Especially in the short term, this is a quick way to limit bloating and get a flatter stomach.
   • Abdominal bloating is often the result of excess fluid. Water retention in the body is related to heavy sodium intake.
   • Reduce sodium intake. Read food labels to find out how much sodium is in the products you use. Be careful though, as labels can be misleading. Sometimes a bag of chips doesn't seem that unhealthy until you realize that the nutritional information is "per serving" and there are 2.5 servings in a bag. Be realistic about how much of a product you expect to eat and calculate how much sodium is in it.
   • Avoid processed foods and do not add too much salt during meals.Be careful with canned vegetables and soy sauces, as they can contain a lot of salt.
2. Eat more whole grains. Processed or refined grains, such as those in white rice and bread, contain empty calories that can affect hormone levels in the body and cause overproduction of fat. If possible, swap refined grains for whole grains, for a potentially flatter stomach.
   • Whole grains are a group of foods that contain all the natural nutrients of the whole grain in the original ratio. Processed grains are grains that have been crushed, rolled, ground, cooked, or otherwise processed resulting in less nutritional value. Whole grain products, such as whole wheat bread and brown rice, are of a certain type. Other whole grains are barley, buckwheat, oats and quinoa.
   • Refined grains activate a process in the body that causes blood sugar levels to rise and insulin spikes. When this happens, the body will start to store fat more quickly, usually around the abdomen.
   • Whole grain, high fiber foods help regulate insulin levels in the body. This lowers total blood sugar, which results in a reduction in fat stores.
   • Opt for whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal and whole grain tortillas instead of refined options. However, always read food labels. Products referred to as "whole grain" are often secretly made with mostly refined wheat and only a small amount of whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour should do it first item on a product's ingredient list, if it is truly whole grain. Bread made in the supermarket bakery and not sourced elsewhere is more likely to be true whole grain.
3. Get healthy food at home. Whole wheat is just the beginning. For a flat, toned stomach, most of your calories should come from a healthy diet.
   • Dump sugary and processed foods. Potatoes, chips, TV meals and fast food should be eliminated from your diet.
   • Beans and other legumes are high-quality carbohydrates, packed with protein. Beans will make you feel fuller faster and help you burn fat after a workout. Try to alternate meats such as chicken and beef with black, pinto, or kidney beans a few meals a week.
   • Berries such as blueberries and strawberries are low in calories and are a good source of essential vitamins that can keep your body healthy. If you need a snack, keep a bowl of berries in your fridge, preferring that to pretzels or candy.
   • Nuts are full of fat that is healthy for the heart and filling enough to reduce cravings. However, be careful - while healthy, nuts are also high in calories and you can easily accidentally eat too much of them, eventually causing you to gain weight.

Part 3 of 3: Change your lifestyle

1. Drink less alcohol. Alcohol is a bad idea for anyone looking to lose belly fat for a variety of reasons.
   • Heavy drinkers tend to develop a "beer belly". This is because estrogen enters the bloodstream through alcohol, making you more likely to retain fat and make it more likely that you will gain weight.
   • Alcohol also increases appetite while decreasing inhibitions and self-control at the same time. Drinking bouts often end in late-night snacks or junk food. The calories from alcohol combined with the calories from the excess food results in a massive calorie intake in a single night.
2. Drink more water. Drinking water throughout the day has a positive effect on your weight loss. Getting plenty of moisture can help you stay slimmer in the end.
   • Several studies have found a correlation between water and weight loss. While the scientists aren't sure why water aids weight loss, water is suspected to help fill your stomach. This makes you feel full and you will not eat too much.
   • Try to drink two glasses of water (250 ml each) 30 minutes before each meal and two more glasses during the day. Drinking before a meal fills the stomach, which results in you eating less during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. Look for ways to avoid stress-related weight gain. Stress contributes to weight gain in several ways. When we are stressed, we often eat less food and exercise less, and certain hormones are released that contribute to fat storage in the body. Finding ways to deal with stress can help ward off unwanted weight gain from stress.
   • Ask yourself why you start eating something every time you prepare a meal. Do you eat because you are really hungry or because you have to think about something? In the latter case, there are more effective ways of dealing with the issue than eating.
   • Keep the typical comfort food away from your home and office. If you have less access to the foods you consume during stress, that temptation is easier to avoid.
   • Find a distraction if you feel like eating from the stress. Puzzles, games and reading can be an alternative to eating. You can even use light exercise, such as a short walk, as a means of coping with the stress, instead of eating.
   • Do relaxation exercises, such as yoga, deep breathing, stretching, and meditation. Find an approach against the stress that works and use it as soon as you find yourself feeling tense.