• There are no magic solutions to burning belly fat.

In short

• Sleep right
• Eat right
• Exercise right
• De-stress – aka think right, feel right
• Hormonally – Decrease Cortisol and Insulin 

Sleep right

Get plenty of restful sleep

• Sleep is important for many aspects of your health, including weight.
• Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to gain more weight, which may include belly fat
• A 16-year study involving more than 68,000 women found that those who slept less than 5 hours per night were significantly more likely to gain belly fat than those who slept 7 hours or more per night
• Sleep apnoea, where breathing stops intermittently during the night, has also been linked to excess visceral fat
• Make sure you’re getting sufficient quality sleep ideally from 9.30/10pm

 Eat Right

Avoid foods that contain trans-fats

• Trans fats are created by pumping hydrogen into unsaturated fats, such as soybean oil.
• They’re found in some margarines and spreads and also often added to packaged foods, but many food producers have stopped using them.
• These fats have been linked to inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal fat gain in observational and animal studies
• A 6-year study found that monkeys who ate a high trans-fat diet gained 33% more abdominal fat than those eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat
• To help reduce belly fat and protect your health, read ingredient labels carefully and stay away from products that contain trans fats – often listed as partially hydrogenated fats.

Avoid excess alcohol

• Research suggests that too much alcohol can also make you gain belly fat.
• Observational studies link heavy alcohol consumption to a significantly increased risk of developing central obesity — that is, excess fat storage around the waist
• Cutting back on alcohol may help reduce your waist size.
• You don’t need to give it up altogether, but limiting the amount you drink in a single day can help.
• One study on alcohol use involved more than 2,000 people. Results showed those who drank alcohol daily but averaged less than one drink per day had less belly fat than those who drank less frequently but consumed more alcohol on the days they drank

Don’t Blame Beer

• Beer often takes the rap for a tubby tummy — hence the term “beer belly.”
• Studies suggest it’s a bit more complicated than that, though.
• The foamy stuff has plenty of calories.
• So it might make you gain weight.
• But it doesn’t necessarily make the fat settle around your middle.
• A more likely culprit?
• Sodas and other sweetened drinks.
• Some research has suggested that sugar can boost belly fat.

Avoid sugary foods

• Observational studies show a relationship between high sugar intake and increased abdominal fat
• Limit your intake of candy and processed foods high in added sugar.

Cut back on carbs — especially refined carbs

• Reducing your carb intake can be very beneficial for losing fat, including abdominal fat.
• Diets with under 50 grams of carbs per day cause belly fat loss in people who are overweight, those at risk for type 2 diabetes, and women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Some research suggests that simply replacing refined carbs with unprocessed starchy carbs may improve metabolic health and reduce belly fat
• In the famous Framingham Heart Study, people with the highest consumption of whole grains were 17% less likely to have excess abdominal fat than those who consumed diets high in refined grains

Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages

• Sugar-sweetened beverages are loaded with liquid fructose, which can make you gain belly fat.
• Studies show that sugary drinks lead to increased fat in the liver.
• One 10-week study found significant abdominal fat gain in people who consumed high fructose beverages
• Sugary beverages appear to be even worse than high sugar foods.
• To lose belly fat completely avoid sugar-sweetened beverages such as:

– Soda

– Punch

– sweet tea

– alcoholic mixers containing sugar

Avoid fruit juices

• Although fruit juice provides vitamins and minerals, it’s just as high in sugar as soda and other sweetened beverages.
• Drinking large amounts may carry the same risk for abdominal fat gain
• An 8-ounce (240-mL) serving of unsweetened apple juice contains 24 grams of sugar,
• Replace fruit juice with water, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling water with a wedge of lemon or lime

Increase Protein Intake

• Protein is an extremely important nutrient for weight management.
• High protein intake increases the release of the fullness hormone PYY, which decreases appetite and promotes fullness.
• Protein also raises your metabolic rate and helps you to retain muscle mass during weight loss
• Many observational studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who eat a lower protein diet
• Be sure to include a good protein source at every meal, such as:

– Meat

– Fish

– Eggs

– Dairy

– Whey protein

• BTW animal protein is superior to plant protein

– Easier to digest

– Has all essential amino acids

– Has no anti-nutrients (if the animal is grass fed and raised)

Eat more Omega 3 fats aka fish oils

• Omega 3 fats are incredibly healthy.
• Reduce inflammation
• Some evidence suggests that these Omega-3 fats may also help reduce visceral fat.
• Studies in adults and children with fatty liver disease show that Omega 3 oil supplements can significantly reduce liver and abdominal fat. BUY YOURS HERE
• Omega 3 fats in fish

– Salmon

– Herring

– Sardines

– Mackerel

– Anchovies

Add apple cider vinegar to your diet

• Drinking apple cider vinegar has impressive health benefits, including lowering blood sugar levels
• It contains acetic acid, which has been shown to reduce abdominal fat storage in several animal studies
• In a 12-week controlled study in men diagnosed with obesity, those who took 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of apple cider vinegar per day lost half an inch (1.4 cm) from their waists
• Dilute it with water, as undiluted vinegar can erode the enamel on your teeth.
• BUY YOUR HERE

Eat probiotic foods or take a probiotic supplement

• Probiotics are bacteria found in some foods and supplements.
• They have many health benefits, including helping improve gut health and enhancing immune function
• Researchers have found that different types of bacteria play a role in weight regulation and that having the right balance can help with weight loss, including loss of belly fat.
• Those shown to reduce belly fat include members of the Lactobacillus family
• Probiotic supplements typically contain several types of bacteria, so make sure you purchase one that provides Lactobacillus family
• BUY YOURS HERE 

Intermittent fasting

• An eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting
• Studies suggest that it may be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and belly fat.
• One popular method involves 24-hour fasts once or twice a week.
• Another consists of fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food within an 8-hour period.
• In a review of studies on intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting, people experienced a 4–7% decrease in abdominal fat within 6–24 weeks.
• There’s some evidence that intermittent fasting, and fasting in general, may not be as beneficial for women as for men.

Drink green tea

• Green tea is an exceptionally healthy beverage.
• It contains caffeine and the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG),
• Both boost metabolism
• EGCG is a catechin, which several studies suggest may help you lose belly fat especially when green tea consumption is combined with exercise
• Just don’t load it up with honey or sugar.

Exercise Right

Exercise

• Exercise is an excellent way to reduce visceral fat.
• Include both cardiovascular exercise to raise heart rate, and strength training, to improve muscle mass which is energy hungry.
• One study involving teenagers with overweight showed that a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in visceral fat
• Cardio exercise 30- 60 minutes such as:

– Powerwalking

– Running

– Cycling

– Swimming

– Aerobics

– Circuit training

• Strength training such as H:I:R:T:

– Squats

– Weights

– Push-ups

Fidgeting Counts

• Talk with your hands
• Tap your feet to tunes
• Be hyper
• Fidgeting might not be “exercise,” and it won’t build muscle or stamina. But it counts as activity, and it burns calories.
• So the next time someone says you fidget too much, you can say you’re burning belly fat.

Track your food intake and exercise

• Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker or app can help you monitor your intake of carbs, proteins and fats and fibre
• Combine this with your exercise and physical activity.

 De-stress

Reduce your stress levels

• Stress can make you gain belly fat by triggering the adrenal glands to produce more Cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone.
• Research shows that high Cortisol levels increase appetite and drive abdominal fat storage
• What’s more, women who already have a large waist tend to produce more Cortisol in response to stress.
• Increased Cortisol further adds to fat gain around the middle
• To help reduce belly fat, engage in pleasurable activities that relieve stress.
• Practicing yoga or meditation can be effective methods
• How much energy are you using on negative destructive limiting thoughts? – just remember they are increasing Cortisol production and storing fat on your tummy

Decrease Cortisol and Insulin

Cortisol

• Understand why Cortisol is being over produced – is it blood sugar levels to cope with stress, is it chronic inflammation
• Respect Cortisol’s natural production cycle

– 6am – 6pm activity and food

– 6pm – 6am rest and fasting

• Keep blood sugar stabile – low blood sugar triggers Cortisol production
• Measure inflammation – CRP, Omega 3 : 6 ratio, etc
• Reduce inflammation – remove Omega 6 fats – seed oils and margarines (all processed foods)
• Increase Omega 3 – fish oils

Insulin

• Understand why Insulin is being over produced – is it high blood sugar levels, is it Insulin resistance
• Increase muscle mass
• Intermittent fasting
• Improve gut health.