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You’ve just taken another good look in the mirror and you sigh – you wish your belly were tight, flat and muscular as it used to be years ago, but the harsh reality says something else. You don’t like the sight of it and you’ve made a few serious attempts to do something about the problem, but it seems downright impossible to get rid of that bulky stomach which simply refuses to disappear. Before you cover it up with layers of clothing and forget about it till your next reality check in the shower, let’s see what can be done about it and what is the best way to lose belly fat for men!
Why is it Good for You to Lose Belly Fat?
It’s not all about the appearance, your health can be at stake as well. If your waist circumference isn’t within the suggested range, your risks of suffering from a number of chronic diseases goes up – there will be higher chances to get diabetes and heart disorders, develop disrupted sleep patterns or even certain types of intestinal cancers. The good news are that once you begin losing belly fat, your risks will immediately start getting lower and you’ll experience increased strength and vitality. It will be easier to walk, run, bend or jump and you’ll love the sense of freedom coming from increased flexibility and improved stamina. You’ll look younger and feel younger – is there a better motivation to start losing belly fat right now?
Change Your Diet: Eat More Protein and Less Carbs to Lose Belly Fat
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If your diet is heavily based on carbohydrates, it is very likely that you’re ingesting more calories than you need. Increased calorie intake coupled with sedentary lifestyle and eating mainly in the evenings in front of the TV set before going to bed almost always make your body store excess food as fat around your waist. The first thing you need to do is to decrease the amount of carbohydrates in your meals and substitute them with protein, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and quality oils, such as extra virgin olive oil. Also, when choosing your carbs, try to go for whole grains such as whole wheat and brown rice as much as possible. If in doubt how much protein to consume to substitute the decreased carbs, take into account that your meals should consist of 20-25% of good quality protein if your goal is to lose fat. Simply speaking, if you’re ingesting 1,500 calories a day, you’ll need to get somewhere between 75 and 95 gr of protein from eggs, low fat chicken, turkey meat, lean beef, fish and seafood.
Lower Your Calorie Intake and Consume Less Sugar
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The only proven way to lose weight and make sure that what goes away first is fat is to reduce the number of ingested calories while at the same time paying attention that you stay hydrated and that you supply your muscles with protein, because we want to get rid of fat deposits and keep your muscles intact. If you’re already having balanced meals, the only thing you need to do is to reduce the size of your portions and increase your daily activity level. If your diet is rich in carbs and unhealthy fats, you’ll need to gravitate towards higher intake of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein at the expense of some of the usual carbs and fats. Daily consumption needs vary from person to person and they depend on many factors such as age, physical activity, build and possible presence of certain diseases, but in general men need to reduce their calorie intake by at least 500 calories to expect to lose a pound or two in one week. It is not wise to go faster than this – it took time for that belly to grow, so arm yourself with patience while doing your best to shrink your waist.
It would be good to consume as little sugar as possible – it not only contributes to the appearance of belly fat but it also elevates blood sugar levels and increases the risk of developing diabetes. Try eating fruits whenever you crave something sweet or limit the consumption of your dearest sweets to small or only occasional servings.
Say No to Alcohol if Looking for the Best Way to Lose Belly Fat
You’ve surely heard the expression “beer belly“, but unfortunately beer is not the only culprit. All types of alcohol contribute to the development and maintenance of stomach fat in men – the secret lies in the quantity of alcohol you like to indulge in, as there are 7 calories per gram of alcohol, which is second only to fat that has 9 calories per gram. Moderate intake of beer and other drinks won’t round your belly, but you shouldn’t go for more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day if you want to achieve good results. However, true excellence comes only with true sacrifices – for the best possible outcome, forget about alcohol for good.
Exercise Every Day to Lose Belly Fat
It is very beneficial for your overall health to rise your levels of physical activity and sports will surely contribute to losing belly fat if practiced on a daily basis. Running, hiking and moderate aerobic exercising will help you burn calories efficiently, while weight lighting can help you build more muscle mass and influence the reduction of fat around your waist. On the other hand, abdominal workouts are great for toning your stomach muscles, but our focus here is primarily on losing excess fat – first reduce the size of your food portions and then turn to toning for the finishing touch.
Learn How to Control Stress and Keep Belly Fat Under Control
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Everybody’s talking about stress and we would all love to banish it from our lives, but unfortunately it seems next to impossible. Bad news here is certainly the fact that constant stress contributes to the release of cortisol, responsible for hunger attacks and storing fat exactly in the area around midsection. The only thing we can do is to try to eliminate the stressors that we can do without and make peace with those we have to put up with. We can’t change the world, but we can make an effort to modify our behavior and reactions in stressful situations. If you manage to learn how to put your life and personal well-being in front of less important stress inducing factors, you’ll improve your health in general as well as your appearance.
Keep track of your success as you work on losing belly fat – it will keep you motivated and get going! Be sure to come back and tell us the results!
Do you know how many calories it took you to develop a pound of fat? Check this out: Have You Counted Calories in a Pound of Fat?
