Via Stylecraze
Ask a woman struggling to lose weight, where does she want the weight to come off first, and I can promise you that she is more than like to say the tummy! This is especially true if you are talking to a woman who has had a baby. For most of us, a flat tummy makes us look slimmer, more proportionate, taller and ultimately more attractive. And the clothes fit better too!
As we grow older, our metabolism dips and more fat begins to accumulate around our waistline, giving us that ‘spare tyre’! But getting rid of belly fat is not just about appearances. Studies say that people with a large midriff are 2.75 times more likely to die of heart disease, even if they are within a healthy weight range. The fat stored in your belly region is more dangerous than the fat stored in the rest of your body. It increases bad LDL cholesterol, messes with your blood sugar, increases your blood pressure and your risk of having a heart attack. In short, having that spare tyre is more dangerous than simply being overweight!
Now that we know how important it is to get rid of belly fat, let us see how it gets there in the first place. Men have a tendency to hold excess fat in their bellies, though women are more prone to store it in their hips and thighs – a protection offered by hormones. However, menopause removes this protection, making women equally vulnerable. An apple shaped woman will also have this vulnerability, mainly due to her genes. Other reasons include more calorie intake, mainly from processed food, alcohol and trans fats as well as bloating due to gassy foods.
Here are some diet guidelines that can greatly help in preventing and reducing tummy bulge.
Flat Abs Diet Tips:
1. Avoid Processed Foods and Added Sugar:
Choose whole fruits over juices, fresh over canned, water over soft drinks. Avoid bakery staples like cakes and cookies. Canned and packaged foods contain a lot of sodium and very less fiber and nutrients. Excess sodium retains more water, puffing up your belly. Stay away from sugar substitutes as well; they are only partially digested by your body.
2. Control Alcohol Intake:
Alcohol makes your body burn 36% less fat than it normally would, thus hurting your metabolism further. When you drink, the liver works overtime to burn alcohol instead of fat, giving rise to terms like ‘Beer Belly’ or ‘Beer Gut’. Also, one tends to underestimate the calories in alcohol, making it easy to overdo.
3. Go for Abs-friendly Food:
Abs-friendly foods deal with the causes of belly fat, like balancing your gut bacteria, reducing gas, preventing constipation and containing healthy fats. Whole grains, lean protein, eggs, leafy vegetables, almonds, yogurt and green tea are toppers in this list. Get your dose of Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish or capsules. Green tea contains catechins which are antioxidants that claim to reduce belly fat.
4. Eat at the Right Time:
The trick is to never stuff your tummy, or to starve. Eat something within half an hour of waking up and then a breakfast full of wholegrain and protein. Go for a filling lunch and a light dinner at least three hours before bedtime. Eat two snacks – one mid morning and one at tea time. Small, balanced meals do not lead to tummy bulge and keep your metabolism up and running. Best part is that your body never goes into starvation mode, which is when it feels the need to store everything as fat.
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