The good news is that belly fat is the first kind of fat you lose when you lose weight. Plus, when you lose weight you lose proportionately more from the belly than from anywhere else. The more weight you have to lose the more quickly you will lose your belly fat.
Dangers of Belly Fat
Our bodies contain different types of fat. Belly fat—also called abdominal fat or visceral fat–is packed in between the internal organs, deep in the body. Belly fat protects the organs; it is natural and essential to the body. It’s the excess belly fat that causes the belly to protrude. Plus, excess belly fat increases the risk for stroke, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory diseases, heart disease, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and premature death. Subcutaneous fat is another type of fat, found just under the skin. You may not like the way the fat looks on your hips and thighs, but it is not a health problem because subcutaneous fat does not contribute to obesity-related diseases.
We get excess belly fat from taking in more calories than we use up. Tummy fat is also related to age; it increases as we grow older. Muscle mass gradually diminishes as we age, leaving fat accounting for a greater percentage of our weight. Women may see an increase in their belly fat as they get older even if they do not gain weight, probably due to a decrease in the hormone estrogen. Genes also play a role in whether or not we carry extra weight around our abdomens.
You can find out if you have too much belly fat by measuring your waist. A waist size over 40 inches for men and over 35 inches for women is considered unhealthy. Here’s how to measure:
1. Wrap a soft tape measure around your bare stomach, just above your hipbone. Don’t suck in your belly or hold your breath.
2. Pull the tape measure snugly around your middle without pushing it into your skin. Make sure it’s level all the way around your waist.
3. Exhale and measure your waist.
What to Do About Excess Belly Fat
If you want to know how to lose belly fat fast, here’s how: start by losing weight. You cannot exercise away excess belly fat. If you need to lose weight, no amount of crunches or sit-ups will give you six-pack abs. Once you lose that extra fat, exercise can strengthen your abdominal muscles and make you look thinner and tighter. Cardio (or aerobic) exercise is part of a weight loss plan; it helps you lose weight, after which you can tone and strengthen.
For losing weight experts recommend a low calorie diet that is rich in whole grains and includes five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, three of low-fat dairy, and two of lean meat, fish or poultry. A diet that is full of whole grains and low in refined carbohydrates changes the body’s insulin response, making it easier to mobilize excess fat. Most people can lose one pound a week by taking in 500 fewer calories a day than they normally do. You should not reduce your calorie intake by more than 500 calories a day or reduce it below 1100 calories a day without first consulting a doctor. Very low calorie diets can have serious health consequences and require medical supervision.
Losing Belly Fat = Losing Weight
A program for losing belly fat is the same as a program for losing weight:
Eat healthy food. Make most of your plate fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. For protein, choose lean meats and white meat poultry, fish, beans, and low-fat dairy products. Add fiber, which you can do by eating the peels or skins of fruits (e.g., apples and pears) and vegetables (e.g., potatoes). Split-pea soup is a low-calorie food that is high in both protein and fiber.
Eat smaller meals. Calories add up, even when you eat healthy foods. When you eat in a restaurant, bring a take out container with you and put half your meal in it before you start to eat. Or, share a meal with a dining friend.
Control the fat you take in. We all need fat in our diets, but some fat is better than others. More monounsaturated fat and less saturated fat appears to prevent belly fat from accumulating in our bodies. Avocadoes, nuts, seeds, soybeans, and chocolate are some of the foods that are high in the good kind of fat. Trans fats, the fat from food made with hydrogenated oils–food like margarine, crackers, and cookies–seem to add to belly fat.
Exercise daily. The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a minimum of 150 minutes a week (30 minutes a day, five days a week) of moderate aerobic activity (for example, walking briskly) or at least 75 minutes a week of more vigorous aerobic activity such as jogging. While aerobic activity is the primary exercise for weight loss, aerobics plus strength or resistance training (exercise machines, free weights, resistance bands) works better than aerobics alone. You will lose more weight in less time if you exercise more.
Belly fat is natural; we need it to protect our internal organs. Too much belly fat is the problem, both for the way we look and for our health. In learning how to lose belly fat fast remember that you must lose weight in order to lose belly fat. Only after you have reduced the amount of fat around your abdomen will you be able to strengthen and tone your abdominal muscles.