Jelly Belly Be Gone

Exercise is only half of the equation; what you eat is the other half. Your attitude towards food can either make or break your weight loss regime. Follow these simple rules to lose unwanted fat.

The Way to Eat

Eat Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs for short) come from the healthy oils found in plant foods such as olives, nuts, and avocado. Include a MUFA at every meal. Incorporate a serving of one MUFA-rich food every time you eat.

Have a clear calorie goal. Consume four 400-calorie meals a day. Significant weight loss requires calorie control. For the average woman, 1,600 calories per day is ideal because it’s low enough to create weight loss while maintaining energy and preserving calorie-burning muscle.

The Way to Think

Manage stress. This emotion causes a spike in the hunger-stimulating hormone cortisol, sending you straight for the sweets. And when cortisol is high, extra calories are deposited directly as belly fat.

Ask for help. Among people who have permanent weight loss, 70% reported having strong social support, compared with only 38% of those who lost and regained weight. Recruit others to join you (or encourage you), or sign up for an online support group.

Beat emotional eating -keep a food diary, but don’t just record what and how much you eat. Journaling about your feelings can help you identify what triggers you to eat and why, so you can break unhealthy habits for good.

Congrats!  You’ve finally lost belly fat and you don’t want to see it come back. With these 10 tricks you’ll be able to maintain your weight with ease.

1. Build more lean muscle. If you don’t yet train with weights, add this type of exercise to your overall program now. If you do, increase the amount of weight you’re working with to keep yourself challenged.

2. Fight off hunger with more filling foods. Those who avoided weight gain the best were the ones whose meals kept them feeling full. Keeping that feeling of fullness can be done with foods high in fiber — think fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

3. Avoid temptation. This doesn’t mean never indulging in a gooey dessert again, but rather picking — and limiting — your moments.

4. Count calories. Use your calculator to keep a running total throughout the day if you have to. Maintaining weight loss is hard; so it’s okay to be as careful as you were during the weight- loss phase of your diet.

5. Plan your meals in advance. A maintenance diet has a lot of the same components as a weight-loss diet. Having a meal-by-meal plan that you can stick to, although it has more calories than your diet plan did, can act as a guide to keep you on track.

6. Consider adding minutes to your exercise plan. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week, however, you should aim for 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity every day.

7. Measure your portions. This doesn’t mean you have to carry a food scale everywhere you go, but using it as often as possible at home will teach you how to eyeball portion sizes at restaurants.

8. Weigh yourself daily. Daily weigh-ins, which can be discouraging when you’re on a diet, can be a boon during maintenance; they let you see, and stop, any slow creep upward as soon as it happens.

9. Include dairy in your diet. By consuming three or more servings of low-fat dairy daily, you are more likely to keep off the weight.

10. Let your plate be your guide. Simply put, when you serve yourself using this method, at least half your plate should be vegetables and the remaining space should be divided evenly between lean protein and whole grains.

For most people the jelly-belly is a troublesome area. Fat deposits there and without serious effort on your part it will stay there and anyone who has spent months on end doing sit ups and only sit ups to lose the belly fat will tell you that sit ups alone are not the answer. The key to busting the belly is to lose the layers of fat that are covering up your abdominal muscles and then work the entire core area, which includes your back and your upper, lower and transverse abdominis.

Pilates, planks and working with an exercise ball are all great ways to whittle your core and there are several machines in the gym that can help you slenderize your middle. Be sure to practice proper form, since improper form can lead to back injury and soreness.

The other key to great abs is losing the fat that is covering the abs you already have. Studies have shown that a lack of vitamin B12, which is necessary for breaking down fat, can lead to fat around the waistline. A great source of B12 is in nearly every kitchen in America; the incredible, edible egg.  So instead of reaching for a bagel, try whipping up a quick omelet with peppers, onions and garlic. Then put a few of these slow metabolizing fruits on the side; apples, cranberries, grapefruit, mango, oranges, pineapple, raspberries or strawberries. Ingesting low fat dairy can also help you to lose stomach fat, so have a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt with your eggs.

Now that is a breakfast fit for a queen or king.

Belly fat is too easy to gain and too difficult to lose. Every extra calorie you eat seems to go straight to your abdomen. You can really gain fat if you are eating snacks throughout the day. If you can control your snacking, you will be better able to lose belly fat. Here are three ways you can beat your urge to snack and get back your trim waistline.

#1 Power Nap Instead of Snack - Knowing how to lose belly fat for women and men does not necessarily mean that you must spend all of your time exercising. Taking a break, especially a nap, can actually help you stay on track for losing weight.  It is very natural for you to crave snacks in the afternoon, often in an attempt to stay alert because your body goes into a “shut down” mode after you eat lunch. Instead of eating that calorie rich snack to stay awake, get the rest your body is asking for by taking a nap.

#2 Would You Chose an Apple? -  At some point, everyone will feel the urge to snack. When this happens, determining if you are truly hungry or simply craving a snack you do not need will help you stay in control. If you really are hungry, then you should eat. Not eating is never the smart way to lose weight and it can make your body begin storing abdominal fat. If you are really hungry, try eating an apple.

#3 Appease Your Craving - Another key to knowing how to lose belly fat for men and women is to not crave a special treat all day long. Extended craving can make you lose motivation. If you do finally give into your cravings you might tend to overeat and gain belly fat. If you give in later in the day, then you will not have enough time to burn off those extra calories. Instead, the best way to beat those cravings is to give into them first thing in the morning. Eating these calories early in the morning gives you a better opportunity to burn them off during the day.

Do you love a hearty fistful of peanuts, but avoid them for fear of gaining weight? Well, here’s some good news, nut-lovers: A study published in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who consume nuts twice per week not only avoided gaining stomach fat, they actually had less chance of becoming overweight or obese than those who avoided nuts entirely.

Nuts can help you control your body weight. Seriously. Nuts earned a reputation as a waistline expander during the low-fat crazes of the late ’70s and ’80s. Our fixation on the notion that “fat makes you fat” — which has since been disproven, as long as the right kinds of fats are consumed in reasonable amounts — meant low-fat foods ruled the day. Since nuts have some of the highest fat content of any food found in nature, they were to be avoided, or if eaten, only in the tiniest of portions and with a healthy dose of guilt.

While nuts are, indeed, high in total fat, the vast majority of the fats are of the unsaturated variety — that’s the stuff that keeps your arteries clean and your heart healthy. But beyond their fat composition, it seems that nuts have some relatively unique properties that can actually curb weight gain.

In fact, nuts contain compounds that are natural appetite suppressants, so even though you might consume extra calories, you make up for it by naturally eating a little less later on. They also might cause a slight increase in resting metabolic rate, though that is still a point of debate. Finally, the energy contained in nuts is actually not terribly accessible by the human body, so some of the extra calories are simply not used. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that nuts are not to blame when it comes to most people’s battle of the bulge.

The bottom line: Yes, nuts are theoretically “fattening” — they are high in fat and calories. But as long as you don’t turn your affection for a handful of nuts into a daily bucket, you can enjoy them as part of your regular diet.

Want a more creative way to perform your cardio activity rather than on a stationary bike? Try spinning! This could be one of the most grueling cardio classes that you can take if trying to lose stomach fat.

The class usually takes place in the cardio room of your favorite gym. Some have been clever enough to even hold the classes outdoors to incorporate a sense of city and trail riding. The bikes you will ride are specially designed to simulate an outdoor biking adventure by having easily changeable tension controls to simulate hill riding. Though you will be stationary, spinning burns up to 450 calories in 45 minutes! And what makes 45 minutes go faster but upbeat music and constant encouragement from your instructor.

The whole idea is to pretend you are riding outdoors, dealing with the normal challenges of hill riding without the danger of falling or being hit by a road-raged motorist. Not only does spinning burn lots of calories, it also tones the quadriceps muscles and the muscles of the hips as well. One major drawback of riding a bike outdoors is the tremendous amount of balance and coordination that is required. Not in a spinning class! Since the bike is stationary, all you have to do is concentrate on following the course described to you by your instructor. Increasing the tension knob simulates hills.

There is a myth which continues to circulate among those seeking to shed unwanted belly fat. The theory is that by skipping breakfast, you are reducing overall caloric intake and thus forcing your body to lose the fat. In theory this sounds great, but here are some important facts:

# The body is fasting overnight. Skipping breakfast deprives the body of essential nutrients which it needs to  kick-starts your metabolism, and gets your digestive system moving for the day ahead.

# Skipping breakfast has been shown to increase the likelihood of bad food choices later on in the day - high saturated fat/sugar, high calorie - as these are usually the most convenient and tempting choices to satisfy your hunger. Excess consumption of these foods can lead to further weight gain, and often long-term health issues.

# The body requires a certain amount of calories every day just to keep its basic operations in check - organ function, breathing etc. Missing out on breakfast doesn’t remove the fact that your body needs a certain amount of calories to function, so you may end up cramming large amounts of food into one or two meals later on to make up for missing breakfast. This slows your digestive and metabolic rate, thus reducing your potential for weight loss (fat burning).

Important to remember: Never exercise on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. For those attempting to lose stomach fat, this is counter-productive - more lean muscle mass equals more fat burning potential (quicker metabolism)!

In today’s world, nothing says “fit” like well-defined six pack abs. Combined with pecs and biceps, these three muscle groups—sometimes known as “vanity muscles”—are seen as the pinnacle of male fitness. For women, a flat, chiseled stomach gives her a great figure that flatters anything she wears.

Unfortunately, the abdominal area seems to be the hardest area to develop. “How long will it take before I can see my abs?” and “When will my stomach get smaller?” are the most common questions asked.

Here are four ways to flatten your stomach.

Cardio: Try to get in at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise daily. Burning calories equals fat loss and fat loss equals visible abs. Find something to enjoy, as it is easier to remain consistent when you are doing something you like.

Keep Your Diet in Check: To lose belly fat, you must burn more calories than you consume. This means eating the right foods and in the right amounts. No more super-sizing. Get rid of the soft drinks—they’re liquid calories. Add plenty of fruits and veggies to your diet.

Lift Weights: Muscle is more dense than fat, so it takes more calories to sustain muscle. Consequently, you burn more calories throughout the day (even at rest) when your frame contains more muscle. Women, don’t let this frighten you—Don’t believe the hype—muscle trims your figure, defines your arms, legs and buttocks, and supports joint health as you age

Work Those Abs: Of course, you have to do abdominal exercises as well. But there’s no need to buy any of the fancy contraptions seen on television. Your body is all you need.

The concept of losing unwanted stomach fat revolves around different types of foods and exercises. There are people who try different diet plans and pair it with special exercises to get better results. But, there are few people who always know how to add something extra to their weight loss efforts. These are the fortunate few who always incorporate special things in their diet plan to get quick results. And, fat loss tea is one such thing.

Fat loss teas are now available in the market and they claim to offer incredible results. But, it is important to find the right tea to include in your fat loss program. Here are a few things that should be kept in mind when finding a tea.

• Always keep in mind that a good fat loss tea will always offer quick results. There will be some change in your weight in not more than two, three days of using a tea. If you don’t get any results in the beginning, it is better to look for something else.

• In order to find the best tea, you can try few of the most popular ones to see their effects on your body. If your weight responds to a special tea, just stick with it.

• Make sure you opt for a tea that has an impact on your metabolism. It can be judged by frequent urination or perspiration.

These are the most important things to check, but there are others as well. For instance, you should pay attention to taste and some other characteristics. So, check all these things and they include a fat loss tea in your daily routine to get incredible results.

If you are looking for home exercises to lose stomach fat, you definitely don’t need a gym membership in order to shed the extra fat. In fact, there are numerous routines that don’t need personal trainers and exercise equipment to execute.

Ideally, home exercises to lose belly fat should be regular and as intensive as possible. The more you workout, the more calories are burned. But remember that regularity is key here: you probably know it by now, how easy the excess fat tends to find its way back in no time.

Pushups - the humble pushup remains the easiest and the best weight-loss workout. It trains your chest, shoulders, triceps, abdominals and lower back. As you build more muscles, lots of calories are burned in the process and this is what makes you lose weight. No need of a gym.

Bodyweight Squats - This is a two-step workout. It’s an effective way to quickly burn fat and tighten muscles.

Rope jumping - The jump rope routine has an interesting version: the invisible jump rope. All remains the same, except that you are jumping an imaginary rope.

In order to be effective, home exercises to lose a jelly-belly must be combined with a healthy diet. The principle is simple: reducing your daily calories and fat intake while eliminating the extra that’s already found its way in your body.