How To Get Rid of Belly Fat

"I will lose weight" is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions in the world. It's also the one resolution most of us fail to keep.

Despite the odds, and what the scale may tell you, you are capable of losing that weight! Fat is only a temporary part of you, and you can lose it. In this post I'd like to dispel some weight loss myths as well as give you some essential tips and tricks so you can finally lose that belly flab.

Abandon Hype All Ye Who Come Here

First of all, don't believe the hype. There is no food or pill that specifically targets belly fat. If there were, cosmetic surgeons would be out of a job, as the average woman would move all her belly and thigh fat to her breasts or hips. No! There is no quick fix for belly fat. Liposuction is often a very temporary procedure, and you need to make choices that will stick with you for life instead of a few weeks. People tend to lose weight overall, no matter how many abdominal crunches you do. You also tend to collect fat where you already have it, so it's natural to collect fat on your butt, thighs and belly.

So what do you do?  3 main tips:

Make healthy food choices.

• Start making healthy food choices. That means less fatty red meat, less carbs, less oil. Half-portions are recommended.
• Reduce temptation. I like to keep a bar of chocolate of a brand I don't really like in the fridge. Having it there stops me from buying chocolate because I already have some at home, and when I am home and I could eat it, I don't - it just doesn't look that appetizing to me.
• Start to slowly add a wide variety of vegetables and fiber-rich fruits (berries are excellent), lean proteins (wild fish, grass-fed beef, lamb, pork, and poultry), healthy fats and whole grains into your diet.

A Change Is Gonna Come

Stock your fridge with healthy snacks. Carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, pear slices and other fruit are all delicious on a summer day, especially when they're already chopped and prepared in snack sized portions.

Holistic Exercise

Rethink your exercise strategy. You might have the gear lying around the house, but you don't have the motivation or time to use it. Do you need a buddy to keep you on track? Try finding a friend with similar goals to share a daily food diary with; you can even email each other at the end of the day for minimal hassle. Is the house too untidy for you to even think about spending time on yourself? Make cleaning your house the workout. Forget the mop, and get down on your hands and knees and wipe away. Your body will feel great, and your house will look wonderful. Reducing desk clutter can be another workout, if you put on some music and stay on your feet. These little things tend to add up, and you’ll be on your way to getting fit, trim and feeling fantastic. The key is to perform daily moderate-intensity exercise, but if your busy day doesn’t allow that, find ways to sneak exercise in while you’re at the office by standing while you work, taking the stairs or biking/walking to work.

One more tip:  stop watching that scale! The fat won’t go away in a day, and if you’re punishing yourself just to see results, you’re not going to be able to keep it up. Choose something you love to do; push your body to stretch, jump, climb and run. Commit to doing your most-loved exercise at least thrice a week, and don’t check that scale until 3 weeks from when you started. Combined with a healthy diet and less sugar and fat altogether, it won’t be long before you’ll replace fat with muscle.

Give Your Fingers A Workout

Was this fight-the-flab post useful? Let me know by leaving a comment below.