Almost everyone would like to lose a few inches around their waist. Many people, however, want to lose weight fast. Crash diets and quick fixes seldom work, at least not permanently. It’s also a popular misconception that having plastic surgery procedures such as liposuction or a tummy tuck will keep excess belly fat off for good. While there are no quick fixes, there are some lifestyle changes you can make that can help flatten the spare tire around your waist. The following are 8 habits you’ll want to eliminate from your routine to improve overall health, maintain weight loss, and lose the belly fat.
Lack of Exercise
While it’s possible to lose belly fat without exercise, it is a lot more difficult, especially if you want to keep it off for good. Having strong, lean muscle helps the body burn fat and calories more efficiently. If you lose weight without exercising you’ll actually risk losing this lean body tissue which will ultimately slow your metabolism. Exercise should be done at a moderate level to achieve results. A moderate level means you can carry on a conversation while still breaking a sweat. This type of exercise should be carried out 3 to 5 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time for best results. Specific exercises that may help target the abdominal area include machines that have moving handles to hold onto such as an elliptical machine. Lunge twists and old fashion crunches also target the stomach area. Just doing this alone, however, isn’t enough. You’ll need to incorporate a good cardio routine to keep your metabolism up and for overall health benefits.
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
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- Lack of Exercise
Too Much Sugar
There is a strong connection between sugar consumption, insulin resistance, and the increase of belly fat. Since high blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance it’s important to limit too much sugar in the diet. A 12 ounce soda may only have 140 calories but approximately 8 teaspoons of sugar. Cutting back on soda and processed foods high in sugar is a good start when it comes to losing weight around your middle section. Drink plenty of water and eat foods that are naturally sweet like fruit. Try to eliminate fruit juices, however, since many of these are high in sugar and often have fewer nutrients than the natural fruit. If possible, get rid of your bowl of table sugar. Many foods have sugar naturally, making it unnecessary to put added sugar in our diets. Just cutting out sodas and replacing them with a glass of water could potentially add up to weight loss over the course of several months. Any serious weight loss plan should include cutting back on sugar intake.
Sugar