Lose belly fat in two months with these basic steps
It’s time to get ready for the hot summer months which will be here before you know it. Don’t get caught unprepared. In just ten weeks you can be down 20 or more pounds by consistently following a healthy diet and a fitness routine that burns excess calories.
Right now your inbox is probably being bombarded with emails on how to lose belly fat with some new diet or exercise device. Let’s set the record straight now. The only way to lose excess fat is to burn more calories than you take in . . . or to take in less than you are consuming now.
On average, we should be losing about 2 pounds each week until we reach our goal weight. And by the way, we cannot spot reduce or target one area from which to lose weight . . . it has to be a total body reduction.
Remember – 1 pound of fat is the equivalent of 3500 calories.
Show off those toned arms this summer
Losing body fat requires a certain mind-set change. There has to be a strong need – being embarrass, health concerns, etc. This need has to be followed by a commitment (action).
Once you are committed to taking action then do the following to get ready to reveal more skin this summer:
- You must eat a diet that allows you to nourish your body with the right foods in the right proportions. This means no more sugary drinks including amped up sports drinks, cutting back on the excess starchy foods like bread, crackers, rice and potatoes, and including more fiber in the foods you eat.
- If you are eating 2400 calories each day then reduce that amount to 2000. To do this you must learn how to calculate the amount of calories you take in. One way to do this is go to Myfitness Pal and enter your stats.
- You still need to include carbohydrates(starchy foods) as part of your diet. Replace the poor quality carbs with healthy ones like low-glycemic fruits, vegetables, and whole grains products.
- Include more lean proteins and healthy fats with each meal – chicken, fish, plant based foods like beans and nuts are good replacements. Goods fats include olive oil, avocado, legumes and butter instead of margarine.
- Starting an activity program is especially important, however, remaining active throughout the day is just as important. This means less sitting and more walking. There is a lady in my neighborhood who invested in a bike and I often see her riding to the nearby store or around town. She is in great shape with little fat on her body. Examples of staying active during the day include – taking the stairs at work or parking at the farthest parking space from the entrance to your job. Get off the bus one stop before your schedule exit and walking the rest of the way.
- Lift weights at least three times each week. The more muscles you have the more calories you burn at rest – up to twenty four hours after working out. It will also give you more definition and improve your posture.
- Doing some form of cardiovascular exercise -walking, running, cycling, swimming, spin class, etc. – is important. But the best way to burn excess calories is to increase the intensity of those activities. I do what is called HIIT or high intensity interval training cardio. HIIT torches fat and is the best way to reduce belly fat. To do it you must expend a lot of energy by going all-out with your cardio or weight training for a short time followed by an even longer period of rest. An example of this is sprinting all out for fifty yards and walking back to the starting point.
- Last, but just as important as those listed above, is to give your body quality rest. When you don’t get the proper amount of sleep you run the risk of increasing the the production of the hormone cortisol (our stress hormone). This is our ‘fight or flight‘ hormone and is a cause of increase belly fat. Increase levels of cortisol can cause food cravings, low energy and a lack of mental clarity. We need approximately 7 to nine hours each time we go to sleep.
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