How to lose belly: 14 tips to show off your figure

One of the most common reasons why people decide to join the gym is to show off their body and lose those extra “pounds”. Sport is healthy, improves our well-being, produces many physical and psychological benefits and it is also great for getting a slim figure.

Unfortunately, misinformation and false myths can lead people not to benefit from physical training aimed at reducing fat tissue, causing them to be demotivated at the first of change. When after a few weeks it is verified that the layer of fat that covers the body has not decreased, demotivation can cause us to give up continuing to bet on healthy habits.

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Tips to lose belly

Losing a belly can be a slow process depending on the percentage of body fat that an individual possesses, and in this dynamic physical, psychological and nutritional variables intervene that are not always taken into account.

Below you can find different strategies that can help you achieve a slim body.

1. Be realistic

Irrational beliefs and unrealistic expectations lead to frustration and demotivation. It is possible to find many articles on the internet and some magazines dedicated to fitness that claim that it is possible to achieve a body 10 in four, six or eight weeks... This is totally false!

The fat loss process is going to be a more or less long process depending on the percentage of body fat that we have and, therefore, the so-called "miracle" workouts can only work with people who have been exercising for a long time and their body fat percentage It is low.

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2. Beware of diets

It is also common for some individuals to want to perform special diets to lose weight and end up frustrated by not achieving the desired results in the time they had estimated. Diets to lose weight must be oriented towards a constant and lasting evolution, not abrupt, because otherwise a rebound effect could occur.

It is more appropriate to adopt healthy eating habits in which protein, low-fat dairy products, fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, and foods that contain monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats (such as nuts or fish).

3. The importance of calories

What we eat is important, but If our goal is to lose fat to have a flat stomach, then it is necessary to burn more calories than we consume.

In other words, food control is a fundamental variable for the reduction of fat tissue. This is what is known as an energy imbalance, a term made popular by Donnelly and Smith. According to them, and for a person to lose weight, it is essential that caloric expenditure is higher than food intake.

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4. Do cardio

And how can we increase caloric expenditure? Regular physical exercise is an effective strategy. Now, it is very good that you step into the gym and do a little weights, but if you want to reduce the perimeter of your waist you are going to have to do cardio. So if you want a flat stomach, go for a run on the beach or take your bike and do a few kilometers. Your body is sure to notice it.

5. Grab the dumbbells and do weights

Cardiovascular exercise is ideal for burning calories during sports practice. However, strength training can also be a good help to lose those extra pounds. and thus achieve a flat stomach, as stated by Frimel, Sinacore and Villarreal in a study published in 2008.

Strength training may not produce as much energy expenditure during the session, but it does increase caloric expenditure after it, since it increases the activity of the sympathetic system, and by increasing muscle mass, there is an increase in basal metabolism in rest, as well as a reduction in liver lipogenesis, conclude Strasser, Arvandi and Siebert in another investigation carried out in 2012. Weight circuits are ideal for burning fat and increasing muscle mass.

6. Mixed exercise, the best alternative

Both forms of physical exercise (cardio and strength) have many benefits and are ideal for achieving a slim figure. Nevertheless, Combination training is more beneficial than using only one of these forms of exercise.

Regarding the impact of physical training on body mass and fat, an investigation by L.H. Willis which took place 2012 proven the effects of mixed training provides greater benefits than aerobic strength and endurance training by separated.

7. Increase your NEAT

If we want to burn calories, physical exercise is ideal to achieve it; however, it is important to note that physical activity only represents 15-30% of total caloric expenditure, since thermogenesis (the energy expended when consuming food) and basal metabolism, that is, energy needed to keep vital organs functioning, they account for between 10-15% and 50-70% of total caloric expenditure respectively.

One of the best ways to increase your basal metabolic rate is on NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). This is a scientific term to describe the daily activities associated with calories burned, in other words, it is physical activity performed with any movement done without the purpose of doing sport. For example, climbing stairs, household activities, walking to work, etc. This should make you think about the need for an active lifestyle. The next time you go home, don't take the elevator; And if you go to work, do not get in the car and use the bicycle.

8. Cut down on salt and sugar (and refined products)

Reducing the consumption of salt and sugar does not mean that you should eat bland foods, but to lose belly (and to enjoy a better state of health in general) it is advisable to reduce this consumption. What is the reason for the reduction of salt and sugar? Excessive salt intake is responsible for fluid retention with consequent weight gain; while consuming sugar increases insulin levels.

What does it mean for insulin to rise?

In recent years, the consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugary products (with a high glycemic index) has increased. Carbohydrates are a fundamental energy source, especially when they are slow absorption carbohydrates (for example, from whole grains). Carbohydrates are processed by our body to generate glucose, which is energy that our body uses to function.

Nevertheless, in high doses, glucose is not beneficial for our body, so our pancreas, when detecting the excess of this substance in the blood (which is known as hyperglycemia) releases insulin, the hormone in charge of carrying said glucose from the blood to the muscle and liver (if their energy sources have been depleted) and to the tissue adipose.

Foods with a high glycemic index, such as carbohydrates from refined grains (for example, industrial bakery products) and sugar, cause the level of glucose in the blood rises rapidly, which causes the release of insulin to ensure that glucose is stored, mainly in the form of grease. Therefore, it will not be of great help to lose belly. In short, pay attention to these types of foods because they are not beneficial for your body.

9. Avoid light foods

Some light products may catch your attention due to the marketing campaigns behind them, but These supposedly low-calorie products are not recommended for weight loss.

According to experts from National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration (UK institutions), the abuse of these low-calorie foods can generate as much or more amount of sugar and fat than what they initially claim to eliminate. And we have already seen in the previous point what happens to excess sugar in the body.

10. Eat 5 times a day

Nutrition experts have recommended five meals a day for decades. Our body is constantly consuming energy and therefore needs to be well nourished for it to function in the best possible way. This does not mean that we have to eat 5 heavy meals every day, but that, in addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner, we must add 2 snacks, one in the middle of the morning and the other in the middle of the afternoon.

In this way we distribute the daily calories in 5 meals and it is possible to control hunger levels, maintain the body's energy and metabolism activity and, in addition, it allows us to lose weight and control our weight, since we will have no excuse to snack between hours.

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11. Do high intensity exercises

For decades, there was an idea that prolonged aerobic training was the most effective for fat loss. But, in recent years, science has shown that high-intensity exercise at intervals or HIIT (hight intensity interval training) also produces great benefits when reducing tissue adipose.

This form of training consists of mix short periods of very intense cardio training (around 80-90% of our maximum heart rate), with other short periods of moderate or low intensity (50-60%). Due to the oxygen demand created by HIIT, your metabolism increases even when you've finished perform the workout, which allows you to burn calories for several hours after exercising physical.

12. Work the core

To have a flat stomach, it is useless to work only the abs. Now, if you combine cardiovascular work and also work other muscles of the body, you can focus on the core. Add abs exercises to your routine, but don't do sit-ups every day because they are just another muscle and need rest just like the rest. The important thing is not that you do hundreds of sit-ups, but that you do them well.

13. Try Yoga or Pilates

As he Yoga As the Pilates method they have many postures that help tone the abdomen. Obviously, if you do not follow the advice set out in the previous lines, you will not achieve your goal of achieving a flat stomach. But these practices will allow you to stylize your abdominal area and achieve a slim figure, as long as you combine them with the previous tips.

14. Adapt to change

Do you already exercise and have you managed to have a flat stomach? Well, adapt to change, because it is possible that you have stagnated and you should increase the intensity or duration of exercise sessions since, over time, our body will become more efficient and will not expend the same calories when it adapts to a type of exercise.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day of the week in the initial phases of training. In other words, get a minimum of 150 minutes of physical exercise a week (5 days x 30 minutes). However, to achieve and maintain long-term weight loss, it is necessary to increase the training time after several months of physical exercise.

According to the ASCM, a volume of more than 200 minutes a week should be reached or a caloric expenditure accumulated with exercise of more than 2000 kcal / week. Ideally, get at least one hour of training a day.

(Bonus) Hire a personal trainer

Achieving the goal of losing a belly is not always easy, because physical, psychological and nutritional factors come into play. Therefore, a good alternative is to hire a personal trainer to assess and design a physical exercise program specially adapted to your possibilities and your goals to that you achieve your goals safely and effectively, and also motivate and advise you to eat properly healthy.

With a personal trainer you will achieve results quickly and minimize the risk of injury.