Dr.Yashaswi Shrestha 
A flat and toned belly is the ultimate desire for everyone today. Even when you see actors and models on Instagram, you see their heavenly bodies complemented with a tiny waist. Although some of that is photoshopped, you cannot deny the fact that a lot of it is a result of hard-work and proper diet. The good news is that you can also lose your belly fat with some diet control and suitable exercises. Here we give you tips on how you can go about it.
Track your Food Pattern
The first step to losing your belly fat is to monitor your food pattern. What are you consuming? How much fats and carbs do you consume per day? Do you have an adequate protein intake? Try and calculate all the calories that you are taking in and make sure that at least 25-30% of the calories comes from proteins. Do this regularly for a few days a month and make all the necessary adjustments. Avoid junk foods, especially those with added sugar.
Consume Fibrous Foods
Since dietary fibres are indigestible plant matter, they increase the bulk of your stool and aid in defecation. The fibres bind with water and slow the movement of food through the digestive canal so that nutrients can be absorbed more efficiently. As a result, your alimentary canal works a lot better, you will feel less bloated and you will even begin to lose weight.
Substitute Carbohydrates with Proteins
One study showed that people who consumed more proteins had reduced
risk of belly fat gain. It has also been shown to give you an early satiety so that you are not consuming excess calories.
Furthermore, it keeps you from regaining all the weight and belly fat that you have lost. So what are you waiting for? Substitute your rice, bread, sugar, wheat for high-protein foods such as meat, nuts, eggs, legume, fish, seafood and whey protein.
Eat Probiotic Foods
Probiotics are bacteria that improve the function of the gut. When consumed in the correct amounts, foods containing probiotics can be a great help in losing belly fat and overall body weight. Probiotics include members of the Lactobacillus family, so if you are planning on taking supplements, make sure they especially contain Lactobacillus gasseri.
Do these Amazing Exercises
Exercises that can assist you in losing belly fat include:
- weight lifting
- crunches
- planks
- twist crunches
- side crunch
- lunge twist
- captain’s chair
- aerobics (cardio)
If these exercises seem too complicated for you, you could always opt for simpler exercises such as
- swimming
Swimming (source: jccrockland.org) - jogging
- running
- jogging
- cycling
Stick to these exercises and you will see great results within weeks. However, you should realise that it is the frequency of these exercises that count, not merely the intensity. Doing a lot of exercise in one day will not help, it has to be a regular process that will take a lot of diligence and sweat, literally!
