One of the most frustrating parts of your body is the belly; it never seems to want to shape up like the rest of you! And it’s not like you’re asking for a six-pack to scrub your laundry on, you just want to make sure those cut-offs fit without a baker’s dozen rolling over the waistband. Totally makes sense, we all want this.
Here’s the thing: it’s not all sit ups and exercise balls (did you just give a big sigh of relief?). Getting rid of stubborn belly fat includes a focused diet and a healthy lifestyle, but here’s the thing, these aren’t big changes. These are things you can do every day that will help you lose belly fat, and even better, improve your life in general. It’s like the ultimate life hack!
1. Sleep Right
The fat in your belly hides deep between your organs and is known as visceral fat, it’s quite a pesky beast. A study conducted by Wake Forest University showed that five hours or less of sleep per night can increase your levels of visceral fat. Makes getting a full 8 hours even more enticing, doesn’t it?
2. Keep that Schedule:
It might be a hard habit to break, but you need to try to keep a steady sleep schedule. That means not sleeping in on the weekends (plus side: you can get to brunch on time, for once!). Women who keep a sleep schedule have less body fat. Your body has a harder time regulating itself when its internal clock is off. Stress, anxiety, and headaches can all be caused by throwing your internal clock off as well, so this isn’t important just for belly fat, but your entire body.
3. Increase Your Protein, Lower Your Carbs:
Believe it or not, protein is your friend (say hello to pork chops) and carbs are your frenemy (croissant how could you?!). A diet high in protein is helpful in protecting you from your body producing too much insulin, which in turn, promotes fat storage.
Carbs, on the other hand, can cause the glucose in your blood to rise rapidly, which signals your pancreas to produce a large amount of insulin to get that glucose.
We’re not saying cut carbs, but if you’re really trying to shed some fat, consider skipping the morning pastry to help even out your protein and carbs intake.
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