How to Lose Stomach Fat Fast

The stomach is the first place many people gain weight, and the last place that many people lose weight. It can be very frustrating to work so hard to lose weight, yet our stomach fat seems to linger. There are some quick tips and tricks that you can use in order to lose stomach fat quickly. Here are dieting, exercise, and lifestyle tips that can help you to trim off the ever-hated stomach fat.

Dieting Tips

Cut back on simple sugars and white bread products. These extra carbohydrates tend to build up and store as fat. Most people consume more white bread than they realize. Consider this: A plain bagel at breakfast, a sandwich on white bread for lunch, spaghetti for dinner. Does that sound like an average day of meals? Cutting our carbohydrates completely is not the idea that I am trying to emphasize. Whole grain breads are much better for you and will not store as easily on your body. Consider the replacement meals: A whole wheat bagel for breakfast, a sandwich on rye bread for lunch, and whole grain pasta for dinner. You can still enjoy the same foods, but eat smaller portions of them, and opt for whole grain varieties whenever possible.

Watch out for fried foods. You might think that getting a crispy chicken sandwich is healthier than a burger, but that is not necessarily true. The fat content of fried foods could very well exceed the actual fat content in beef. This can add to stomach fat. Many healthy foods, like fish and chicken, are often eaten with loads of added fats because of the frying process. Try baking or grilling your fish and chicken instead of frying. Avoid things like french-fries and mozzarella sticks for a long while. You will save on tons of calories if you cut back on fried foods. Try limiting yourself to one fried food per week or once every two weeks.

Another sneaky weight gainer is alcohol. Have you ever heard of a beer belly? They don't give it that name for nothing! Alcohol will slow your metabolism down, and cause you to store stomach fat. If you drink alcohol on a regular basis, cut back. If you drink with friends or at social events, volunteer to be the designated driver or simply drink less alcohol than you normally do.

Stick to lean proteins, like fish, poultry and nuts, and beans or legumes as main sources of protein. Also, make sure that you get your daily dose of vegetables. A high protein diet will help keep your muscles toned when you work out. These also contain healthier types of fats, unsaturated, which is the kind of fat that you should get.

Exercise Tips

One trick in using exercise to burn fat is to incorporate both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. Strength training will tone your muscles, and cardiovascular work will increase your metabolism by getting your heart pumping. The more that you work your muscles during a cardio vascular workout, the more calories you will burn.

Doing more intense workouts for shorter time periods is also a trick. Make sure that you give your body adequate rest in between workouts. During the rest period between workouts, you muscles recover and firm up. You will burn more fat if you do intense workouts, and then rest in between. Overall, you will burn more fat than doing longer, less intense workouts.

Certain leg exercises actually help you to lose stomach fat. Most people that wrestle with the issue of stomach fat have a bulge of fat in the lower abdomen area. One of the best ways to work that area is actually to use your legs. Biking, standing knee lifts, and bicycle crunches work both your legs and your lower abdomen. Don't just work your stomach, work your whole body to keep your metabolism up.

Lifestyle Tips

I mentioned earlier that rest between exercise is important. I want to take that note a step further and say that rest in general is important. If your body does not get the proper rest, meaning good sleep, it will not function optimally. In order to burn calories effectively throughout the day, make sure that you get a full night's rest. If you feel tired, take a nap if you can. This will also make a difference in how effectively your body will burn calories during and after your workouts.

Reduce the overall stress level in your life. You may need to cut back on some of your extra commitments. You may need to stop doing favors for some people if you don't really have the time and energy for it. It is okay to take time for yourself, to clear your mind, relax and settle down. You can read a book or meditate, or practice yoga exercises. Reducing stress will reduce the amount of stomach fat you have.