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12 Ways To Lose That Jelly Belly Without Exercise (We Love #5!)
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Who likes the look of a big, jiggly belly? Unless you are Santa Claus, it is NOT attractive. Although you can try to hide it this winter under those sweatshirts and heavy coats, it won’t be long before spring weather forces you to shed those clothes and reveal the truth.
Even if you don’t mind a little belly (it makes a nice pillow for your kids, right?), you should consider the dangers of belly fat. Having a little too much beer gut is linked to a much higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer.
However, if the thought of sweating it out at the gym just doesn’t sound appealing, you can lose a great deal of belly fat without heavy exercise. The following steps will not give you those six-pack abs many people crave, but they will give you a head start on getting that jelly belly under control.
1. Slaughter Stress
One of the worst enemies when it comes to losing fat, especially belly fat, is stress. Chronic stress leads our bodies to produce too much of a hormone called cortisol. One of cortisol’s jobs is to pack fat around the abdominal cavity. To reduce any stress-related tummy fat, you need to reduce as much stress as possible in your life. It is virtually impossible to remove all stress in today’s world, but you can find ways to deal with the stress you cannot remove. Try meditation, yoga, exercise, long soaks in the bath, singing, or spending more time outside in nature.
2. Make Friends With Fiber And Protein
Eating more protein and fiber will do many things to help you reduce belly fat. When you eat some protein and fat at each meal, you will balance your blood sugar levels and prevent insulin resistance. It will also slow the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates, which will make your body less likely to store fat. Protein is much harder for your body to digest, so it burns more calories just through the digestion process. Fiber helps food and waste pass through your system faster. Be certain to eat healthy, clean sources of protein, such as skinless poultry, seafood, eggs, and beans.
3. Get Off The Sugar Train
In order to fight the belly fat fight, you must get off the sugar train. This means eating plenty of vegetables, whole grains, protein, and fruit. Stop eating fast food, junk food, and processed foods. Add cinnamon to your coffee or oatmeal to help stabilize blood sugar levels. Sugar is addicting and quitting it is difficult, but if you want to reduce belly fat, you need to find a way. Start by cutting back in small areas until you cut out most of the sugar in your diet.
4. Watch Your Carbs
A starch is a complex carb. It contains a long string of sugar units, which would explain why carbs give us huge spikes in insulin. The most typical sources of starchy foods include potatoes, wheat, corn, winter squash, and sweet potatoes. You should drastically cut back on these types of starches. This doesn’t mean you have to cut them out entirely, but eat them in smaller quantities. There are also non-starchy vegetables that you should add more of to your plate. The best non-starchy foods are:
– Onions
– Spinach
– Cauliflower
– Asparagus
– Lettuce
– Broccoli
– Cucumber
– Mushrooms
– Tomatoes
– Green, red, and yellow peppers
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5. Enjoy Wine With Dinner
Studies show that women who drink one glass of wine each day lose more weight than those who do not. This is most likely because when we drink, we reduce the amount of food we consume at a meal. Also, our bodies are not able to break down alcohol in an efficient manner, which means we will not fully use all of the calories and burn extra calories in an attempt to do so. So although most people believe that they need to live on carrots and lettuce to lose belly fat, feel free to enjoy that glass of wine with dinner and smile while you do it.
6. Eat More Unsaturated Fats
You might be wondering, if we are what we eat, how in the heck is eating fat going to make us lose fat? This is because, as many research studies have shown, eating unsaturated fats makes you burn more energy and move fat away from the belly to be used as fuel. The best sources of unsaturated and monounsaturated fats are:
– Olives
– Extra virgin olive oil
– Nuts
– Avocados
7. Think Dairy 3 Times A Day
Numerous studies have shown that the linoleic acid helps to remove belly fat as well as hindering the development of cortisol induced belly fat. Remember cortisol? That’s the stress hormone that tells the body to store fat. Those fat cells that cortisol made will also make their own cortisol, which makes you store even more belly fat. According to studies, eating three servings of dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk, stops fat cells from making cortisol. Dairy products also contain linoleic acid. One study found that those who ate three cups of yogurt each day lost more weight than those who consumed calcium supplements and cut calories in their diet over the 12 week study period.
8. Eat More Frequently
Sometimes, we get so busy, we forget to eat, or we keep postponing our meals so that by the time we finally sit down to eat, we are so hungry, we eat enough for two people! Also, when we are hungry, we are more tempted to eat things that we shouldn’t, such as chips, French fries, candy bars, or cookies. Try to eat some protein every two or three hours to keep yourself from becoming hungry and to keep yourself from eating too much at regular meals.
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9. Start Walking
Although you really don’t need to do any hard or strenuous exercise, you should try to incorporate some type of moderate exercise into your daily routine. Your legs are your largest muscles, so you should find ways to work them as much as possible. Again, we aren’t talking about hitting the gym for an hour — just some moderate exercise. Walking for 30 minutes a day can easily cause you to lose one pound each week. Move your treadmill in front of your television, and walk during commercial breaks or walk during half of whatever program you are watching, and you are done! You can also use those little tricks to get more exercise such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator, parking at the farthest end of the parking lot, and pacing the room or office every time you talk on the phone.
10. Water, Water, And More Water
You have certainly heard this before, but it doesn’t make it any less true: Drinking more water will help you to lose weight. When we are dehydrated, the body sends out signals that our brain often mistakes for hunger. The next time you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before eating. Also, try drinking a full glass of water at least 10 minutes before your regular meal to help fill your stomach so that you will eat less.
11. Get Plenty Of Sleep
Believe it or not, numerous studies show that sleep deprivation causes obesity. For weight control and proper hormone function, we need quality sleep. When we don’t get regular sleep, our hormones become messed up, the way we process carbs becomes dysfunctional, and the way our bodies store fat is altered. Almost everyone on the planet needs between seven and nine hours of sleep. Even though some people feel that they can function just fine on five hours sleep, the truth is that their bodies certainly cannot. Studies have shown that women who go to bed and wake up at the same time each day have less belly fat than those who keep irregular hours. Work towards seven hours of good quality sleep each night so that your body works the way it is supposed to.
RELATED: 10 Super Effective Ways to Bust Belly Fat
12. Cut Back On Salt
Americans eat excessive amounts of salt in their diet, which leads to water weight and bloated bellies. Salt retention, as well as water retention, wreaks havoc on the body. Eat more foods that are rich in potassium, which binds with salt and removes it from the body. You should always make low-sodium choices whenever possible and use salt substitutes, such as garlic, onion, and other spices, to help cut back on sodium levels in the body.
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