How Long Should It take to See Results?
It’s wonderful to see immediate results, and if you’re serious about busting your belly fat you may see results in a few short weeks. The best way to measure results is to track your efforts as well as your success.
Keep a journal that tracks what you eat, when you exercise and how hard you exercise. Also measure your waist on a weekly or monthly basis so you can watch the inches disappear. You’ll notice that your clothes fit better, you have more energy, and you’ll feel better too. Busting that belly fat will have a fantastic ripple effect throughout your whole life.
Simple Lifestyle Changes that Can Boost Results
Getting rid of your abdominal fat is a goal that will change your life. Whether you’re genetically predisposed to collect fat in your midsection or your habits have led you to this point, trimming your waistline has been shown to increase the length and quality of your life. With each centimeter that you trim off your waist, you’re reducing your risk of dying by many major diseases.
The path to lifetime health and a trimmer tummy is through lifestyle changes. A two week cabbage diet isn’t going to provide the results that you want. Yet through diet modifications and increasing your daily activity you’ll not only lose the weight, you’ll keep it off too. Let’s take a look at some helpful tips to help you follow through on your belly fat busting plans and to see results faster.
Meal Planning – It’s easy to get into trouble with food when you’re not prepared. Meal planning is the best way to ensure that you stay on track. Sit down once a week and plan your meals and snacks for the week. Make a list, head to the store, and stock up. This way you’ll always have a healthy meal to turn to and you won’t be tempted by junk food.
Cheat Meals – When you’re making lifestyle changes, it’s not uncommon to feel deprived. One way to manage these emotions successfully is to allow yourself a “cheat meal” each week. The cheat meal can be anything that you want, from pizza to ice cream. However, it’s only for one meal. When that meal is over, you’re back on your belly fat busting plan.
Staying Hydrated – Water helps flush fat and toxins from your body. Cutting sugary drinks from your life doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stay hydrated. In fact, if you’re dehydrated you may be more likely to feel bloated. Your digestive system stalls when it doesn’t have the fluid it needs. Drink water, green tea and other natural beverages. Keep a bottle of water with you at all times. You can flavor the water with lemons or berries to make it more interesting.
Sleep – Sleep is directly connected to weight loss. People who regularly get a good night’s sleep weigh less than those who don’t. It comes back to cortisol and the appetite regulating hormones discussed earlier. Sleep also helps you feel more energized to follow through on your exercise plans and it helps you make better food decisions.
Fun – Busting your belly fat is about living a better and healthier life. It should be fun. If it begins to feel like too much of a chore, then it’s time to sit down and rethink your plans. It may be difficult to get out the door to exercise, but ideally you enjoy the exercise you do and you feel great afterward. If not, then find an exercise that makes you smile. Exercise with friends, to your favorite music or out in nature.
Eating should be enjoyable as well. There are thousands of healthy recipes that use whole foods and have tons of flavor. Don’t be afraid to experiment with food. Try new vegetables and fruits. Try recipes from healthy websites. The goal here is to eliminate sugar and white flour, not to eliminate flavor.
Celebrate – Enjoy your successes and celebrate them. When you lose an inch off of your waist, go buy a new pair of jeans. Do something that honors the accomplishment and helps you feel inspired to continue losing inches and pounds.
Melting the belly fat may not be as easy as flipping a switch, but it’s not complicated. Take some time to assess the lifestyle habits that are contributing to your weight. Then systematically replace those habits with good habits that support weight loss and healthy living.
Your body is resilient and powerful. Fuel it well, make it move and burn calories and it’ll shed those extra pounds. Do it for yourself and your health – you deserve to live a long and healthy life. For the latest health and fitness trends and tips that you can use to improve your life, be sure to subscribe to the MyFitnessNut.com Newsletter right away.
