Best Ways To Lose Stomach Fat and Keep it Off

Belly or stomach fat is something that haunts men of all ages, getting rid of belly fat becomes harder as you get older. There are many misconceptions about stomach fat accumulation and the biggest one is how to get rid of it.

If you have already been working on losing weight and struggle with belly fat you are not alone, the fat around the stomach is usually the last to go.

The first thing men think of when losing belly fat is cutting back on the carbs and all that beer men love so much. The other thing men seem to do is go crazy and begin doing lots of crunches and cardio. This may seem like a practical approach but it's not.

One of the best sayings about losing belly fat and uncovering abs is from Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold said that abs were built in the kitchen

Arnold was not wrong, but he was not 100% right either. It takes more than diet and exercise to lose belly fat, getting rid of stubborn fat does have to do with proper nutrition but there are other factors that cause men to gain fat around their midsection. As men get older weight gain becomes inevitable, especially for those men who are less active. Once men reach their mid 40's testosterone levels tend to drop which can cause men to have less energy and become less active.

When it comes to losing body fat the first thing you have to understand is that there is no such thing as spot reduction. there are tons of companies trying to sell you different methods to help reduce belly fat, these methods do not work!

In this article, I will discuss some of the ways I have found to be the most practical ways for men to lose stomach fat fast.

Avoid doing crunches and situps

If you already have any amount of belly fat, doing crunches will only build the underlying stomach muscles and make your stomach protrude more and make it look bigger. Crunches will not burn calories so save your energy for the weights.

Lift Weights

Strength training is one of the best ways to eliminate body fat. Lifting weights will help you burn calories and become stronger. There are other benefits to lifting weights it is a great way to transform your body, build self-confidence and naturally boost testosterone.

Where you lift is your decision, some men may decide to join a gym while others may decide to build a small gym of their own at home. It does not take a lot to get a full gym workout a barbell with a few plates and some dumbbells are all you need to start getting in shape and build muscle.

Implement some cardio into your daily routine

Be it a brisk walk in the morning or 30 minutes on a stationary bike, doing some kind of cardiovascular exercises is a good way to burn excess calories and help speed up the fat loss process. Cardio will not only improve heart healthy it will also help you feel better and give you more energy.

If you are short on time you can always implement 15 minutes of cardio to warm up before you start your strength training session and follow up at the end for another 15-20 minutes.

Cut back on alcohol

For a lot of men, there is nothing more relaxing than having a few drinks or beers after a hard day at work. Alcohol is full of empty calories. Those calories add up fast. The quickest way to eliminate body fat is by eliminating those empty calories from alcohol. This is a drastic approach for some men.

A not so drastic approach would be to cut back on the drinks you have per day. For example, a 1oz shot of Tequila has 69 calories, rum and vodka have about 97 calories. A 120z can of beer has about 155 calories.  Limiting your alcohol intake will have a big impact on the amount of weight you will lose.

Some men may choose to cut out alcohol altogether and leave having a few drinks for the weekend.

Cut back on carbs

Carbohydrates are one of the biggest contributors to gaining weight. Complex carbs from sugar, fast food, chips and soft drinks will pack on weight fast, this is the worst kind of weight you can gain.

Complex carbs are the first thing your body stores, once it has burned up what it needs those stored carbs end up as fat. Unless you are someone who is skinny with a fast metabolism you should try to cut back on carbs as much as possible. Try and avoid bread, pasta, and rice.

If you cant live without eating carbs try eating them early in the day or before you workout, that way you can burn them off. Try to avoid eating heavy carbs at night.

Eat more healthy foods

There are so many healthy foods you can eat. If you workout 3-4 days a week your body needs quality food. Eating quality proteins like chicken, fish, and beef is essential for gaining muscle. It also takes energy to digest those foods. Quality proteins act as a natural thermogenic and promote healthy fat loss.

Dotn be fixated on how much protein or quality food you are eating. If its clean healthy and natural food listen to your body eat slowly and your body will tell you when you are satisfied.

Eat more fat

This may sound like a contradictory statement but eating fat burns fat. Bad nutrition is what make you fat not eating fat. Eating fat helps eliminate body fat. If you are constantly eating healthy fats your body will not store unnecessary fat.

Getting plenty of omega 3 fish oil is a good way to eliminate excess body fat. It also helps to naturally boost testosterone. Not all fats are healthy, try and avoid trans fat and hydrogenated oils, your body does not process them and they will quickly make their way to your belly.

Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D

An abundance of Vitamin D in your bloodstream reduces fat storage, lack of Vitamin D increases parathyroid and calcitriol hormones causing your body to store body fat and reduce your bodies fat burning potential by as much as 40%. Eating Vitamin D rich foods will help you feel full and increase leptin telling your brain you are full. Beef liver, low-fat cheese, and egg yolks are healthy and rich in Vitamin D.

Don't give up

Trying to lose body fat and get in shape is not an easy task. Everyone has a hard time staying motivated. The first six weeks are the most difficult, the important thing is to not give up, try and remain consistent and set goals for yourself. It will take 4-6 weeks before you begin to notice physical changes. Remember you did not gain weight overnight it took time, losing it will take time as well.