Oke
We can all agree that one of the hardest body parts to work on is the midsection. Whether your large belly is the result of a poor diet, postpartum aftermath or a medical condition, getting it flat can be a Herculean task.
Unfortunately, not everybody is enthusiastic about registering at the gym to work up enough sweat to burn down the pesky belly fat. That is why we now have an assortment of herbal teas and pills in the market today that promise prospective buyers flat belly with no exercise.
While some of these products have received positive reviews, others have been labelled as scams as they failed to deliver the desired results. However, the truth is that your belly didn’t grow big in one day, therefore it would take some time and effort on your part to reduce it.
With that said, let’s help you with 3 simple tips you can follow to help you reduce belly fat and get that flat washboard ab you’ve always dreamed of.
3 ways to reduce belly fat
- Detoxify your body: Whether you like it or not, your body needs a detox from time to time especially if you’re the type that indulges in junk food every now and then. Even if you are on a seemingly healthy diet, you still need to detoxify your body to keep it in tip top shape. Detoxifying is a way of cleansing your digestive system as well as your entire body. Think of it as an oil change just like when you service your vehicle. As with every man-made machinery, your body needs regular maintenance and that is what detoxifying is all about. You don’t necessarily have to buy all those pricey herbal teas with suspicious ingredients because you can as well make your own detox drinks at home.
Drinking a glass of detox water first thing in the morning can change your body for the better in a matter of weeks. To make detox water, the ingredients you need are; lemon, fresh mint leaves and cucumber. Slice the lemon, cucumber and chop up the mint leaves and add them to a jar/bottle containing of 1ltr of water. Let the content sit for a few minutes so that the water can soak up the nutrients in all the ingredients properly, then pour yourself a glass and drink it on an empty stomach. The beauty of this detox water is that all of the ingredients combined contain components that facilitate the breakdown of fat in your body while cleansing your digestive tracts and colon thoroughly.
Lemon contains a high dose of vitamin C as well as calcium, potassium and iron; while cucumber contains 3 percent of your daily fibre requirement and a high amount of vitamins A, C and K. Mint leaves are loaded with nutrients and they are very effective in fighting indigestion and they also improve bowel movement. Drinking this detox water every morning for a period of time will surely help immensely in trimming down your belly size.
- Mind your diet: Drinking detox water all morning and eating junk food all day is counteractive – that’s like fetching water inside a basket. If you want to see visible results on your journey to reducing belly fat and having a flat tummy, you need to be very mindful of what you eat. Try as much as possible to cut down on your consumption of refined sugar and carbonated drinks. Eat meals that are high in fibre such as leafy green vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Reduce your consumption of carbs and eat more protein as this helps in muscle building. Replace fizzy drinks with fresh fruit/vegetable juices and remember to drink lots and lots of water each day. Aside from flushing out toxins from your body, frequent intake of water also aids digestion and helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles on your skin. You don’t need to starve yourself to have a flat belly, just make sure you eat a balanced meal everyday and stay hydrated.
Portion control is also very essential on this journey. Rather than eating 3 large meals a day, you can break that down to 5 small meals and be sure to eat only when you’re hungry. Chew your meals slowly before swallowing and eat healthy snacks like nuts and fruits in between meals if you must.
- Exercise: As much as you hate this word ‘exercise’ you just cannot escape it if you require long term results. Exercise does not necessarily mean going to the gym 5 days a week and working out till you collapse. As long as you are on a clean diet, a mild exercise can still do wonders to your body. Most Nigerians seem to think that exercise is solely for people trying to lose weight, but that is a wrong notion. The right kind of exercise targeted at your midsection can help tighten up your core and ab muscles, leading to a firmer and flatter belly.
Work out routines like flutter kicks, sit ups, plank and mountain climbing are especially good for tightening and strengthening the stomach muscles. Detoxing and eating right will reduce your belly size, but they won’t tighten the resulting saggy skin and that is where exercise comes into the picture. You can devote between 15 – 20 minutes at least three times a week to these simple work out routines and in time, you will begin to see result.
Remember, this isn’t magic so don’t expect instant results. You need to be consistent and dedicate if you want a lasting and satisfactory result. You need to make this a lifestyle habit, so you will never have to worry about walking around with a bulging belly or throwing your money away on quick fix products that don’t really work.
