How to shrink your waist

How do I lose my belly fat? How do I get rid of my love handles? What are the best ab toning exercises? How do I get rid of excess baby weight?

We would all like clear, precise and definite answers to these questions, what’s more, we want quick results!

Is there a miracle solution? Well, if by miracle you mean « no effort required », the answer is « uhh….no! ». But, if by miracle you mean « really works », the answer is « yes, however… ».

In order to better answer the question, here is the basic knowledge needed before undertaking the appropriate measures.

Targeting a specific body part for weight loss is, at present, impossible

We can tone a specific area by working only those muscles, however the layer of fat that covers it, for its part, cannot be specifically targeted. In the weight loss process, we will lose fat where there is fat. We cannot choose, sad as it may be, which fat we want to lose.

Reasons for a bloated or swollen belly

Ten to 25% of healthy persons experience bloating. It is particularly common in persons with irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and stress. Certain dietary adjustments, such as the introduction of probiotics, higher fiber intake, elimination of allergenic foods and alcohol, etc. can offer some relief.

The 6-pack, is it wise or even feasible?

Let me start by saying that the efforts that must be made, in terms of dietary restrictions alone, to reduce your body fat percentage to the point of unveiling your abdominal muscles are astronomical and, at times, even unhealthy. Also, each individual has a certain « body type » and, for some of us, the possibility of getting that famous 6-pack is simply unrealistic.

In order to burn fat, we must create an energy imbalance

The number of calories burned must exceed the number of calories ingested. Although weight loss may vary according to various other factors such as hormones, sex, age, weight, quantity and quality of sleep, medication, et al., the two most impactful factors for which we have control is our nutrition and our activity level.

So, you will eventually succeed at losing your belly fat by focusing on two things : cardiovascular AND muscular exercises in order to burn the most calories and to tone your body in a balanced manner PLUS healthy eating and attending to your body’s actual dietary needs. If you consult a personal trainer and a nutritionist, they will work together in order to ensure that you undertake the proper actions on both fronts. With your efforts, this method will certainly yield the desired results in a healthy and long-lasting manner.

Remember, adopting healthy eating habits and incorporating regular exercise into your life can only improve your physical and mental wellbeing, no matter what your belly looks like. Also, your healthier lifestyle objectives should be more ambitious and more varied than simply obtaining a flatter tummy. Loftier yet attainable goals will enable you to reap all the benefits of losing unwanted fat, regardless of where it is located, because each pound of excess fat you lose will reduce your risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and heart disease!

Better health… there’s your motivation!

References :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388350/#!po=60.5263

https://draxe.com/bloated-stomach/

https://www.nature.com/articles/0802602

https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo201559

How to shrink your waist is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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