3 Ways to Lose Belly Fat

Just cutting calories is not the most efficient way to lose belly fat. Sure, you need to eat less, but it gets more specific than that. Here are three things you need to do to see real results.

1. Cut Carbs Instead of Fat

There are good carbs and bad carbs. I am speaking of the "bad" carbs. Fast-digesting carbs like white bread, cereals, pasta, beer, sweetened yogurt, corn, honey, or sugar in any form. Low-carb diets are more likely to help you lose belly fat. Do not, however, eliminate all carbs from your diet. Healthy carbs give you energy and help you get through workouts with the energy you need.

2. Try Interval Training

Intervals bring your heart rate up very high and then allow you to bring it back down and recover. Hit or interval training is particularly effective at burning more belly fat. So for example, you might ride a stationary bike with a tremendous amount of resistance for one minute and get your heart rate up very high, then for 2 minutes, lower the resistance while your heart rate came back down...20 minutes of this along with a five minute warm up and cool down will give you a much more effective workout than 45 minutes of steady-state exercise.

3. Reduce Your Stress Levels

Stress, sleep, and belly fat all affect each other. Studies have shown that those who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours gained significantly more visceral fat than those who slept seven to eight hours. The reasons for this include sleep apnea, depression, and poor sleep habits. Cortisol levels increase with stress and it is believed to be a major contributor to abdominal fat. Take steps to lower your stress levels and you are less likely to reach for unhealthy foods that contribute to belly fats as well.