Extra fat on the belly is a common human enemy that is not so easy to get rid of. Successful weight loss requires long-term changes, but the goals you set must always be realistic – changing your diet and exercise habits has to come naturally so that you can stick to the plan for the long term.
Small changes can lead to very big results, so even the smallest steps should not be underestimated.
Discover and understand what causes you stress and learn to manage it (without food!). Stress stimulates the release of hormones that turn into fat on your belly and can also increase blood pressure and insulin resistance. Unfortunately, stress is usually impossible to avoid, but it is possible to recognise its triggers and react accordingly. For example, if your stress is caused by being late for work every Monday, perhaps you would feel less anxious if you got up 5 or 10 minutes earlier? If you feel stressed when you tell your children to do their homework, perhaps you could put on some soothing music in the background? Even small changes that alleviate stress have a big impact on your health and belly fat.
Be prepared! Losing weight is serious work: you need to plan to always eat healthy food, always have it nearby and not feel hungry. You also need to cook at home instead of eating in restaurants. However, you don’t have to spend hours on this planning – just cook more food one day a week and freeze it. Also, keep a piece of paper handy so that you can write down anytime you notice a shortage, which will allow you to visit the shop less often.
Plan your meals. By creating a weekly meal plan, you’ll know in advance what you’ll need so you don’t have to wonder “what can I eat now?” and save a significant amount of money spent on unplanned purchases.
Monitor your physical activity. Use a pedometer to tell you how many steps you take in a day: you’ll be surprised how much your daily activity varies, and you can sometimes exercise less if you need to.