7 Tips for Losing Belly Fat.

There’s no denying belly fat can be the source of some serious stress this time of year. We all know what the muffin top does to our ego, but most people don’t think about how dangerous it can be. Visceral fat (abdominal fat that surrounds the organs) is the culprit of all different types of health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.

The good news is that we can prevent living in a cover- up all summer and avoid these diseases with a little awareness.

Below are a few flat belly tricks that will have you ready to show some skin for spring and maybe even help you live longer.

1. Interval training- Studies show that interval training (adding short bursts of high- intensity exercise into a workout) is one of the most effective ways to lose abdominal fat. Bonus: it burns more calories long after your workout is over.
2. Focus on the foods you should be eating, like veggies, instead of what you should not be eating- When you are constantly focused on the foods you shouldn’t be eating, carrying around a notebook of ‘restricted’ foods in your purse, you are doing yourself more harm than good. The stress from these actions will cause your cortisol levels to rise, when this happens, your body holds on to fat. Start focusing on eating as many veggies as you can. Eat them at every meal, try to get a variety in.
3. Take five- As I stated above, stress is one of the main causes for high cortisol levels and excessive abdominal fat. Take five minutes out of your day, at least once a day, especially when you are feeling anxious or stressed, to focus on slowing down your breath and relax.
4. Sleep- Lack of sleep can cause you to produce ghrelin, a hormone that triggers cravings for high- calorie foods. It can also raise cortisol levels and throw your hormones out of whack. Shoot for 6-8 hours a night.
5. Quit thinking you can spot reduce: Sure, we all want Beyoncé’s booty and Kate Hudson’s abs, but that doesn’t mean we can focus on the places we want to lose fat and neglect the rest. The best way to burn fat fast is to focus on compound moves, working the full- body. This will allow you to continue to burn calories long after you are done with workout.
6. Strength training- The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn while lying in bed. When focusing on losing weight, try combing strength with cardio. This will torch mega calories and build lean muscle.
7. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate- Getting enough water will help regulate your metabolism and flush out toxins. What’s even better, you will have more energy to get through those intense workouts. Shoot for the age- old recommendation for 8 glasses a day.

How do you prevent gaining excess belly fat?