We all know exercise is integral to tone our bodies but here are a few tips to help get rid of the belly fat and support your exercise programme.
It’s the New Year and if like me you have over indulged you are now paying the price. Summer is not far away and the bikini body or for that matter boys – the surfer body – beckons. We all yearn for rock hard abs but the question is how do we get them? Well the first step is regular exercise but an integral part to your exercise programme is diet/nutrition. It is hard to know where to start, we all know it is about calories and exercise. But a few small tweaks will help with your New Year’s Resolution to get rid of the belly fat.
Hot water with fresh lemon, cinnamon, and ginger
Lemon juice helps to balance blood sugar and has an alkaline effect on your body helping to regulate PH. It also contains vitamin C.Cinnamon is one of the best antioxidants on the planet. It’s the number one herb/spice for balancing blood sugar.Ginger strengthens the immune and helps to reduce muscle pain and soreness amongst many other health benefits.Make this drink a part of your morning routine and drink at least 20 minutes before eating.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a great way to reap the benefits without going a whole day (or longer) without eating because, instead of focusing on what you eat, intermittent fasting places the emphasis on when you eat.One of the most popular ways to practice intermittent fasting is to restrict eating time to 6-8 hours a day, which typically means not eating after dinner and then skipping breakfast. And even with this relatively easy approach, intermittent fasting helps your body use glucose (sugar) more efficiently, which helps reduce body fat, keeps your blood sugar in check and raises good cholesterol levels.
Prebiotics/probiotics
These are essential to your overall health. When your gut isn’t happy, the rest of your health suffers, and it’s easy to pack on the pounds (or struggle to lose the ones that are already there). Our guts are made up of bacteria, and in order to function properly, we want the right ratio—about 85 percent “good/neutral” bacteria to 15 percent “bad.” If this balance is out of kilter, it can lead to increased inflammation, stomach aches, bad skin and more.You can find probiotics in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir and kombucha. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the foods that feed the probiotics and ensure that they thrive and keep the bad bacteria in check. Some sources of prebiotics include raw, local honey; raw asparagus and onions.
Finally focus on stress reduction
One of the worst things for your weight-loss efforts is stress. Some stress is good, of course, like when you need to hit a deadline or you’re running from a bear in the wild. But chronic stress can wreak havoc on your weight-loss efforts and overall health. Stress raises the level of cortisol in your body, and this hormone literally stores fat in your belly. If you’re always stressed, you might find yourself bloating more often than usual, or you may notice that digestive issues, like IBS, are starting to flare up. Reducing stress through activities like yoga, meditating, talking with a professional or journaling can really help, and you’ll notice the effects both mentally and physically—and hopefully in time for that bikini body. Additionally, there are some foods that cause stress as well; for example sugar, alcohol, excess caffeine and processed carbohydrates that you might want to consider eliminating as well.