How Can I Lose My Tummy In 7 Days
We think you already know what we’re going to say, but we’re going to go ahead and say it anyway. Whilst, technically speaking, you can lose weight over the course of a week, there’s no magic diet nor secret hack that will enable you to shift an entire organ within a week. And, any diet promising to enable such fat loss is, at best, unsustainable and, at worst, potentially damaging to your physical and mental wellbeing.
‘The majority of diets follow the same cycle of restrict, crave, binge, restrict,’ says Nutritionist Jenna Hope. ‘During the restriction phase you may lose weight as youre significantly limiting your calorie intake, or in some cases, your carbohydrate intake . However, as the cycle continues you begin to regain the weight plus more due to the bingeing.’
So, in short, steer well clear.
Swap Ketchup For Salsa
Sure, ketchup is tasty, but it’s also a serious saboteur when it comes to your weight loss efforts. Ketchup is loaded with sugar up to four grams per tablespoon and bears little nutritional resemblance to the fruit from which it’s derived. Luckily, swapping out your ketchup for salsa can help you shave off that belly fat at home without a diet. Fresh tomatoes, like those used in salsa, are loaded with lycopene, which a study conducted at China Medical University in Taiwan links to reductions in both overall fat and waist circumference. If you like your salsa spicy, all the better the capsaicin in hot peppers, like jalapeños and chipotles, can boost your metabolism, too.
Keep Whole Grains In Your Diet
You don’t have to go low-carb to ditch those extra pounds around your waist in a short period of time.
To get rid of belly fat, ditch refined grains like white bread and white rice, and eat more whole grains such as:
In fact, opting for more whole grains might just get you there faster. Researchers at Tufts University have linked eating three or more daily servings of whole grains to as much as a 10 percent reduction in visceral body fat, the kind that ups your risk for chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
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Take A Pass On Sodas And Juices
Sodas and juices can be sneaky sources of calories, Gans says, and they dont fill you up. If you cut back on your source of excess calories, wherever they may be coming from, that will help you lose weight, she says. While most people are aware that sodas are often liquid sugar, juices tend to have a health halo that isnt accurate, Cording says. When you drink juice, it doesnt have the same fiber as youd get by actually eating a piece of fruit that will slow down digestion, she explains. It hits the bloodstream really quickly and you can have a blood sugar crash afterward. Weeding out these drinks from your diet will help cut out these excess calorie sources and regulate your blood sugar, she says.
Fill Your Plate Lose the Weight: 70+ Delicious Meals that Keep You Full
Is There Really One Trick To Losing Belly Fat
When ads claim a “one trick” solution, remember that their main objective is to sell their product rather than to help you. Good marketing means one message, because it is hard to follow too many things at once. So they focus on one fad, and that tickles your curiosity and you click on the link to go their website.
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You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep
From scrolling through social media to having a late-night coffee, there are plenty of ways we unknowingly keep ourselves awake at night. Aside from feeling tired and groggy the next day, not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night can affect weight loss, explains Dr Luke.
“When we’re lacking in sleep, our bodys hormones get thrown off balance which can impact our hunger levels the next day. We all have two hormones that affect our appetite: ghrelin and leptin. When we dont get enough sleep, our ghrelin levels rise, and our leptin levels drop. This means that when we’re awake, we tend to eat more but feel less satisfied. Try going to bed a little earlier than usual to avoid this imbalance and remember to remove any distractions that might prevent you from nodding off,” he continues.
Try To Limit Your Stress
Stress can mess with every part of your bodybut how you deal with it can make or break your weight loss goals. I think most of the effect of stress is behavioral rather than neurochemical, says Dr. Cheskin. It makes us eat more, because we use food as a substitute for dealing with stress.
The truth is, eating food to make yourself feel better is usually a whole lot easier than actually facing the stress head-on. People gravitate toward something that doesnt require anybody else to do it, is immediately satisfying, and doesnt take a whole lot of effort, especially if youre just opening up a package or box, says Dr. Cheskin.
Stress-eating can only lead to one thing: growing your belly rather than whittling it. If you find yourself stress eating, take a step back and think: Whats causing my stress, and what can I do about it? Find a way to remedy the solution or talk through it with a therapist rather than turning to a bag of Doritos.
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Tips To Lose Belly Fat Without Dieting
A slimmer waist, flat stomach, healthier body, and reduced risk of chronic disease start today with these healthy tips to lose belly fat that are supported by science.
Let’s face it: that marshmallowy middle didn’t get there overnight. Stressful days at the office, indulging in one-too-many cheat meals, or finding excuses to skip a day, week, or even a month’s worth of workouts are all making it easy to pack on the poundsand making it difficult to get them off.
Watching that extra junk add up around your belly can put you at an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and early death. Luckily, losing weight and shedding belly fat doesn’t have to take forever.
Read on for 22 effective, diet-free tips for losing belly fat fast and naturally.
Why Is Belly Fat So Hard To Lose In The First Place Youll Sleep Better If You Walk More During The Day
Walking is a form of exercise that doesnt require equipment, and can be done by people of all ages. When walking, its best to wear comfortable shoes with good arch support. The Mayo Clinic recommends getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week for maximum benefit. If you havent been exercising regularly, start with 10 minutes per day and build up from there.
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If You Can Breastfeed For At Least 6 Months
A babys microbiome begins to properly develop at birth. However, studies suggest that babies may be exposed to some bacteria even before birth .
During the first 2 years of life, an infants microbiome is continuously developing and is rich in beneficial Bifidobacteria, which can digest the sugars found in breast milk .
Many studies have shown that infants who are fed formula have an altered microbiome with fewer Bifidobacteria than infants who are breastfed (
38 ).
A number of studies have shown that vegetarian diets may benefit the gut microbiome, which may be due to their high fiber content.
For example, one small 2013 study found that a vegetarian diet led to reduced levels of disease-causing bacteria in people with obesity, as well as reductions in body weight, inflammation, and cholesterol levels .
A 2019 review noted that plant foods are rich in specific nutrients that can increase levels of beneficial bacteria and decrease harmful strains of bacteria to support gut health .
However, it is unclear if the benefits of a vegetarian diet on the gut microbiome are due to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may also play a role.
Summary
Vegetarian and vegan diets may improve the microbiome. However, it is unclear if the positive effects associated with these diets can be attributed to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may be involved.
Bonus Round: Losing Belly Fat After Having A Baby
Its totally normal for your belly to feel loose or jiggly in the early days and weeks after giving birth. In addition to pregnancy weight gain, your abdominal muscles were stretched to the max to accommodate your growing bundle of joy.
Losing belly fat postpartum starts with the same strategies youd use to lose belly fat at any other time: Eat a little less and exercise more.
It may not happen overnight, but its reasonable to be back to your prepregnancy weight by the time your baby reaches their first birthday.
Does that mean your lower belly will look the same as it did before you got pregnant? Not necessarily. For some women, pregnancy causes the abdominal muscles to separate and create a noticeable bulge, even after theyve fully recovered from giving birth.
This condition, called diastasis recti, is fixable with abdominal exercises. A physical therapist can help you get the hang of them. Just ask your healthcare provider for a recommendation they can point you in the right direction.
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Don’t Let Diets Take Over
If you find every spare second is given over to thinking about calories, plans and cutting, then maybe the best thing you can do is to take a break from dieting. Research by the University of Tasmania revealed that people who broke from their diet every two weeks and aimed to just keep their weight stable during that period lost more weight and gained less back when their diets had finished.
Look At The Quality Of Your Sleep
Dont underestimate the power of a good nights sleep, too. Yes, it can help combat under-eye bags but, according to the University of Leeds, adults who get more than six hours of sleep per night are likely to carry 3cm less around their waist.
Head to bed earlier and follow the WHhow to get to sleep guide to ensure a lack of shut-eye doesnt hold you back from losing belly fat.
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Cardio Workouts To Lose Belly Fat
- This 28-day plan by Alice Liveing will teach you the basics of strength training, helping you to build lean muscle with foundation moves.
- Or, this four-week Kayla Itsines workout plan incorporates HIIT to burn fat and tone muscle.
- PT Gauri Chopra’s four week HIIT plan will help to burn fat efficiently and increase your stamina and muscular endurance.
‘The key to continually improving and losing belly fat is to scale up your workouts every week. Incrementally increase the intensity and load of your workouts, and you will soon see improvements to your fitness,’ says Hughes.
Rule Out Medical Conditions
In some cases, bloating may result from a medical condition. To get rid of this bloating, a person may need help from a doctor to diagnose and manage their condition.
Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis, may cause people to experience bloating. Irritable bowel syndrome , can also cause this symptom.
Gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts, can also cause pain, swelling, and feelings of bloating in the abdominal area.
People with these symptoms should discuss them with a doctor, who will also want to know about any relevant family medical history and other medical conditions. The doctor may order diagnostic tests to look for any problems. These may include an X-ray, ultrasound, colonoscopy, or blood tests.
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Eat More Whole Grains
Whole grains are a great source of fiber and are proven to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. What makes them even better is they may actually help reduce fat around the belly.
One study of 50 people found that those who consumed whole grain wheat bread for 12 weeks lost belly fat, but this was not the case for those who consumed refined wheat bread for the same amount of time.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that most adults get between 5 and 10 ounces of grains per day, half of which should be whole grains. Below are some examples of healthy whole-grains:
- Brown or wild rice
Avoid Eating After Dinner
Stop treating your kitchen like an all-night diner and you’ll stop seeing those unwanted pounds piling onto your frame, too. The results of a study published in Cell Metabolism found that mice who only had access to food during an eight-hour period stayed slim over the course of the study, while those who ate the same number of calories over a 16-hour period gained significantly more weight, particularly around their middle. When you’re finished with dinner at night, shut the fridge and don’t look back until morning your belly will thank you. When you do head back to the kitchen in the A.M., make sure the best healthy kitchen staples for cooking are there waiting for you.
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Fill Your Plate With Protein
Including lean protein on your plate every time you eat helps you feel full. Aim to consume at least 20 to 30 grams of protein with each meal and 10 grams of protein with each snack, recommends Ward. People who get enough protein feel very satisfied, and theyre not looking for all the refined carbohydrateschips, cookies, cake, candiesor foods that have trans fats like the pastries youd buy at a bakery or French fries, she says.
Eat Lots Of Vegetables Legumes Beans And Fruit
Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiome.
They are high in fiber, which your body cant digest. However, certain bacteria in your gut can digest fiber, which stimulates their growth.
Beans and legumes also contain very high amounts of fiber.
Some high fiber foods that are good for your gut bacteria include:
One study found that following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables prevented the growth of some disease-causing bacteria (
Summary
Many fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Fiber promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, including specific types such as Bifidobacteria.
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The Best Exercise For Belly Fat
We’ve been conditioned to think that super hard exercise are going to be the things to help us get results, especially when we’re trying to lose lower belly fat. In fact surprise, surprise it’s much more holistic than that and is about keeping your nutrition, exercise and general movement in check concurrently.
Outside of gym workouts , the movement you’re doing walking to the shops, making a cup of tea or taking your pooch out to stretch their legs can actually contribute more to hitting your healthy fat loss goals. This type of movement is known as NEAT and is a cornerstone of healthy body composition.
‘NEAT simply refers to the energy used carrying out any daily activity that isn’t formal exercise or sleeping,’ says Elliott Upton, personal trainer at Ultimate Performance and Head of LiveUP Online Coaching.
NEAT plays a major role in how much energy you expend per day and increasing your metabolic rate. It also helps control your blood sugar, aid muscle recovery, lower stress levels and improve cardiovascular health.
You can increase your NEAT by walking instead of taking public transport, opting for the stairs over the elevator or doing household chores. Whichever you choose, they’ll all contribute to the process in which you lose stomach fat.
Learn everything you need to know about NEAT exercise with this full explainer.
What Foods Help Burn Belly Fat
Can we be honest? No foods can help to burn belly fat. That’s just not how it works.
There are, however, nutrient-dense foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help you load up on goodness whilst you’re aiming for a calorie deficit. They include, but aren’t limited to:
It’s also important to remember that food is to be enjoyed, so the key to a sustainable diet is creating one that’s full of produce you look forward to eating and with meals that leave you feeling satisfied and not craving more due to restriction. While the number of calories in food affects satiety , its much more complex than that, explains Dr Barbara Rolls, professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University. Satiety and how long that feeling is sustained depends on numerous factors, including portion size, how long it takes to eat a food, its texture and how filling you expect it to be.’
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Avoid Rapid Weight Gain
Rapid weight gain is linked to bloating for several reasons.
First, a buildup of fat in your stomach area may constrain your bowels, increasing tension and contributing to bloating. Additionally, fat may have inflammatory effects, contributing to hypersensitivity in your gut .
Finally, unwanted weight gain may cause you to focus attention on your stomach area, which may increase your perception of bloating .
If you have overweight or obesity and are experiencing bloating, trying some healthy strategies for weight loss such as exercise and limiting portion sizes may be beneficial.
Summary
Rapid weight gain may contribute to bloating by increasing bowel tension, inflammation, and mental focus on your stomach area. Conversely, weight loss may help reduce these effects.
