Winter weather just makes us want to stay indoors and munch on snacks all day long. Hey, we do need an extra layer to stay warm, but that doesn’t mean we should complete lose sight of our fitness goals.
Summer beach bodies are made in the winter, so keep thinking of shorts season as a motivation to avoid ordering in pizza and instead making a fresh, healthy salad at home.
We aren’t perfect and our flaws is what makes us unique, so no matter what size you are, you should not get hung up on how much fat your body has. Still, reducing our body fat will increase confidence as well reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and other health complications.
When people want to lose weight, they typically want to lose belly fat. To determine your belly fat, measure the circumference around your was it with a tape measure. 20 inches for men and 35 inches for women is what is considered as abdominal obesity.
What is the best way to burn belly fat?
1. Exercise
Exercise is one of the key factors in weight loss. When aiming to remove that unwanted weight around your stomach, then make sure to add ab exercises like crunches and planks to your workout routine. Running, swimming and other aerobic exercises can also reduce belly fat. A study from Duke discovered that 12 miles a week should be your target if you want to burn off that belly fat.
2. Cut Out Sugar
We all have heard that abs are made in the kitchen. That means focusing on a healthy diet and cutting out the sugar. Refined sugar that is not burned gets stored as fat. Simply cutting out sugar drinks like soda can significantly help reduce your sugar intake.
3. Eat More Protein
Protein can help reduce cravings by 60 percent and increases your metabolism. Not to mention, you need lots of protein if you workout regularly.
4. Vinegar
A 2009 Japanese study found that obese people who had a tablespoon of vinegar a day for eight weeks decreased their body fat. The acid in vinegar produces proteins that burn your fat. I am a fan of apple cider vinegar which you can drink in the morning with some water or add vinegar to salad as a dressing.
5. Sleep More, But Not Too Much
The less you sleep the more your visceral fat levels increase, so aim to get at least eight hours each night. Studies have also found that women who wake up and go to sleep at the same time consistently have lower body fat. Stick to a reasonable bed time and workout in the morning instead of sleeping in. Those who sleep in routinely or have varying sleep schedules are more likely to spark cortisol, the fat-storing hormone in the body.
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Summer beach bodies are made in the winter. Too bad we don’t think about it during the winter and come summer, it’s too late to go back and change that.