Best Way To Lose Belly Fat For A Man
Belly fat is not what you want to take lightly!
Visceral fat around your waist and abdomen can cause health problems, some of which can be very severe.
If you are a man with a stubborn beer gut, you need to start taking steps to get rid of the unwanted and excess belly fat.
This article will show you the best way to lose belly fat for a man using a few simple yet effective lifestyle changes.
Losing Belly Fat: A Difficult, But Doable Task
A few extra pounds on your waistline can’t really do any harm, right?
Wrong!
Many men find it difficult to commit to exercise and diet programs that can help them lose belly fat, and understandably so.
It’s easy to follow the crowd!
But just because many other men don’t seem to bother about the spare tire around their waist doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.
Indeed, most modern work environments don’t support a lot of movement. This means many people spend most of their days sitting in one spot.
This can begin to tell on your midsection as you age.
On top of that, a busy work schedule might make it difficult to eat proper or healthy food. So, many people make do with grabbing a quick bite of any available fast food and soda.
To make things worse, many men spend their evenings consuming alcohol as a way to ease the stress of too much work.
All of these can contribute to excess fat stored in the waist region.
No doubt, it takes a lot of mental and physical effort to completely get rid of belly fat. But it is doable, and the rest of this article will show you how.
Do You Have Too Much Belly Fat?
How much fat percentage should men have? How do you know if your belly fat has reached unhealthy levels? Can you determine whether you have too much belly fat on your own?
First off, no number can ever be a true picture of your overall health.
However, standard charts and measurements can give you a clue as to how healthy (or not) you are living.
That’s why you should take your fat percentage measurement and BMI (or body mass index) seriously.
The body fat to lean tissue ratio for men is generally lower than for women. Here’s a summary of fat percentages for men based on age:
- 20 – 39 years: 8 -19%
- 40 – 59 years: 11 – 21%
- 60 – 79 years: 13 – 24%
However, this range can vary depending on the activity level of men. The ideal fat percentage ranges for males according to physical activity levels are:
- Athletes: 6 – 13%
- Fitness: 14 – 17%
- Acceptable: 18 – 24%
- Obesity: More than 25%
You can find out whether your belly fat is at a healthy level using these simple steps:
- Grab a tape measure and stand upright, preferably baring your stomach
- Place the tape measure just above your hipbone and make sure it fits snugly without pushing into your skin
- Make sure you don’t suck in your stomach
- With the tape measure well leveled all around your waist, exhale, relax, and take your waist measurement
A waist measurement above 40-inches shows an unhealthy belly fat concentration for men. This puts you at a higher risk of health problems.
Why You Should Lose Belly Fat As Soon As Possible
Before we get into the best way to lose belly fat for men, why should you even bother? Isn’t increased weight around the abdomen a “normal” occurrence with age?
Heck, what are the actual risks of fat around your midsection?
To begin with, it is important to understand what belly fat is. It is not the same as the subcutaneous fat located between your skin and the outer wall of your abdomen.
Instead, belly fat is the visceral fat that lies deep between the spaces of the organs in your abdomen.
Holding onto visceral fat increases your risk of developing one or more of the following conditions:
- Sleep apnea
- High blood pressure
- Cardiovascular disease
- Colorectal cancer
- Insulin resistance
- Type 2 diabetes
Getting Rid of Belly Fat for Men
The best way to lose belly fat for a man is to make a few lifestyle changes.
Okay, we don’t mean anything drastic here! If you’re like most people, you probably have been there, done that and it simply doesn’t work.
You want sustainable changes!
New daily practices that are simple enough to do consistently are exactly what will help you get rid of the spare tire.
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to flattening a stubborn beer gut.
First, body types aren’t the same. Plus, there could be a few different underlying factors that can lead to belly fat in different people.
For this reason, t is super important to figure out what your fat level and weight should be. Speak with your doctor to help you determine the ideal BMI so you know how to proceed.
With that out of the way, here are some of the lifestyle changes you can incorporate to help you lose belly fat.
Exercise Regularly
In addition to reducing abdominal fat, doing regular exercise is one of the best ways to avoid diseases and increase your chances of living a healthy life.
Don’t get this wrong, though.
You can’t possibly spot train abdominal fat. And that’s been scientifically established.
So, instead of doing abdominal exercises or trying to lose fat in one spot, focus on the following exercises:
Strength Training
Add strength training to your workout routine if you want to lose weight and reduce abdominal fat.
Try to lift weights, whether it is a dumbbell, barbell, kettlebell, or even any assisted weight machine. Just make sure to stay within your fitness level.
For best results, consider doing high-intensity resistance training for short periods.
Cardio Workout
Do some aerobic exercises such as running, swimming, and walking. Performing cardio a few times a week can improve the endurance level of your lungs and heart.
That’s in addition to significantly reducing abdominal fat.
If you’re looking to lose weight, aim for around 20 to 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardio per day a couple of times weekly.
Keep in mind that regular exercise will not only eliminate abdominal fat; it can also help in weight maintenance. That means, it will prevent you from regaining belly fat.
Bottom line: make exercise a permanent part of your life. Don’t abandon it once you begin to see significant improvement in your waistline.
Eat More Probiotics
You can significantly eliminate belly fat by consuming more foods containing probiotics. Instead of junk foods, consider adding the following to your diet:
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Kombucha tea
- Dairy and nondairy kefir
- Unpasteurized pickled vegetables
These contain beneficial bacteria that can address obesity and improve your overall gut health.
Eat More Fiber-Rich Foods
Fiber-rich foods can help you get rid of belly fat because they are mostly indigestible matter.
But before you go overboard with dietary fiber, understand that there are two different types of fiber: soluble and insoluble – and they interact differently with water in your body.
Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. Instead, it serves as a bulking agent to help you pass stool through the gut.
Some of the common sources of insoluble fiber include potatoes, wheat beans, cauliflower, green beans, and whole-wheat flour.
While these foods can provide great health benefits, they are not what you should be consuming more of for reducing beer belly.
If you are looking to get rid of belly fat, you’ll want to focus on more soluble fiber food sources. This type of dietary fiber dissolves in water and sits in your gut in the form of a thick gel.
This process encourages gut bacteria diversity. These helpful bacteria are linked to less belly fat.
Eating more soluble fiber can significantly slow down the rate of food movements in your digestive system.
In other words, you’ll feel full for longer periods by consuming more soluble fiber.
Excellent sources of soluble fiber include foods such as:
- Barley
- Beans
- Peas
- Apples
- Citrus fruit
- Oats
Instead of reaching for cookies, cakes, or chocolate when you are craving something sweet, you can snack on oranges, grapefruit, or apples.
Research shows that eating up to 14 grams of fiber daily reduces calorie intake by 10% and helps you lose approximately 4.5 pounds in about four months.
Eat More Protein and Fewer Refined Carbohydrate
Increasing your protein intake will boost your metabolism, feed your muscles, and help you shed weight.
Consider adding protein-rich foods to your meal, such as fatty fish, eggs, lean meats, poultry, and full-fat dairy products.
Don’t have time to prepare a proper meal?
No worries.
You can still consume more protein by drinking protein-rich drinks like smoothies containing whey and other fruits high in protein.
Healthier Beverages
One of the simple lifestyle changes you can make with regards to your eating habit is avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks.
Consuming too much sugar will only overload your liver with fructose. Excess fructose in the liver will end up being converted into fat.
And excess fat will be deposited around your midsection!
Plus, if you take liquid sugar or sugar-sweetened drinks, you make matter worse because your body registers liquid calories in a completely different way than solid calories.
The best way to lose belly fat for a man? Give up sugar-sweetened drinks, including fruit juices, high sugar sports drinks, and sugary sodas.
Of course, you want to limit alcohol intake, too!
Even a single shot of alcohol contains very high amounts of calories. When consumed in excess, alcohol will reduce your inhibitions.
This means it will likely make you eat unhealthy foods that you ordinarily won’t consume.
To crown it all, alcohol dehydrates you and makes you want to eat more salty foods such as French fries.
Drink More Water
Regardless of all the benefits you can get from drinking calorie-free beverages, they can’t beat what plain water can do for you when it comes to losing weight.
Besides, being 100% calorie-free, plain water boosts your metabolism. This means drinking water can help you burn fat quicker.
Before you eat the next available food, it is usually a good idea to reach for a cup of water first. Many times, we tend to mistake our thirst as a signal to eat something.
To make things worse, we eat high-sodium foods since these can help the body hold on to any little water left.
Unfortunately, this provides more calories than the body actually needs. The result is usually weight gain or excess abdominal fat.
Instead of eating right after you feel hungry, drink water first.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Lastly, you shouldn’t skip out on sleep. According to a study conducted by the University of Chicago, you are less likely to lose fat if you don’t get enough shuteye.
You are likely to end up overeating if you consistently get only five hours or less of sleep. For best results, target up to eight hours or more of sleep every day.
Conclusion
The best way to lose belly fat for a man is to take baby steps with diet and exercise.
You didn’t get to where you currently are overnight. You’re not likely to reverse your condition by taking quantum leaps.
Easy does it!
Simply determine your target BMI (with the help of your physician), identify the appropriate lifestyle changes you need to make, and remain consistent.
Keep in mind that belly fat is extremely unhealthy.
So, stay committed to whatever exercise or diet program works for you until you see results.
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