7 Ways To Burn Your Belly Fat Fast

One of the most common questions I get is how to lose belly fat. Belly
fat is actually the most dangerous type of fat – besides aesthetics,
large waist lines are indicators of –disease-disease-disease.

It takes more than just crunches! We start to gain weight in our
midsection when our cortisol levels spike. Stress is one of the primary
culprits for high levels of cortisol secretion. When this happens
cortisol breaks downs lean muscle (the type of tissue that burns
calories most efficiently) and also holds on to fat storage in the
abdominal region.

That stress can even get WORSE with bad dieting; studies show that the
stress caused by dieting can increase cortisol levels, making no change
in belly fat even with calorie restriction. So how do you shape up?
Incorporate these 6 things below and you will be on your way to a
flatter belly in no time flat!

1. Sleep

If you want to work late at night, think again. When your biorhythms are
off, you end up eating more. When you’re tired you produce more
ghrelin, which triggers cravings for sugar and other fat-building foods.
Losing sleep can also alter your hormone production, affecting your
cortisol levels that cause insulin sensitivity, prime reasons for belly
fat! Getting about 7 hours of sleep a night is one of the best things
you can do for your body shaping goals.

2. Short bursts of exercises

1000 crunches a night may get you strong abdominal muscles, but with a
full layer of fat on top, you will not get the results you really want.
Instead of all those crunches, do exercises that engage multiple muscle
groups and work your cardiovascular system.

Try planking, where you hold yourself in a push-up position, resting
your forearms on the ground. Try 3 or 4 sets of holding for 30 seconds
each. Getting up and moving throughout the day by going for walks will
also help.

3. Sugar is your Enemy

Fighting belly fat is 80% healthy diet. Reduce calories by filling
yourself up with protein, vegetables, whole grains, and replacing bad
habit snacks with good ones. For example, if you have a sugar craving,
replace your calorie laden latte with a Muscle Milk lite, one of my
favorites, because it has zero sugar and a ton of protein that will
satiate while also torching my sugar craving!

Another great trick is a sprinkle of cinnamon in your morning coffee or
oatmeal- the spice has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar. It also
slows the rate at which food exits the stomach, which helps you feel
fuller longer.

4. Vitamin C

When you’re under extreme stress, you secrete more cortisol hormone.
Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol spikes that happen to you under
this stress. Besides being a good way to counteract a cold, Vitamin C is
also essential for making carnitine, a compound used by the body to
turn fat into fuel, making this vitamin your fat burning friend.

If you’re going through an emotional crisis, stress from work, or a bad
eating splurge, increase your vitamin C – it’ll help counteract the
negative side effects. Try bell peppers, kale or kiwi fruits. These have
even more Vitamin C than the famous Orange !

5. Eat Fat

Yup, you heard me! It takes fat to burn fat. Like I said above, it’s
sugar that gets you fat, not fat. Good fats include foods rich in Omega
3’s, like salmon, avocados & walnuts. These foods are full of
nutrients that help keep you satiated throughout the day.

6. Slowing down your breath

This is a very simple method that you can use even when you’re in the
midst of doing something else. Whenever you notice you’re feeling tense
and uptight check and see how you’re breathing. Most people under stress
either alternate holding their breath with short breaths, or take rapid
shallow breaths.

After you become aware of your own breathing, consciously relax your
belly and slow down the breathing. This works best if you focus on
slowing down the exhalation rather than your inhalation. With each
exhalation you can say to yourself “slow down”. That is all there is to
it- Simple but surprisingly effective!!!