4 Ways to Shed Belly Fat (proven strategies)

There are so many factors that contribute to belly fat. It’s not just what you eat or how much you eat.

Overall lifestyle choices, the quality of your food, and your genetics all play a role in whether or not you carry extra fat in your midsection.

Here are 4 ways you can reduce your waistline that don’t involve major dieting or restriction:

1. Eat unprocessed food most of the time: Belly fat may be caused by eating inflammatory foods (i.e. highly processed or high sugar foods). If eaten in surplus, you may carry extra fat in your midsection and also suffer from bloating and indigestion.
   
   
2. Eat more vegetables: Studies show that the more veggies you consume, the less waist circumference you’ll have. Fill half your plate with non-starchy veggies such as mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, green beans, beets, carrots, etc. Taste the rainbow!
    
3. Reduce your stress: When in a chronic state of stress, your body cannot “rest and digest.” If you’re in a constant “fight or flight” mode due to chronic stress, your body may hold on to extra weight even if you eat all the “right things.”
   
   
4. Stop focusing on “ab-only” exercises: you cannot spot reduce belly fat. Doing more crunches will create a stronger core, but will not “burn away” the fat layer over the muscles. Full body strength training and HIIT cardio will always reign supreme to ab-only exercises.