Shrink Your Stomach

Ever wonder how some people maintain a slim figure and tummy? They probably, consciously or subconsciously, are shrinking their stomach. It's quite easy to do.

Steps

Taking Control of Your Hunger

  1. Eat more frequently. The real trick to losing weight is to rein in your hunger. The easiest way to do that is to eat more often. Eat smaller meals more frequently and you will find that you eat less food overall. It also makes it easier to eat healthier foods.
  2. Eat slowly. Eat slowly when you do eat your meals and snacks. This will give your body time to process the food and let you know when you’re full more accurately. Try taking half an hour to eat, rather than fifteen minutes, for example.
  3. Drink tea or black coffee between meals. We often eat not because we are hungry but because we are bored or feel like we should be eating. Develop a habit of analyzing your hunger. If you aren’t hungry, or it isn’t a proper mealtime, try drinking tea or coffee (no milk or sugar). This will give your stomach something to work with but contains few calories.

Changing Your Diet

  1. Create a calorie deficit. Calories are the measurement of energy that our body uses. We eat food to get the energy and nutrients for our body to function. But if you eat more calories than you need to function, your body will store those nutrients in fat (making you gain weight). Take in fewer calories than you need to force your body to burn off those extra stores.
  2. Eat a balanced diet. There's a reason for that food pyramid you learned about in school. Eating a balanced diet is important for making sure your body gets all of the nutrients in the right amounts to keep you feeling full and healthy. Try to eat a diet comprised of 30% healthy carbs, 20% each of fruits and vegetables, 10% each of dairy and meat, and as little fat and sugar as possible.[1]
    • Healthy carbs include rye, quinoa, oatmeal, brown rice, and other nutrient-rich grains.
    • When fitting fruits and vegetables in your diet, make smart choices. Some fruits and vegetables are not as healthy as others. Try to eat citrus fruits, rather than fruits like apples (which have lots of sugar and relatively few nutrients). When choosing greens, the rule of thumb is that the greener it is, the better it is. Avoid the iceberg lettuce in favor of kale, arugula, or spinach.
  3. Eat more lean protein. Protein will give you energy and nutrients. It's important to eat lean proteins like chicken, beans and lentils, and eggs, however, as many protein sources have a large amount of fat.
  4. Eat fewer unhealthy fats and empty calories. Avoid saturated and trans fats (which are always labeled on the back of food containers). These fats are unhealthy and can cause you to gain weight. Empty calories are ones which include almost no nutrients and they should also be avoided.
    • Foods high in saturated and trans fats include margarine, chips, crackers, store-bought baked goods, frozen food, coconut, butter, processed meat, as well as a number of other foods.[2]
    • Examples of empty calories include white bread, chips, cookies, jam, fruit juices (even the natural ones!), soda, most breakfast cereals, and a number of other foods as well.
  5. Make smart food choices. Eat more foods which are rich in nutrients. These can help you feel more full and give your body what it needs to stay strong and healthy. Healthy foods include broccoli, salmon, quinoa, lentils, olive oil, eggs, kale, and edamame.

Exercising for Fat Reduction

  1. Do aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as spot training. You can’t lose weight for just your stomach; you’ll need to lose weight over all in order to shrink that belly. But with a good diet and a little exercise, that is easy to do. Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories and helping you lose weight.
  2. Exercise enough. It is important to exercise for at least ten continuous minutes, as anything less will not really help you burn calories. You will also want to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day total. An hour would be better. The more you exercise, the more progress you’ll see. [3]
  3. Exercise regularly. If you want to lose weight, it is also important to exercise regularly. This may not mean every day, but you shouldn’t exercise just once a week or every now and again when you feel like it. Being sporadic will not really give you results.

Sample Diet and Exercise Plan

  1. Eat a healthy breakfast. Balance dairy, protein, and healthy carbs in the morning for a caffeine-free energy boost. You can alternate between these example breakfast options:
    • 1 cup of strawberry yogurt, 1 large banana, and 1 cup cooked oatmeal.
    • 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese, 1 or 2 oranges, and 1 whole-wheat bagel.
    • 2 oz of Canadian bacon, 1 cup of kiwis, and 2 pieces of whole-wheat toast.
  2. Eat a healthy lunch. For many people, lunch is when we break down and eat something bad. Stay strong and make healthy choices! Alternate between these three example lunch options:
    • Kale salad with lentils and onions. Use low-fat dressing.
    • Whole wheat flat bread with chicken, hummus, and cucumber.
    • Rye bread sandwich with arugula, salmon, and mozzarella.
  3. Eat a healthy dinner. Eat a small dinner and try to eat it as soon as possible. Your body can’t burn enough of the calories from your meal if you eat right before sleeping. Examples of healthy dinners include:
    • Lemon pan-seared salmon, steamed broccoli, and garlic roast potatoes.
    • Quinoa with steamed kale and lean chicken.
    • Grilled halibut and spinach salad with low-fat dressing.
  4. Eat healthy snacks. Eat one snack between meals to keep you from feeling like you have to scarf food. This will also help your body learn to process all food better. Examples of healthy snacks include:
    • Cherry tomatoes and green beans.
    • 1 cup of pumpkin seeds, almonds, or walnuts.
    • Low fat cottage cheese and apples.
  5. Exercise. Exercise for at least one hour a day, if you can. It doesn’t need to be all at once. Get your heart rate up for at least ten minutes at a time to ensure that you burn calories. Here are some example exercises (try to do all three every day):
    • Do 4 minutes of planks, 2 minutes of squats, and 4 minutes of jumping jacks when you wake up.
    • Go for a half hour jog if you have time before getting ready for work.
    • Ride a bike (stationary or mobile) for half an hour when you get home.

Tips

  • Exercise with a friend to keep you motivated!
  • Check with your doctor if you want to change your diet and are pregnant, diabetic, have digestive issues, or have any other problems that may affect you losing weight.

Warnings

  • Eat as little sugar as possible. Your body doesn't need it and this is often a hidden way in which we end up consuming far too many calories.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/pyramid/
  2. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/top-10-foods-with-trans-fats?page=1
  3. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/your-exercise-routine-how-much-is-enough

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