Do you consider belly fat just a cosmetic problem?
Well, it’s not. Having your abdominal area filled with lots of fat is scientifically linked to several diseases such as ischemic heart disease and diabetes.
Therefore, losing belly fat has enormous benefits for your physical as well as psychological health.
Estimation of belly fat is usually done by measuring the circumference around your waist with the help of a measuring tape.
A waist measurement above 88 cm (35 inches) in women and 102 cm (40 inches) in men is considered as abdominal obesity.
Even if you are not heavy overall – belly measurements above the standard limit must be taken seriously. You should consider taking some simple steps to reduce belly fat.
Luckily, some proven ways have been shown to specifically target the belly fat more than other areas of the body.
Following are six evidence-based strategies to lose belly fat and prevent future health complications.
Lessen Sugar Consumption And Avoid Sugar-Laden Beverages
Added sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks are very unhealthy.
Numerous studies and clinical trials show that consuming sugar or sugar-filled diets have harmful effects on your health.
Sugar is a combination of half fructose and half glucose. Unlike glucose, only the liver can only metabolize sugar in significant amounts.
The liver gets overloaded with fructose when you eat a lot of added sugar. As a result, it forcefully turns it into fat.
Many studies have shown that excess fructose intake (in the form of sugar) can result in the buildup of unhealthy fat in the liver and the belly.
Some dietitians and nutritionists believe that failed liver metabolism is the primary mechanism behind the harmful effects of sugar on your health. It builds liver fat and belly fat, which can lead to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) and several other metabolic problems such as liver cirrhosis.
Liquid sugar (the type you find in sweetened-drinks and carbonated beverages) is even dangerous in this regard. It contains liquid calories that are not “registered” the same way by the brain as solid calories. Consequently, drinking sugar-sweetened drinks result in consuming more total calories.
According to a study, there is a 60% increased risk of obesity in children who consume sugar-sweetened beverages than others who consume solid calories (9).
Therefore, you should consider minimizing the amount of sugar (both solid and liquid) in your diet.
This may include fruit juices, sugar-sweetened beverages, high-sugar sports drinks, and carbonated sodas.
However, this doesn’t apply to whole fruits. Most of them are incredibly healthy and packed full of fiber that decreases the harmful effects of fructose in sugar.
The amount of substantial calories you get from whole fruits is very less compared to the calories you get from a sugar-laden diet.
Reading labels is a simple and effective way to cut back on refined sugar. Even foods sold as “health foods” or “low sugar” food can contain large amounts of added sugar.
SUMMARY
Excess consumption of sugar (either in the form of solid or liquid calories) may be the principal driver behind the accumulation of excess fat in the liver and belly. Taking steps to reduce sugar intake can be a good start towards losing belly fat.
Open Next Page To See More
