Before we begin…
One of the most successful approaches to a more defined midsection is to combine a high-intensity cardio training with the right daily calorie consumption.
You need to eat fewer calories than you burn, so that your body will consume the fat stores in the abdominal area.
Lose Belly Fat not Muscle
Of course, you have to be careful not to absorb too many calories, or else you will lose muscle and not as much belly fat. In addition, other than calorie counting, your nutritional intake also has to be delicately monitored. That is, try to cut down on unhealthy fats and sugars.
Apart from the combination of diet and exercise, there are other strategies to maximize fat loss around the waist. Below are some tips on how to get rid of muffin top.
Are your love handles loving you too much?
Love handles (or muffin tops) may sound cute, but they are not healthy at all. Belly fat also tends to be stubborn. Targeted body sculpting requires a more intensive training; total-body strength training is your best bet for zapping those love handles away.
Beneath this message, is a variety of information on knowing how to get rid of muffin top. And … yes, this can happen right now.
A Brief Summary
So, let us summarize our __ top tips to get rid of Muffin Top
- Eat regularly
- Have a healthy breakfast
- Get enough sleep
- Reduce alcohol intake
1. Eat Regularly
Crash dieting and skipping meals are not at all good strategies for losing belly fat. As a matter of fact, these two strategies can lead to muscle loss. Skipping meals increases levels of cortisol in the bloodstream. A prolonged increase in cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, especially in the abdominal area.
Skipping meals or crash dieting also plays havoc with your insulin and blood sugar levels. You need to maintain your blood sugar levels on an even keel by eating a small meal every three to four hours to help avoid your insulin levels from spiking. Take note, however, that increasing the number of meals should not expand your calorie consumption.
2. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
By the time you wake up in the morning, your body has been fasting for six to eight hours, probably even more if you ate your dinner a few hours before bed time. Habitually skipping breakfast after this long period of ‘starvation’ can kick your body into survival mode. When this happens, excess calories are more likely to be stored as fat rather than as glycogen.
Indeed, research studies show that enjoying a good breakfast can help to boost your metabolic rate throughout the day. Furthermore, a good, healthy breakfast reduces the risk of snacking later in the day – especially those unhealthy treats.
3. Get enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation also plays a role in the increase of cortisol levels in the body, thus leading to weight gain and cravings for sugars and trans-fats. (Just think of those hangover cravings)
Indeed, medical studies show that advanced sleep deprivation upsets the balance of ghrelin and leptin hormones in the body. Ghrelin is a hormone that affects the appetite. Whilst leptin is a hormone that tells the brain that hunger has already been satiated.
Not getting plenty of good quality sleep, increases ghrelin levels and reduces leptin levels.
How many calories do you burn sleeping? Find out HERE
4. Reduce your Alcohol Intake
Well, everybody we all know where the term ‘beer belly’ comes from, don’t we? An alcoholic drink really does pack a whole lot of calories. Cocktails and rich liquors like Baileys or Kahlua are particularly lethal for the waistline. For example, a pina Colada carries around 490 calories. Work out how many calories there are in your favourite tipple here.
Alcohol can also cause cortisol production. When you consume an alcoholic drink the body transforms it into sugar, which is then stored as fat.
“Step aside coffee, this is a job for alcohol”.
Medical Conditions that may lead to Abdominal fat
In addition, there are also a few medical conditions that are connected with an increase in fat around the waist, such as:-
- heart disease
- polycystic ovarian syndrome
- insulin resistance
- hypothyroidism
People who have any one of the above health conditions can find their belly fat is persistent, even with a strict diet and exercise regimen. Consult with your doctor to rule out any underlying conditions that may be hampering your belly fat loss program.
Further Reading
- Index of ALL our Weight Loss Articles
- ALL of our Articles on Diet Posts
- Index of our posts on Height and Weight
- ALL our articles about Body Mass Index (BMI) and Calculators