Five ways to get rid of belly fat this festive season

WE ALL crave a slender figure, especially in summer. Getting rid of belly fat can be a difficult goal to achieve and to maintain.

However, dietitians tell us that larger waistlines are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

Losing weight, especially belly fat, also improves blood vessel functioning and sleep quality.

According to Kerry Stewart, director of clinical and research physiology at Johns Hopkins, it is nearly impossible to precisely target belly fat when dieting; a multipronged approach may be required to achieve the desired results.

“But losing weight overall will help shrink your waistline,” Stewart said.

Below are five ways to get rid of that beer belly.

Try curbing carbs instead of fats.

Stewart says when Johns Hopkins researchers compared losing weight by following a low-carbohydrate diet versus a low-fat diet for six months – each containing the same amount of calories – those on a low-carb diet lost an average of 4.5kg more than those on a low-fat diet – 13kg versus 8.5kg

He said an extra benefit of the low-carb diet was that less lean tissue (muscle) was lost. Think eating plan, not diet.

Stewart recommends that people pick a healthy eating plan that they can stick to.

The benefit of a low-carb approach is that it simply involves learning to make better food choices – no calorie counting is necessary. In general, a low-carb way of eating shifts your intake away from problem foods – those high in carbs and sugar, such as bread, pastries and cooldrinks – and towards high-fibre or high-protein choices, such as vegetables, beans and healthy meats.

Keep moving.

Walk or jog.

“Physical activity helps burn abdominal fat … because it reduces circulating levels of insulin, which would otherwise signal the body to hang on to fat, and causes the liver to use up fatty acids, especially those nearby visceral fat deposits,” he says.

Lift weights.

Get out those dumbbells. Adding even moderate strength training to aerobic exercise helps build lean muscle mass, which causes you to burn more calories.

Move away from processed foods.

The ingredients in packaged goods and snack foods are often heavy on trans fats, added sugar and added salt or sodium – three things that make it difficult to lose weight.