First, the good news, is when you lose fat, it’s not just your belly, you’ll lose fat wherever it sits in your body, including your chest, waist, thigh, arms, etc.
What follows is the result of years of experience and a lot of failure! Losing fat is hard and there are a lot of myths. I’ve tried many and failed, taken the time to do the research and find out what really works.
So, no theory, only real-life strategies that work. These are the things that I follow.
Here are 8 strategies:
(1) Take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal.
If you do nothing else from this list, do this! Why is this so important? Once you start eating, it takes your body about 20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full. Once that message is sent, you don’t feel like eating anymore. Sadly, most of our meals don’t last that long, so we tend to overeat - because we eat fast.
So - slow down. Ways to do this:
- Put down your fork/spoon after every bite.
- Chew your food at least 20 times.
- Don’t eat while watching TV as you will not pay attention to how fast you eat.
- Set a timer for 20 minutes.
(2) Fill half your plate with veggies.
This is a simple rule. Every time you sit down to eat, fill half the plate with vegetables. Which one? Any will do, so long as you like it. The only exception is the potato family as they tend to be high in carbs. Any other veggies are ok.
This strategy will make sure you fill yourself with healthy food that gives you a lot of nutrients, will keep you full because of the water and fiber in the veggies and you’ll find that it slows down your meal because veggies need a fair bit of chewing. Here’s a visual that should help:(3) Eat veggies and protein first, carbs after.
Put veggies on your plate first, then put protein. The last thing on your plate should be carbs (like rice, roti, tortilla, pita bread, etc).
Why does this work? Because you are putting the most nutritious foods first and leaving the worst (nutrient-wise) for last. Now remember that it’s not bad to eat carbs, it's just that we tend to eat too much and then not enough veggies and protein. By following this strategy, we fix that.
If you want to skip the carbs sometimes, that’s perfectly ok. I am not suggesting zero-carb or very low-carb, but lower-carb compared to where most people are today - which is very high-carb.
(4) Have a glass of water before the meal.
This is a great tactic to use before each meal. By doing this, you’ll be a little bit full before starting to eat. So when you eat, you will not be starving and choose silly foods. You’ll make better decisions and will also not be able to stuff yourself.
And no - this will not dilute stomach acid. Given the acid levels in your stomach, you will need more than 20 liters of water to dilute your stomach acid to a point where it interferes with digestion.
(5) Get 45 minutes of activity every day.
Does not matter what it is, pick something you enjoy and will do regularly. Don’t pick something that you think is a ‘punishment’, that will backfire as you’ll then end up eating more to reward yourself for the punishment.
Regular activity (preferably outdoors) is excellent for health. You should remember that fat loss is mostly about food, so don’t expect too much from exercise alone. But it does help, so doing it regularly will help. Even walking is perfectly fine. You don’t need a gym membership.
Also, many people think that stomach crunches will reduce belly fat. That is not how the body works. When you lose fat, you lose it wherever the fat is on your body and the fat goes away in sheets (or layers). So you don’t need to (and cannot) target specific body parts. Just get activity that is mild to moderate intensity, that makes you sweat and leaves you a bit out of breath.
(6) Sleep at least 7hrs every night.
This is the most underrated element of fat loss. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will store fat. This is the opposite of what you want! You want to burn fat. But to do that, your body must not be under stress. Not getting enough sleep = stress. So, stop stressing your body and get more sleep. For most adults, the recommendation is 7 hours or more every day.
And you cannot catch up just over the weekend, consistency matters. Try naps if you cannot get enough at night.
(7) Eat fruit, don't drink it (ie no juices).
It’s very easy to get too much sugar through juices, so best to avoid them. Here’s an example - a glass of orange juice has 4–6 oranges. You can drink that juice in 2mins. Can you eat 4–6 oranges in one go? I guess not!
Fruits are rich in fiber so it's very hard to eat too much. That’s nature's way of keeping you in check. But when you juice it, you take out the fiber so it's mostly sugar and water. Which is why you can overdo it and drink a lot of calories very quickly.
So, avoid juices - have the fruit instead.
(8) Eat nothing from a packet or box (ie no processed foods).
Processed foods are not very good for you. They have many added ingredients. These are there for 2 reasons:
- to give the food a long shelf life.
- to trick your brain into wanting more (remember ‘no one can eat just one’?).
These foods have a specific mix of salt, sugar, and fat that tricks your brain into wanting more, it's like an addiction. And these flavors are developed in a laboratory by scientists. Is that the kind of food you want to eat?
So be smart about such foods and give them a miss. Your body will thank you.
How NOT to try and lose belly fat?
Don’t rely on:
- magic fixes like lemon water/teas/detox diets.
- random supplements.
- internet diets.
- count calories and do not pay attention to food quality.
- starve yourself.
- overwork yourself with too much exercise (that is bad stress).
If this is a subject you’re interested in, we’ve written many articles about it. You can read them here: The Daily9 Wellness Blog. I hope they help you with your weight loss goals and improving your health.
Belly fat causes Heart Attacks in men aged 35-69.
You should combat belly fat and reduce heart attack risk.
Here are 10 Best ways to lose belly fat within the shortest time period (Backed by science):1. Eat Nutrient Dense food
Benefits:
• High energy
• Helps metabolism burn fat
• Prevents disease and obesity
• Vitamins, minerals, amino acids.2. Get better sleep
• Comfortable bed
• Completely dark room
• Asleep by 2100h or 2200h
• Cold room temperature (17-20 Celsius)
321 Rule:
• Don’t eat 3 hours before bed
• Don’t drink 2 hours before bed
• No screen time 1 hour before bed.
How to relax in the evenings:
• Eat Blueberries
• Eat dark chocolate (70-100%)
• Drink Magnesium + L-Theanine
You might thank me later…
3. Exercise or physical labor
• Lift weight 3-5X a week
• Weights burn more calories than cardio
• Walk 10-20k steps a day for optimal health
Sore muscles = Growth hormone spike that burns fat.
4. Eat lots of protein
• Fills you up
• Essential minerals and vitamins
• Eat 0.8-1g of protein per pound of body weight
Health hack: Before a meal, drink 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar for better digestion (dilute in water).
5. Avoid people who stress you out
Spend time with people who:
• Exercise
• Eat healthy
• Open-minded
• Take responsibility
• Hold you accountable
Hang out with 5 fit people, and you will be the 6th.
Stress = Cortisol Cortisol turns protein, fat, and ketones into sugar.
6. Intermittent fasting
When you eat within a time frame of 4-8 hours a day, you give your digestive system a rest.
You will have:
• Clarity
• More energy
• Fewer cravings
Ask your doctor first before you fast though.
7. Stay Hydrated & Limit Alcohol Intake:
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Staying hydrated helps maintain metabolism and can reduce bloating.
Reduce your alcohol intake, as it can contribute to belly fat. Alcohol is high in empty calories and can affect metabolism.
8. Avoid these:
• Alcohol
• Too many carbs
• Too much sugar
These increase insulin levels High insulin stops fat burning (interrupts ketosis).
9. Don’t try to be perfect
• Eat 80% healthy
• Eat 20% whatever you want
Trying to be perfect creates unrealistic expectations you can’t stop thinking about. Strive for excellence, not perfection.
10. Lower your calories
You need to be in a calorie deficit of 300-500 calories.
If you struggle with cravings, try this:
• Black coffee
• Sparkling water
• Drinking more fluid
• Brush your teeth after supper
• Eat slower (or eat with chopsticks).
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