Feeling the burn

Belly fat consists of subcutaneous fat - right underneath the skin and this is the harmless one. Then there is visceral fat, deep inside, surrounding the organs.
Adding moderate strength training helps build lean muscle mass
Adding moderate strength training helps build lean muscle mass

HYDERABAD :  One of the most searched terms online today is belly fat reduction. Why? Is it because we are a carb heavy country or is it because we move less? Or a little of both? In general, it is said that carbohydrates cause obesity and that’s the culprit.

But this is contradicted by Japan, which has one of the highest carbohydrate intake and the lowest obesity rate. How is that possible? Simply because they move often and move a lot, they walk everywhere. What we are getting at is the fact that fat loss or belly fat loss needs well planned meals, but also needs constant/consistent movement. Let’s dive a little deeper. 

Belly fat consists of subcutaneous fat - right underneath the skin and this is the harmless one. Then there is visceral fat, deep inside, surrounding the organs. It’s located near several vital organs, including the liver, stomach, intestines and can also build up in the arteries, and this is the harmful one that causes all the health risks like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure etc. Here’s how to tackle it in terms of exercise, food and other factors:

EXERCISE
Every exercise you do engages your core, the mid-section. Walking, squats, deadlifts, planks, skipping, burpees etc. But if we want to target a certain muscle group like the abdomen muscle, you must first focus on strengthening the core (everything minus the limbs). While you are working on core strength, a lot of belly fat will be gone. HIIT (high intensity interval training), workouts help with good calorie burn and fat burn. So 30 minutes of HIIT five days a week will do great.

Cycling and running are also great cardio workouts that will aid fat loss. Adding moderate strength training helps build lean muscle mass, which causes you to burn more calories throughout the entire day, both at rest and during exercise. Most importantly keep moving, walk, 10,000 - 15,000 steps a day. Brisk walking burns fat.

FOOD
Pick a healthy eating plan you can stick to and not a fad diet. You do not remove carbs or fat and make it high protein. Yes, protein is important, but so are the good carbs and good fats. You cannot remove these macros from your meal plan. Ensure you add a lot of complex carbs, soluble fibre-like beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, oats, brown rice, sourdough breads, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, carrots, etc.

Eat a good amount of protein, eggs, tofu, paneer, dals, beans, chickpeas, fish, chicken etc. You can also eat good fat like nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, coconut flakes etc. Remember to eat when you are hungry and not simply because it’s meal time, eat to feel full and not stuffed. Hydrate plenty (cue - ensure your pee is always clear and not yellow) and avoid processed food and sugar. Stress can make you gain belly fat by triggering the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which is also known as the stress hormone. 

(The author is a fitness expert with Cure.fit)

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