Whether for health or aesthetics, eliminating abdominal fat is a common desire for many people. Regardless of reason, adopting a lifestyle with regular exercises and healthy habits not only helps to achieve a more toned belly, but also brings a number of overall health and emotional well-being benefits.

In addition, a healthy lifestyle contributes to the prevention of chronic diseases. “A wide waist can increase the risk of developing heart problems, impairing blood circulation, accumulating fat in the liver and other internal organs,” adds nutritionist Karen Oliveira.

Next, check out some habits and exercises that help eliminate abdominal fat!

1. Have a balanced diet

One balanced food It involves the choice of natural and nutritious foods. Prioritize lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. Avoid refined sugars and processed foods, which can lead to increased abdominal fat.

“Our body is a perfect machine and programmed to survive. Thus, everything we eat and that will not be used by the body is stored in fat, our energy reserve. The important thing is to know the correct and suitable amount for your needs, so as not to have excess or disability,” explains nutritionist Kelly Balieiro.

2. Perform strength training

Resistance training, such as weight lifting and exercises with the body weightbuild muscle mass. Muscles are metabolically active and help burn more calories, favoring decreased abdominal fat.

3. Do aerobic exercises

Aerobic activities such as running, swimming and cycling raise the heart rate and increase oxygen consumption. This results in calorie burning, contributing to the general reduction of body fat, including abdominal.

“It is interesting to give preference to exercises Aerobics that emphasize more body fat burning as a whole by accelerating metabolic pathways faster, ”says Amanda Aguiar, physical education professional and physiotherapist.

4. Avoid stress

Chronic stress can increase cortisol levels, which is associated with abdominal fat accumulation. Relaxation practices, such as meditation, help reduce this hormone in the body, improving the control of abdominal fat.

5. Prioritize fiber intake

Fiber -rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, fruits and whole grains, promote satiety and improve digestive health. The very processed options, on the other hand, are easier digestion And usually offer a larger contribution of calories.

“Fiber -rich foods require greater effort in the whole process of digestion (from chewing), they help in weight loss, as the energy expenditure involved in this process is much greater,” says Dr. Paulo Rosenbaum, endocrinologist at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.

6. Have an appropriate sleep

Sleeping 7 to 9 hours a night is crucial. During proper sleep, appetite -related hormones are regulated, avoiding excessive food consumption. In addition, quality sleep improves hormonal balance, reducing the stress and decreasing cortisol levels, which is associated with abdominal fat accumulation.

A good night of sleep also contributes to the efficient functioning of metabolism, allowing the body to burn calories more effectively, thus favoring abdominal fat loss.

7.

Walking can help in abdominal fat loss as it increases caloric expenditure, accelerates metabolism and reduces stress. It also strengthens abdominal muscles and improves overall health. When aligned with a balanced diet, other types of exercise and healthy habits, their result is more effective.

“Great option also for sedentary or those who adopt a lighter pace, but do not give up exercise. Walking increases the body’s metabolism and generates a high caloric expenditure,” says Dr. William Komatsu, the exercise physiologist.

8. Drink water

Drinking water helps reduce abdominal fat because it suppresses appetite, accelerates metabolism, improves digestion and detoxification, replaces caloric beverages, controls liquid retention and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Thus, it contributes to a balanced caloric intake and fat loss in the abdominal region.

9. Make control of food portions

Eating adequate portions of food avoids caloric excess. The practice of consciously eating helps to recognize the signs of satiety, avoiding excessive consumption and contributing to abdominal fat loss.

“As you don’t know if [o organismo] It will receive food briefly or not, cautiously, it enters a semi-innition mode, reduces the speed of metabolism and, from there, both fat deposits and calories are burned more slowly, ”says Dr. Paulo Rosenbaum.

10. Invest in HIIT training

High intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of alternating between periods of intense exercise and short rest periods. This approach increases the metabolic rate and burns more calories in a short period, promoting the loss of abdominal fat.

“Methods such as HIIT (high intensity interval training) show that a few minutes of intense exercise can generate high caloric expenditure and improvements in cardiovascular conditioning,” says Ronaldo Vilela Barros, coordinator of the Anhanguera College Physical Education course.

11. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption

Alcoholic beverages are highly caloric and often consumed in large quantities without the person noticing. In addition, alcohol interferes with metabolism, causing the body to prioritize the burning of calories of the drink instead of burning stored fat, especially in the belly region. Another factor is that alcohol can stimulate appetite and lead to exaggerated consumption of foods rich in fat and sugar.

12. Keep an active routine

Keep one active routine It is fundamental for those seeking to eliminate abdominal fat in a healthy and lasting way. This means incorporating movement throughout the day, even outside the moments dedicated to exercise. Small attitudes, such as climbing stairs instead of using the elevator, walking to nearby places, getting up every hour at work or doing housework, helps to increase daily caloric expenditure.