Effective diet plan, tips and tricks to reduce belly fat
Abdominal fat is visceral fat deposited around the liver and other abdominal organs, close to the portal vein that carries blood to the liver. This fat can be harmful to the body. But, proper measures can be taken to reduce belly fat. However, spot reduction is not an exercise that is recommended by HealthifyMe. Nevertheless, some of the ways to reduce belly fat are discussed in the coming parts of this article.
Main reasons for belly fat:
Contrary to popular belief, people with a normal or healthy body mass index (BMI) who also have excess belly fat are at an increased risk of many health problems. Below, are some possible reasons for accumulation of excessive belly fat:
sugary foods and beverages:
Studies have established a link between excessive sugar intake and excess belly fat. This is mainly due to the extra refined sugar added during processing. While excess sugar in any form can be harmful, sugar-sweetened beverages are particularly problematic.
Liquor:
Another possible reason for the rapid increase of belly fat is the consumption of alcohol. Studies have linked excessive consumption of alcohol to an increase in belly fat. One study found that men who consumed more than 3 drinks a day were 80% more likely to have excess body fat.
sedentary lifestyle:
How lean your body is and how much activity you engage in also plays a major role in the accumulation of belly fat. One study showed that people who did resistance training or aerobic exercise for a year after losing weight were able to prevent belly fat, while those who didn’t exercise experienced a 25-38% increase in belly fat.
An indicative diet plan to reduce belly fat:
To reduce belly fat, it is very important to have the right kind of diet. It is ideal to follow a well thought out diet as per your needs and requirements. We have prepared for you an indicative diet plan of 1200 calories which will help you to understand how you can plan your diet. However, it should be noted that a 1500 calorie diet plan is ideal for men, while a 1200 calorie diet plan works better for women.
As is known to all, dietary requirements differ from person to person. So before choosing any plan, consult a nutritionist to understand which plan works best for you, and choose your diet accordingly.
- 7 am: Lemon cinnamon water (1 glass)
- 8:00 am: Vegetable sandwich (1 sandwich) and skimmed (fat-free) milk (1 glass)
- 11 am: Watermelon (1 cup, sliced) and almonds (5)
- 1 pm: Masala Khichdi (2 bowls), Sprouted curd salad (1 bowl), Low fat curd curry (1 bowl)
- 3:30 pm: Buttermilk (1 glass)
- 4 pm: Green tea (1 cup)
- 5 pm: Boiled gram (half bowl)
- 8:30 pm: Chapati (2), Palak paneer (1 bowl), Cucumber (half)
- 11:00 pm: Skimmed (fat-free) milk (1 cup)
- Start your day with a glass of lemon cinnamon water.
- Have a vegetable sandwich for breakfast, along with a glass of skim milk.
- After this, eat fruits and almonds at 11:00 am.
- Have lunch at 1:00 pm. Have a bowl of sprouted curd salad and low-fat curd curry with two bowls of masala khichdi.
- Digest the food with a glass of buttermilk at 3:30 pm.
- Drink a cup of green tea at 4:00 pm.
- After one hour, take half a bowl of boiled gram.
Make sure that your diet is balanced, and that you are consuming as many nutrients as possible, while also making sure that you burn more calories than your daily intake. For a better understanding of how to plan your diet for a week, here is a weekly plan.