How to Burn Lower Belly Fat

Keep track of your progress by measuring your waist.

According to the Marilyn Glenville website, having excess fat around the waist can put you at a higher risk for diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. Reducing fat in one area of the body, also known as spot reduction, is not possible. The only way to get rid of lower belly fat is by incorporating exercise into your lifestyle and adjusting your eating habits.

Instructions

1. Eat up to six times per day to keep your metabolism activated and to burn fat. Consume small portions of nutritious foods. Choose lean proteins such as chicken and turkey. Eat complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and whole wheat breads instead of simple carbohydrates. Avoid saturated fats; choose unsaturated fats such as olive oil instead.

2. Drink eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated and to promote digestive health. Limit caffeine and alcohol use, as these dehydrate the body and reduce your energy level.

3. Incorporate regular cardiovascular training such as running, biking and swimming into your lifestyle. Bringing the heart rate up increases your metabolism and helps burn fat all over your body, including the fat in your lower tummy area.

4. Do compound exercises to tone and increase muscle mass. Muscle mass brings the metabolism up and burns calories and fat throughout the day, even when you are at rest. Compound exercises target multiple muscles simultaneously; they include squats, lunges, bench dips, pushups and dead lifts.

5. Target the lower belly with abdominal exercises. Once the lower belly fat starts melting away, you want to display toned stomach muscles. Aside from your basic crunches and situps that target mostly the upper abdominals, you can do exercises like reverse curls and leg raises to target the lower abdominals.

6. Practice meditation to reduce stress in your life. Increased stress levels trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with fat in the stomach area.

7. Sleep eight hours per day. While you sleep your body restores itself and provides you with energy for the next day.

References

• Marilyn Glenville: Fat Around The Middle
• True Star Health: Spot Reduction Myth or Truth?
• Men's Health: 6-Minute Meals For 6-Pack Abs
• Critical Bench: Compound Exercises
• Simple Fitness Solutions: Truth About Training The Abdominal Muscles