Do you want to know how to lose belly fat? If it was so simple, we would all be personal trainers and experts in the fields.

Lucky for you, it can be.

With so much information out there it’s hard to distinguish fact from fiction. Everything from “Ketogenic Diets”, to Mediterannean Diets”, and even “Zone Diets” are making its way from talk shows, to Instagram posts, Ted Talks and even your classic Cook Books. Now by no means is it wrong to follow a type of diet, but for a lot of people it’s hard to find a healthy balance with such restrictions that these diets we are told to follow permit. While dieting may work for half of the population the other half are left searching the web for results on “How to diet without dieting”.

Is it possible?

Here is the first thing to know about dieting, there is no one perfect diet. Everyone functions differently. Sally may be able to scarf down a double cheese burger with a large order of fries and burn it in half the time it would take Barbara to digest an avocado spread on a piece of toast. Extreme, but you get my point. Nutrition is such a grey area that you really have to research yourself before researching what’s best for yourself.  Enjoy this journey and embrace the changes that have yet to come.

Tips on How to Lose Belly Fat

Let’s stop calling it “DIETING”. A “DIET” is simply the kind of food a person eats. A “DIET” should be a lifestyle change and not the next 30 day challenge being promoted on social media. Recent studies were conducted to compare the relationship between dieting and weight gain. For example, a Consumer Reports survey found that 4000 of the 32,000 respondents were able to lose an average of 37 pounds and maintain the loss for 5 or more years by “self-directed lifestyle changes”.

What is meant by a lifestyle change?

1. Portion Control: More is less. Eat smaller meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism from shutting down. Avoid overworking your metabolism over one heavy meal because it will make it more difficult for your body to utilize those nutrients for energy when you finally crash…Oh, did I mention it will leave you feeling really sleepy too?

2. Fiber: Eating foods high in fiber will make you feel fuller for longer periods of time because of its slow digestion rate. It’s really hard to overeat on these types of foods which make them perfect for adapting to part 1, portion control. Fruits, vegetables and legumes have adequate amounts of fiber per serving.

3. Food Diary: Start logging your meals so you can see what you’re consuming throughout the day. This can help you manage the types of foods you’re eating and how often you’re eating them in order to establish a balanced plan for yourself.

Last But Not Least,

Don’t leave out nutrition’s best friend, Exercise. Daily exercise is the key to success. Just keep moving.  The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology suggests adults aged 18-64 years should get a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic physical activity a week in bouts of 10 minutes or more, along with resistance training exercises at least 2x/week (Csep.ca, 2018).

Everyone has the time, you just have to get a little creative:

1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
2. Get off one stop ahead from your home stop and get walking.
3. Office breaks: Take a 10 minute break to stretch or walk around the branch. You can even exercise in your work space all you need is a chair! Crazy, I know. That will be a whole other blog on its own though.
4. Propose walking meetings: Become the new branch enthusiast for mental health awareness week. Show your coworkers the benefits of daily exercise by proposing walk-and-talk meetings as opposed to your old fashioned sit down ones. No one can sleep through these ones!
5. Get fit with a friend: Join Sally for hot yoga Mondays and distress from your long day at work. It can do wonders that a TV never could, just try.

Remember, balance is key. Strive for what’s achievable. This is a journey; embrace the changes that have yet to be made.