14 Best Ways Women Can Lose Belly Fat, From RDs

By Ghuman

Introduction

If you’re a woman looking to lose belly fat, you’ve come to the right place. Losing belly fat can be a challenge, but with the right strategies and lifestyle changes, it’s possible to reduce your waist size and improve your overall health. In this article, we’ll discuss 14 of the best ways women can lose belly fat, as recommended by registered dietitians. From diet and exercise tips to lifestyle changes, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started on your journey to a healthier, slimmer waistline.

14 Best Ways Women Can Lose Belly Fat, From RDs

Losing belly fat can be a challenge for many women. But with the right diet and exercise plan, it is possible to reduce your waist size and get a flatter stomach. Registered dietitians (RDs) have the expertise to help you create a plan that works for you and your lifestyle. Here are 14 tips from RDs to help you lose belly fat.

1. Eat More Protein

Protein is an important part of any diet, but it is especially important when trying to lose belly fat. Protein helps to keep you full longer and can help to reduce cravings. Aim to get at least 25-30 grams of protein at each meal. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and legumes.

2. Increase Your Fiber Intake

Fiber is an important part of any diet, but it is especially important when trying to lose belly fat. Fiber helps to keep you full longer and can help to reduce cravings. Aim to get at least 25-30 grams of fiber per day. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

3. Cut Back on Refined Carbs

Refined carbs, such as white bread, white rice, and sugary snacks, can cause your blood sugar to spike and can lead to increased belly fat. Try to limit your intake of refined carbs and instead focus on eating more complex carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

4. Eat More Healthy Fats

Healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and olive oil, can help to keep you full and can help to reduce cravings. Aim to get at least 25-30 grams of healthy fats per day. Good sources of healthy fats include avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.

5. Drink More Water

Drinking plenty of water can help to keep you full and can help to reduce cravings. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. You can also add a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water for added flavor.

6. Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is important for overall health, but it can also help to reduce belly fat. Aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble sleeping, try to limit your caffeine intake and avoid screens before bed.

7. Reduce Stress

Stress can lead to increased cortisol levels, which can lead to increased belly fat. Try to reduce stress by taking time for yourself, meditating, or doing yoga. You can also try to limit your caffeine intake and get enough sleep.

8. Avoid Processed Foods

Processed foods, such as chips, cookies, and candy, can lead to increased belly fat. Try to limit your intake of processed foods and instead focus on eating more whole, unprocessed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

9. Eat More Whole Grains

Whole grains, such as oats, quinoa, and brown rice, are a great source of fiber and can help to keep you full. Aim to get at least 25-30 grams of whole grains per day. Good sources of whole grains include oats, quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat bread.

10. Limit Alcohol Intake

Alcohol can lead to increased belly fat. Try to limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day. If you do choose to drink, opt for lower calorie options, such as light beer or wine.

11. Exercise Regularly

Exercise is an important part of any weight loss plan. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Good exercises for losing belly fat include walking, jogging, cycling, and strength training.

12. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Aim to get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Good sources of fruits and vegetables include apples, oranges, bananas, spinach, and broccoli.

13. Avoid Sugary Drinks

Sugary drinks, such as soda and juice, can lead to increased belly fat. Try to limit your intake of sugary drinks and instead opt for water or unsweetened tea or coffee.

14. Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress can help to keep you motivated and can help to ensure that you are on track to reach your goals. Try to track your progress by taking measurements, weighing yourself, and keeping a food journal.

Stomach fats is usually the primary to build up after we achieve weight and the final to be burned off. The stomach fats bulge will be much more irritating for girls, who usually discover that irrespective of how ceaselessly they hit the gymnasium or how drastically they modify their consuming habits, there are all the time no less than just a few kilos of their midsection that stubbornly stay. Moreover, the search to lose stomach fats solely will get harder as girls age.

“Ladies are inclined to pack on extra stomach fats as they become old, particularly after reaching menopause,” says Megan Wong, RD, a registered dietitian working with AlgaeCal. “As ranges of the hormone estrogen drop, physique fats patterns shift from the everyday ‘pear-shaped’ feminine determine to the ‘apple-shaped’ determine extra ceaselessly related to males.”

And never solely is stomach fats irritating if you happen to’re making an attempt to suit into your favourite pair of denims, but it surely additionally has the potential to be very detrimental to girls’s total well being. “Visceral fats is metabolized by the liver and in the end turns into blood ldl cholesterol, which collects within the arteries, finally narrowing them. These clogged arteries can finally result in angina, coronary heart illness, coronary heart assault, stroke, and different cardiac signs,” explains Dr. Candice Seti, PsyD, CPT, CNC, a licensed scientific psychologist, an authorized private coach, and an authorized vitamin coach. “Visceral fats can be answerable for the discharge of hormones that set off insulin resistance, Sort 2 diabetes, systematic irritation, coronary heart illness, and different cardiovascular illnesses.”

However do not be bummed about your stomach fats. Armed with these expert-recommended suggestions from registered dietitians, nutritionists, and different medical professionals, you’ll be able to lose the stomach fats. Learn on, and for extra on the best way to eat wholesome, do not miss Easy Methods to Begin Shedding Weight Instantly, In response to Science.

High protein foods include chicken beef eggs salmon beans cheese protein powder tofu and cottage cheese
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“Protein-rich meals like fish, rooster, and beans, are very best to scale back stomach fats and likewise assist with weight reduction,” notes Lisa Younger, PhD, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, creator of Lastly Full, Lastly Slim, and an adjunct professor of vitamin at New York College. “And girls have a tougher time shedding weight than males.” Protein could be a stomach fat-blasting ally for girls as a result of it helps you’re feeling fuller for longer because it takes extra time to interrupt down. Moreover, since protein is barely tougher to digest, your physique makes use of extra energy within the course of, which may contribute to a flatter midsection.

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“Most individuals do not realize that sugar usually finally ends up getting saved as fats. While you eat sugar, your physique will use it as an power supply, if wanted, and retailer the remainder as fats; most of the time, we eat extra [sugar] than we want,” explains Wong. “To keep away from added sugars, get accustomed to studying vitamin labels. Widespread culprits that are usually excessive in added sugars are flavored yogurts, breakfast cereals, power drinks, iced teas, granola bars, and flavored nut milks. Check out elements lists as properly. Added sugars will be listed as syrups, molasses, or phrases ending in ‘ose’ — like fructose, glucose, maltose, sucrose or dextrose.”

healthy fats avocado nuts seeds egg cheese
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“Yup, I mentioned enhance! Wholesome fat equivalent to nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado may help normalize your weight and stability your blood sugar – each of which assist fight the event of visceral fats within the stomach,” says Seti. And that is very true for girls. Seeking to blast stomach fats? “Embrace a portion of wholesome fat with each meal.”

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Since girls have a tendency to realize weight round their midsection after menopause, doing workouts that particularly interact your waist and abs may help effectively goal that fats. “I like to recommend bodily actions that middle on shifting the waist, twisting and utilizing your core,” notes Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO, who’s triple-board-certified in gynecology and obstetrics, integrative drugs and anti-aging and regenerative drugs. “Personally, I am a giant fan of boxing. There’s a whole lot of rotation on the waistline if you’re throwing punches, or hitting a bag, so whereas it helps by releasing frustration and detoxing, it additionally helps your stomach.”

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Although this will likely sound apparent, it could actually have a considerable optimistic affect on girls’s lack of stomach fats. “While you’re bloated, your stomach feels dangerous and will look swollen,” says Amanda A. Kostro Miller, RD, LDN, who serves on the advisory board for Fitter Residing.”Bloating set off meals fluctuate by particular person, nevertheless, FODMAPs (Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) could cause bloating, even if you happen to’re on a ‘wholesome’ weight-reduction plan. FODMAPs are current in wholesome fruits, greens, and legumes. Although all fruits/veggies are nutritious, some are excessive in FODMAPs and will trigger misery like bloating, gasoline, diarrhea and stomach ache. A low FODMAP weight-reduction plan could make you’re feeling higher when you’ve got points with excessive FODMAP meals.”

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“If you happen to’re chronically constipated, this will make your stomach space full and bloated. Ensure you eat sufficient fiber and likewise sufficient fluid through the day,” advises Kostro Miller. “An excessive amount of fiber with out extra fluid could cause constipation too.”

Moreover, in accordance with Younger, meals excessive in soluble fiber — like oatmeal, carrots and legumes — might assist struggle stomach fats. “These are notably good for girls as they could additionally allow you to really feel full and help with weight reduction,” she explains.

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“Chronically excessive ranges of cortisol, the stress hormone, can really result in will increase in your stomach fats shops,” says registered dietitian nutritionist SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD. “That is why it is vital to search out methods to handle your stress, to assist cease that cycle of depositing extra fats shops in your stomach. You might even need to speak to a healthcare skilled about having your cortisol degree checked if you’re chronically burdened and struggling to lose fats.”

Whereas each women and men produce cortisol, a 2009 Swedish examine discovered that girls can have considerably increased ranges of sure sorts of cortisol than males.

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Ingesting an excessive amount of alcohol has been linked with elevated stomach fats,” says Younger. “To scale back your waist, girls ought to drink alcohol sparsely or abstain. Alcohol may enhance a girl’s threat for breast most cancers, so limiting alcohol is a win-win.”

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“Resistant starches, equivalent to potatoes, lentils, and beans, really assist take away visceral fats from girls’s our bodies,” says Seti. “Due to the way in which these carbohydrates are processed within the physique, they really enhance your calorie burn and make you’re feeling fuller so that you eat much less all through the day.”

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“Keep away from meals or merchandise which have endocrine disruptors, equivalent to parabens,” says Cabeca. “Skincare merchandise, lotions, shampoos, and lotions which have parabens will add an estrogen load in your physique that may enhance stomach fats in girls.” It’s because further estrogen results in extra fats storage, which is particularly pronounced within the stomach and butt areas in girls.

In response to a 2020 German examine, even pregnant girls who use parabens might enhance the chance of their kids being obese.

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“That is particularly vital for girls since our hormones could cause frequent water weight fluctuations. The place the sodium goes, water will comply with,” Kostro Miller explains. “While you eat a whole lot of sodium (a part of salt) — which most People do — our physique adjusts accordingly by quenching our thirst and/or holding onto the fluid we have already got in our physique. Once we lower total sodium consumption, our physique doesn’t really feel the necessity to maintain onto a lot of water, and the water we drink will hydrate us after which be flushed out.”

Associated: 25 Meals Excessive in Sodium You Ought to Watch Out For

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“Placing extra muscle in your physique is the best method to fight physique fats. Additional muscle fibers change your physique composition over time,” says Seti. “Muscle tissue is lively and helps burn extra and enhance metabolism all through the day, in the end combating the event of visceral fats round your organs.” To get going, Seti suggests girls begin with 5 to 10 minutes of weight lifting a day.

Leafy greens spinach arugula avocado
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In relation to weight-reduction plan adjustments girls could make to get rid of physique fats, Cabeca is a fan of this stylish, but efficient combo. “Incorporate a lot of darkish leafy greens equivalent to broccoli sprouts and kale into your weight-reduction plan. These greens are wealthy in vitamins to assist detoxify estrogen,” she explains. “Additionally embrace wholesome fat that you’ll find in salmon or oysters. Divorce from sugar and dairy, and decrease carbs. Keep away from consuming greater than 4-6 ounces throughout your meal, chew your meals as it’ll pressure your pure digestive enzymes to work, burn the energy and the fats, and you’ll really eat much less.”

She provides: “We additionally need to embrace cruciferous greens as a result of that helps detoxify estrogen diindolylmethane (dim), and the sulforaphane which might be abundantly discovered within the cruciferous greens assist with estrogen detoxing.”

Woman taking mirror selfie at a gym showing off her weight loss
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Whereas yo-yo weight-reduction plan is a standard follow amongst girls, Seti warns it really does extra hurt than good, particularly the place stomach fats is anxious. “A historical past of yo-yo weight-reduction plan is definitely a threat issue for constructing stomach fats. Once we reduce weight, we have a tendency to start out on the high and backside of our our bodies, leaving visceral fats within the stomach for final. Some do not ever get to the purpose of shedding it there,” she says. “Plus, after we achieve the burden again, the stomach is the primary place we add it. So the consequences of yo-yo weight-reduction plan in the end enhance visceral fats in our midsection. Cease the yo-yo and make some life-style adjustments that let you eat properly all yr. Concentrate on veggies, lean protein, and good fat at each meal!” That can assist you in your manner, take a look at 26 Straightforward Methods to Preserve The Weight Off, In response to Dietitians.