Blast Belly Bulge – 11 Tips You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet

Anyone trying to get rid of belly fat knows that it can be a struggle. It hangs on and sits around no matter how many sit-ups you do or how many sweaty, insane cardio sessions you squeeze in your schedule. You probably ask yourself a countless number of times: What’s my problem?! Your intentions may be good, but you probably need to tweak your plan of attack. Start by understanding why we have fat on our bodies in the first place: The body tends to hang onto belly fat because our mid-section is the main storage area for future energy needs.

The problem usually comes down to excess calories at the end of the day, but age, weight, body composition, hormone changes, lean muscle mass, diet, genetics, stress and physical activity can all play a role in a person's metabolism. Some of these things we have control over, others we are born with and can't do much about. If we concentrate on what we can change, then boosting our metabolism becomes easier to accomplish. Once the boost begins, we can burn away the obnoxious, resented excess belly fat.

Here are 11 tips that can help you increase your metabolism and get rid of that extra surface area on your stomach.

1. Build some muscle - Our metabolism slows down as we age, there's just no way to get around this basic physiological fact. But we can help slow down this process with exercise, resistance or weight training in particular. Nothing burns calories quite like lean muscle mass and the more you have the more calories you burn, even while sitting on the couch doing nothing. Doing aerobic exercise is also a good way to burn excess calories and build up the cardiovascular system, but the long-term benefits are not the same as lifting weights and building muscle.

2. Breakfast – I know I sound like a broken record, but eat breakfast every day. Ignoring breakfast keeps your metabolism from getting properly fired up at the beginning of the day. In fact, most people who eat a healthy breakfast every day have fewer weight problems and health issues then people who skip it.

3. Stay Away from Sugar – Or at least limit added sugars. You may not think much about it, but sugar can wreak havoc on even the most diligent weight loss plan. The human body quickly and easily digests and metabolizes it, quickly converting it into fat storage. Complex carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables, and high fiber foods are the way to go because they provide a steady supply of energy throughout the day.

4. Eat Spicy Foods – Shocked to find this tip in here? It has actually been reported that many of the foods which make you sweat will raise your metabolism temporarily as well as increase feelings of satiety (feeling full). So go for the chili, just make sure it’s the lean kind.

5. Get 8 Hours of Sleep - People who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity mostly due to the fact that the body misses out on valuable time it needs to heal and regenerate itself. Think about it: Those weeks when you barely manage to gather 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night leave you feeling stressed, hungry, miserable, moody and downright chunky, don’t they? Sleep is crucial for our bodies.

6. Drink Lots of Water - Water is vitally important to every biological system in the body. It is the lubricant that keeps us going and the fluid that helps flush toxins and waste products out of our system. Water is underrated, drink more!

7. Eat Smaller Meals - This doesn't mean eat less; it means eat 5 to 6 small meals spread out evenly throughout the day. This will give the body a constant supply of energy and help prevent binge eating.

8. Don't Skip Meals – This is one of my BIGGEST don’ts! Skipping meals causes your metabolism to slow down in a major way, which creates the opposite outcome you were probably looking for when you had the bright idea not to eat.

9. Have a Meal Plan - Making a weekly menu (or even just a daily one) makes it much easier to stick with a diet. It will also make grocery shopping quicker and cheaper. If you don’t have time to plot out your food for a week, at least stock-up on items you love and know are healthy. That way it’s a no-brainer when it comes time to figure out what to brown-bag for lunch tomorrow.

10. Green Tea - Unlike coffee, which stresses the endocrine and nervous system with caffeine, green tea will boost your metabolism naturally and efficiently.

11. You are What You Eat - Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat are high-energy foods that you should include in your diet. They provide sustained energy throughout the day and help prevent blood sugar spikes and deficits that lead to out-of-control snacking. My favorite trick of all time: Don’t buy junk. If it’s not in your house, you won’t be tempted to eat it. Same rule applies at the office – stash healthy snacks like almonds, light string cheese, fruit, whole-wheat crackers and light yogurt.

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified
personal trainer through
the National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has a
passion for helping
others live a healthy
lifestyle and coaching
them to push their limits beyond what they
think they are capable of.