Top 4 proven scientific tips to reduce belly fat and shed last few pounds

Studies have shown that an excess of fat around the abdomen, in particular, is linked to the possible development of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular / health problems. 

Keeping these possibilities in mind, a good diet and changes to your lifestyle can greatly improve your quality of life.

To gauge whether or not you are tipping the scales for abdominal obesity and possible health risks, there is a simple test you can do, using only a measuring tape. 

Visceral Fat: 

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, if the circumference of your waist is greater than 40 inches (102 cm) for men and 35 inches (88 cm) for women, then that could be a warning sign. If left to its own devices, this type of belly fat, also known as visceral fat, can quite easily impact a person’s life, tremendously.

Many people around the world employ the use of BMI (Body Mass Index) calculators to measure their fat percentages, however, in recent years, there has been a lot of backlash on this approach making it not as substantial.

In East Asia however, particularly in Japan, citizens are advised to get government-endorsed health checkups which become a lot more frequent as age increases, not only that but in corporate jobs, employees' waist sizes are measured to make sure they are not suffering from abdominal obesity. 

For those unversed, compared to the abdomen larger amounts of fat on the hips or legs are not scientifically considered as dangerous as an extra inch of belly fat.

There are two kinds of fat surrounding our bodies and it is important to distinguish between them because not all kinds of fat are harmful to a person’s health, they include visceral and subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is that which provides cushioning to our organs while subcutaneous fat is found right under our skin. The most dangerous of the two is not what most people may come to believe, because the one to keep a closer eye on would be visceral fat.

In a study done in 2004, several patients measured health improvements after losing the two kinds of belly fat and it was found that those who instantly lost belly fat due to liposuction (the process of sucking fat out of your body directly through a medical process) had no notable health improvements if those people still had visceral fat underneath.

Visceral fat cannot be magically whisked away with medical processes, unfortunately; the only way to get rid of that kind of fat is through proper diet and exercise. Even though it may not sound like good news, the fat didn’t come over overnight and neither is it leaving without a fight.

Limit Sugar & Vet Before Ingesting:

Sugar is made up of two molecules, namely glucose and fructose. Fructose, when taken in extreme quantities forces your liver to deal with it by turning it into fat, hence it is very important to be mindful of sugar sources, from sweeteners to dark chocolate all need to be vetted before being ingested.

However, we all know that cravings are hard to manage and according to science, they shouldn’t be, for it is just our body’s way of demanding particular nutrients. 

To combat the bottomless pit that is craving, people can opt for fruits and berries. Because not only are they loaded with antioxidants but they also contain a particular component that is linked to reducing belly fat, when taken daily.

Not only that but try and stay away from mindless sugar which leads to a crash midway through the afternoon. This includes soda, and junk food in general.

Go To Bed Early:

We have all heard that saying but only recently has science pushed out claims which talk about its importance in such a hard-hitting manner. According to a study, it has been found that people who wake up later than 10:45 am end up consuming 250 calories more than the early birds, it may not seem like a lot in the beginning but it adds up and because of this, people end up not choosing chips and soda.

Exercise The Right Way: 

This one must have been a pretty obvious tip by now. Exercise is important for any healthy regimen, however, many people exercise incorrectly or worse, dangerously. Without proper form or knowledge, the hours spent in the gym could be dangerous.

Cardio is the answer to losing belly fat but too much cardio can do more harm than good. Remember that quality trumps quantity any day of the week.

• Try high-intensity interval training or interval training in general
• Consider eight-lifting for more long-term results & a higher Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
• Refrain from extensive ab exercises

Tip: This may come as a shock to most people since they have been taught that targeted exercises help, but in reality, it's more about the amount of calories going in Vs. going out.

Turn To Foods With High Fiber Contents: 

A lot of people steer away from eating in general when trying to lose belly fat, however, it is important to note that the kind of foods you eat is more important than the amount. 

Consider eating whole-grain foods that fill you up for longer and don’t run away from carbs because they are the body’s primary energy supply source. 

Even researchers have found that just by increasing 10 grams of fiber, people have reported a 3.7% decrease in fat, in five years.

The biggest factor that will determine whether or not you can reach your weight loss goals and lose the belly fat that you desire, is persistence, planning, and patience.