Lose Belly Fat - Is It Really Possible?

Healthy Living, How To, Solving Problems, Yoga November 9th, 2007

Yes! Of course it is! Don’t give up! There is hope. The key is to understand how your body works and to have a comprehensive plan that you will execute over a reasonable period of time. Translation: this is not a quick fix. But, remember, it is doable! Take the turtle approach, slow and steady, and you’ll get there.

Now it is true that fat cells don’t disappear unless you surgically remove them. But you don’t need to go that route because fat cells can shrink! You may think “Oh, boy, this is going to be difficult.” It will take work, yes, but remember it’s not impossible. There is a solution. You can trim your tummy. This is great news!

I’ve assembled a guide here that includes the best tips from my own personal experience as well as other experts in the fields of diet, exercise, and stress-management.

The tips below work best when combined as an overall program. The three areas we’ll cover are diet, exercise, and anti-stress strategies. Get committed, create your personal plan, and you will lose your belly fat!

If you want the total solution in full detail, check out my ebook “The Secrets to a Healthy Life,” which details the fully researched health regimen I used to lose 15 pounds and become a much healthier and happier person. (And yes, a flatter tummy too!)

Diet Tips for Losing Belly Fat

If you want a sleeker tummy, then you’ll want to lose weight overall and more specifically you’ll want to lose fat. Spot reductions are not feasible. However if you carry most of the weight in your mid-section then the good news is that’s where you will see the results first. Here are the tips for healthy dieting:

1. Weight Loss Plan.

Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate and figure out how many calories your body burns daily just sitting on a couch.
Then add in the calories you burn with exercise and daily activity.
Calculate your weight loss goal, time frame, and amount of calories you need to cut out daily to reach your goal.

2. What to Eat.

Balanced Diet where your calorie breakdown follows these percentages approximately: (check out How to Eat Healthier for more information)
- 35% lean protein (vegetarian is healthiest - beans, nuts, tofu, seitan, lots of green veggies)
- 35% high fiber carbohydrates (shoot for 25-30g fiber per day)
- 30% healthy fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil - bear in mind you can’t cook with flaxseed oil, add it to salads or already steamed vegetables for flavor and other important nutrients)
Eat lots of vegetable and fruits that have a low glycemic index. Here is a list of foods and their glycemix index. To reduce fat, steam your vegetables or stir fry in broth.
Drink Your Fruits/Veggies! This is an easy way to eat healthy. Blend up smoothies, vegetable drinks, or quick puree soups. I can’t recommend anything more highly than a VitaMix blender. It’s a little pricey, but they last a lifetime and they make eating healthy a breeze. I love mine!
Consider taking a CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid), 1000mg 3 times a day with meals. In studies CLA was shown to reduce body fat, in particular in the belly area. If you have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes, check with your doctor first. UPDATE: I no longer recommend CLA supplements. I don’t think that CLA will hurt you, but from all my research, it appears that the most effective, safe, and healthy way to lose weight is to follow a whole foods plant based diet called a Vegan diet. Also check out Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedmand and Kim Barnouin. (FYI: It’s not a diet of misery. It’s a delicious way to eat, otherwise I wouldn’t do it!)
If you eat meat, buy organic meats which have lower saturated fat content and higher natural levels of CLA.

3. Resources.

The Secrets to a Healthy Life by K. Stone. This is my ebook on healthy living that details the easiest way to lose weight covering diet, exercise and much more.
Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedmand and Kim Barnouin. A concise volume with power packing facts on why a plant-based diet is best for your health, waistline, and even the world. The style is very spunky, but the message is clear and powerful.
Lose Fat Not Faith by Jeremy Likness. Excellent ebook chronicling the author’s journey from being 65 pounds overweight to lean and muscular. His website has the pictures to prove it. His approach is very sensible and very doable. And with his story being a personal one, it is a pleasure to read.
The Fat Flush Plan by Louise Gittleman
Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss by Dr. Joel Fuhrman: A diet plan based on eating highly nutritious, low calorie foods. (Vegetarian friendly)
Slow Burn: Burn Fat Faster By Exercising Slowe by Stu Mittleman: a slower, kinder way to lose weight. 5 Star rating on Amazon.
The 3-Day Solution Plan: Jump-start Lasting Weight Loss by Turning Off the Drive to Overeat [BURST:] Lose up to 6 pounds in 3 days! this is a great book that gets to the root of how we relate to food and by understanding that you can change how you eat.
Tim Ferris “Slow Carb” Diet
Weight Watchers -easy online program to manage your calories without having to count calories.

Exercise Tips to Lose Belly Fat

When trying to lose belly fat the important thing to remember is to include whole body exercises and to rotate your workouts in order to continually provide a challenge for your body. Otherwise your body becomes acclimated and does not receive as much benefit as if you vary your workouts. So for example if you always jog 30 minutes every day, that will be less effective than if you do different types of workouts every few days. Here are the exercise tips for losing tummy fat:

1. Do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. Brisk walking or jogging are great low cost exercises to do, but anything that you enjoy and that gets your heart rate up is fine. Shoot for at least 3-5 times per week at a minimum. Here is an excellent article on varying your jogging workouts. And here is an article on how to become a runner.
2. Do whole body workouts 2-3 times per week such as yoga (strenuous) or Pilates or a weight-lifting program. These types of exercises will build muscle, increase metabolism, and make losing fat easier. Here is a link to my favorite yoga and Pilates videos.
3. Instead of cruches, try these Army exercises that strengthen and tone your stomach as part of a whole body workout.
4. Hold your stomach muscles in during the day whenever you can think of it. This will strengthen your abdominal girdle and create a flatter stomach.
5. Sit up straight and pull in your stomach muscles when sitting. You might want to create physical reminders to do this such as a post-it note at your desk or a loose rubber band around your wrist.
6. Stretching. Take breaks throughout the day to do back bending stretches that will stretch out your stomach muscles and keep them from becoming shortened which is not good for your stomach or your back.

Additional Resource: Check out “Why Is Exercise Good for You?” This gives you information on all the cool ways that your body changes when you exercise. It’s very motivating!

Anti-Stress Strategies for Losing Belly Fat

You may have seen commercials for supplements that will help you regulate the hormone cortisol in order to lose belly fat. Well controlling cortisol is very good idea, however supplements are not the way to go. What you want to do is reduce the stress that produces the cortisol hormone.

Cortisol is a hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure. When you encounter stress, including lack of sleep, cortisol boosts your energy level by producing glucose. If you have chronically high stress levels then you’ll have too much of this hormone. This will keep your appetite stimulated and also keeps glucose production high. The body converts excess glucose into fat, which is usually stored in the midsection for quick access by your body.

How do you neutralize the stress of daily life? With relaxation techniques. Here are some helpful ideas:

1. Get Enough Sleep. Only you know how much sleep you need, but if you are routinely dragging during the day feeling sleepy, lethargic, exhausted, etc., then you probably need to get more sleep.

2. De-Stress Breaks. Take small breaks throughout the day, say every 1-3 hours. On the break you can:

Take a 5-10 minute walk
Try some yoga at your desk.
Take a Meditation “Nap“

3. Try Tai Chi, Qigong, or Yoga a few times a week.

Here are a list of my favorite yoga videos.
Here are two Qigong videos I recommend:
Qigong for Stress Relief - Francesco Garripoli
Qigong beginning practice - Francesco Garripoli

4. Meditate Daily. Meditate for 10-20 minutes 1-2 times per day, once in the morning and once in the later part of the day. This will set the tone for your day and help curb the automatic stress response. Here are two recommended meditation guides:

8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life. by Victor Davich
Meditation for Beginners by Meditation for Beginners (DVD)
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat Zinn
Guided Mindfulness Meditation (Guided Mindfulness) by Jon Kabat Zinn

5. Calming Guidance. Consider listening to positive audio tapes in your car or on your daily exercise. The one that I highly recommend is Andrew Matthews, “Happiness and Success” audio program. The website is one of those salesy sites, but never fear, this is probably the best self-help product I ever bought. I listen to it often and always refer my friends to his books and audio programs.

Other Considerations When Trying to Lose Belly Fat

1. Hypothyroidism. If you follow all these steps and can’t lose weight check with your doctor as you may have an under active thyroid which can throw off your metabolism and cause you to gain weight.

2. Buddy Up for Success. Enlist a friend, colleague, or family member to join your challenge. You’ll be more successful if you have someone to encourage and push you!

3. Hire a Personal Trainer. Think of all the stuff you buy that you don’t need. Why not spend money on something that could make a real difference in your health? This is great if you need help with discipline or with crafting an exercise routine.

4. Make Healthy Eating Easy. Fruits and veggie eating is the best way to be healthy and lose weight. You can eat as much as you want! Blend them into smoothies and soups. I can’t recommend anything more highly than a VitaMix blender. It’s a little pricey, but they last a lifetime and they make eating healthy a breeze. I love mine!

Please Share!

Do you have a success story on losing your tummy fat? If you’re just starting let us know so we can all encourage you! All comments big and small are very welcomed!

If you want the total solution in full detail, how I lost 15 pounds and got a flatter tummy, check out my ebook “The Secrets to a Healthy Life.”

If you want to Support Life Learning Today, you can visit one of my sponsors, make a donation, or make a purchase at Amazon through one of my links. Thank you!

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diet, Exercise, health, weight management

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Comments

6
Jerad Kaliher
November 13th, 2007 at 1:16 am

To tell you the truth I began to give up. If I’m not playing a sport it’s pretty hard for me to focus on one area of my body.

These are some really great little tips to add into my daily repertoire without having to think about it.
7
Justin Roepel
November 13th, 2007 at 2:17 am

Thanks for this great article on weight loss. I especially like the inclusion of anti-stress strategies. I do have a quick question for everybody out there… What is your opinion on the effectiveness of CLA? I’ve tried it before and can’t be sure I noticed a difference. Is it worth the cost and apparently risk to use it? Thanks in advance!
8
Neta's mom
November 13th, 2007 at 7:55 am

Very nice article,

I do agree that stress will keep our appetite stimulated and keeps glucose production high. What I just know from this article is cortisol is the hormon that responsible for regulates carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure.

The key words to be success to loose belly fat are commitment, disiplin and practice. by doing these, we can be succeded to be slim and free from belly fat.
12
dingmo ed
December 4th, 2007 at 1:50 pm

I am always amazed by people who have the misconception that if they have a beer gut or something, they can just do crunches all day to magically lose it. sigh, great article, it was a good read. And ill just take the opportunity to say i love reading your blog and love the pictures you pick for your articles.
13
Stomach Exercise Lady
December 6th, 2007 at 6:53 pm

Very well written article. I believe this is the only, permenant way of losing belly fat.
15
Tighten and Tone Stomach
December 15th, 2007 at 2:02 pm

You have a specific result you want. You want to see your abs. The “6- pack” look.

We can break this down to 2 factors.

1) You must have a relatively low amount of fat stored in the abdominal region.

2) You must build the muscle fiber of the abdominal muscles

2 steps are all it takes. I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m saying that if you follow these 2 steps, you’ll have the look you want- and you’ll look good with your shirt off, on the beach, or however you like to spend time naked
16
Menopause Resources
December 18th, 2007 at 12:31 am

This information is very help full for the people who are working in software and call center industries because they don’t have time to exercise and due to cotinious sitting and working through out the day the Fat percentage increases so the tips provided by you helps us to Lose Weight Fast And Keep It Off.
18
sohan
January 10th, 2008 at 8:25 am

hi i wana reduce my tummy.i m 25 years old n unmarried i was slim but in 2006 i had a heart surgery it was congenital vsd case.now i m ok but after surgery my weight has increased n tummy as well.pls giv me some suggesions.i wana b slim
19
flax seed
January 10th, 2008 at 10:21 am

Thanks for the great info on this article. I agree, getting into a balanced diet is necessary in the intent of weight loss and loss of belly fat. Striking a balance between carbo, fats and proteins is a good way to start. Oftentimes, we overload on carbs thinking this won’t get us fat. But it can actually! Too much carbo in the system prevents the uptake of stored fat as an energy resource and that’s how we end up on the flab side–even if we cut down on fats. It would also help to get a daily dietary supplement such as flax seed (like you said). This one helps regulate metabolism and weight as well.
23
Patricia Dailey
February 8th, 2008 at 8:07 am

I am a 62 year old woman, so far have lost about 45 lbs. Now I have all this ugly fat hanging every where, looks worse than when i was fat. Is it possible to get rid of it without going under the knife. Im just too old for that.
Pat
24
NoMoreFatDad
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 pm

Thanks for the great article. The no-nonsense information you provide is all anyone really needs to get on the right track towards a healthy, lean body. I really wish people were more receptive to this type of message rather than the 8-minute abs type of messages everyone seems to believe in.
25
Stomach Exercises
March 4th, 2008 at 8:52 am

Very nice article,

Its all about striking a balance between diet and exercise

I especially like the anti-stress strategies you mention.
26
body wraps for weight loss
March 7th, 2008 at 11:12 am

I have been looking all over for the low glycemic fruits and vegetable chart online. Thanks! Also which pilates video is your favorite on the page you referred to? There are a list of 10 of them.
28
i want a six pack
March 14th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

excellent post, spot reductions are not only not feasable.. but also not possible for a well defined midsection people need to lower their body fat aswell as strengthen their abs.
29
shivani
March 16th, 2008 at 11:24 am

I have yet to see a site as informative as yours without any hidden costs or intent to sell products. Thank you so much for this wonderful service you are doing and please continue. All the approaches listed by you are very practical and do-able.
30
Easy Witchcraft
March 20th, 2008 at 8:08 pm

I was always overweight until I became vegetarian. I’ve been vegan for almost 10 years now and it’s amazing how much I can eat without worrying about putting on extra pounds.

You can make great vegan cakes and desserts, too, and they’re usually pretty healthy.
31
aortic stenosis
March 27th, 2008 at 2:17 am

I must say you have very well put up the article

Thank you for sharing such valuable information

Gr8 Work

Keep it up
32
Quit Smoking Today
April 4th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

Wow, that’s a heap of info. Thanks for sharing the info. I have been able to lose belly fat while doing exercises to better my health after smoking. Well it only took daily running sessions to start, now I’m running using intervals to power up my workout.

Thank you
33
agentsully
April 5th, 2008 at 9:42 am

@ Quit Smoking. Good for you! Keep up the good work!
34
Bill needs to lose weight naturally
April 7th, 2008 at 3:48 pm

Can I add something about dieting to your excellent post?

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In many cases the goal is weight loss, but some athletes aspire to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle) and diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight.
35
Lose Fat
April 16th, 2008 at 5:06 pm

I’m glad that you mentioned that holding your stomach in helps to look flatter. In bodybuilding, that is called stomach vacuumes. They help to build your transverse abdominals and keep your stomach tighter and slimmer.
36
Get a Flat Stomach
April 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

Nice collection of tips and resources there
37
MikeN
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Your advice to consider taking a CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid), 1000mg 3 times a day with meals links to the wikipedia site; it provides information about CLA and says it may or may not be harmful to the human body. From my reading, it provides more evidence that it would be HARMFUL. I would suggest anyone willing to take CLA talk to a doctor first. Reducing your life span to loss a few pounds is NOT WORTH IT.

MN
38
www.fababsreviews.com
May 12th, 2008 at 11:14 am

Great article, you really cover a lot here. It’s definitely a balancing act and no one thing on it’s own is best. Like most things, there are several ways to lose belly fat, at least there are several exercises. You’ve listed a few as well as given resources to other exercises. I know I found out a couple of new things about losing tummy fat. The right diet and the right exercises combined is the best way to go.I think a lot of people will benefit from this.
39
Lose Fat
May 12th, 2008 at 4:54 pm

While trying to lose belly fat it is important that you have a positive attitude.

I also think that changing your diet is more important for healthy weight loss then exercise, but combining them is ideal of course.

Thanks for an excellent post.
40
Angelina Dickerson
May 13th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

I am looking for a diet for a diabetic male. I did not see anything on your web page, please send information.
41
Stomach Fat
May 15th, 2008 at 9:30 am

The advice about getting enough sleep is very important. From my experience it can have a huge effect on your results
42
The Acai Berry
May 19th, 2008 at 8:22 am

What a exhaustive list. How long did it take you to put this together? -a whole week? jk
43
Paul Johnson
May 20th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

Natural ways of losing belly fats are the best and the safest ways. But more people, especially those who are over weight resort on gastric bypass surgery to lose weight.
44
I Quit Smoking
May 27th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

OOOh, I want the belly on the model image you show
Thanks for the tips!
45
Flat Stomach Exercises
May 30th, 2008 at 9:09 am

well written article. It’s the combination of various actions and changes in habits which will result in losing belly fat
46
lowfat-recipes
May 30th, 2008 at 11:27 am

great blog!
i have a new site about low fat recipes,can i make a exchange link with you?
http://www.lowfat-recipes.info
thanks!
47
D.R.L
May 30th, 2008 at 12:02 pm

Thx for the tips
48
Steve
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:50 am

This is a very well written article with some great info. Thanks
49
how to loose weight fast
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:53 am

There is some awesome tips on loosing that belly fat. Great work
50
agentsully
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:53 am

@ Steve -thanks!
51
sarav
June 8th, 2008 at 10:10 am

Nice marketing article…
Just count the number of outlinks to amazon..
52
sarav
June 8th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Genuine opinions should be debated/argued not moderated…waiting to see the previous comment online
53
agentsully
June 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm

@Sarav - my goal here was to put forth the best information and resources to help people lose belly fat in the most effective way possible, with no gimmicks. There are several amazon links, yes.

This does not make the information in this post any less valid. Most of the books, I personally recommend. Folks can certainly borrow most of these books from their local library instead of buying them. I also made a point to recommend books that offer a different approach to tackling this difficult, but achievable goal. There are many ways to skin this cat. What matters is that each person find the approach that they can stick with.

Also notice that there are many links to totally free resources.

If a reader purchases a book that I recommended through Amazon, that helps support the free advice that I write about. It doesn’t cost them any extra.

I thank everyone who supports Life Learning Today with Amazon purchases. I hope that everyone succeeds in their goal to lose weight. If anyone has questions or comments on this topic, I welcome them!

Please share your successes and struggles here! We’d love to hear about them to congratulate you and to encourage you on your journey!

Thank you for your comment, Sarav. Wishing you all the best.
54
healthy soup diet
June 13th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

Thanks for those easy belly exercises and diet recommendations..you save me some bucks from buying a book…
55
How to Lose Belly Fat
June 16th, 2008 at 2:10 am

Losing belly fat is a change many people need to make. However, its not just a diet or exercise change, it’s a lifestyle change.

Good article.
56
Fitness
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:58 am

thanks a lot for all those tipps. Great article…
57
mimo
June 30th, 2008 at 8:25 am

i want to lose fat but i dont now how
58
Audrey
July 1st, 2008 at 10:00 am

Hello everyone. I use to weigh almost 300 lbs, Now I am about 160. Overall cardio was my method including moderate weight training. My waist went from a 52 to a 29 (now). Also, I delat with alot of issues mentally that was making me keep the weight on. Good luck to everyone. Be Blessed.
59
Dani
July 7th, 2008 at 7:50 pm

@ Audrey: 300lbs to 160? You inspire me! I recently gained a few pounds and was happy to find this article - sometimes a reminder that it’s not a quick fix and that I need to dedicate time is helpful. I’ve been working out for a month and was a little depressed that I hadn’t lost it all, but this article and great comments help me remember it’s not a race and I should be back to my old self if I can just dedicate a few more months without getting discouraged.
60
agentsully
July 9th, 2008 at 8:32 pm

@Dani and Audrey - I am equally inspired! Congrats!

I think I’ve learned (finally) that it’s not about a quick race to lose weight, but rather a long-term way of life for health!
61
agentsully
July 9th, 2008 at 9:13 pm

@mimo - please read my post on “how to eat healthier.”
http://lifelearningtoday.com/2008/04/30/how-to-eat-healthier/

It is the most impactful thing you can do to lose weight! Good luck and let us know how you’re doing!
62
Tony
July 12th, 2008 at 11:41 am

You’re 62. Your skin has stretched and had been in that state a majority of your life. It’s good that you lost all that weight, but your skin has lost most, if not all it’s elasticity. So to answer your question, “highly unlikely”.
63
agentsully
July 17th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

@Tony - you’re right that stretched skin can be difficult to fix, but the weight can be lost. I’m no expert, but maybe if it is lost over a long period of time produces a better chance of the skin shrinking? I’m just hypothesizing here.

But for those who really lose the weight, if there is a lot of excess skin, it can be surgically removed. Of course there are risks with any surgery, so all the factors have to be weighed carefully when making such a decision.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
64
Fat Burning Foods Guide
August 4th, 2008 at 2:55 am

What a great article. I recently started doing some of the suggestions in your article and I’m already feeling that it’s working for me. I can fit into my pants that I had trouble getting into just a few weeks ago.
65
Motley Health
August 8th, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Good advice. Women should not fear weight training - pump some iron, so compound exercises like squats, rows, barbell curls, bench press. Women do not generally bulk up, and weight training is an excellent way to burn fat. If in doubt, watch the Olympic runners, and see how many female athletes have six packs. Train hard, eat well.
66
Gina Lisa
August 13th, 2008 at 6:49 am

Wow, that’s what I call a lot of information… I’m desperately trying to lose my belly fat for five years now, so I’ll browse through all the ressources. Maybe there is actually a way to lose the dreaded belly fat.
67
francesco vitetta
August 15th, 2008 at 5:23 pm

It is always a tough subject. Try to eat healthy, have a good job and look after your skin.
68
kaleyy
September 1st, 2008 at 7:32 pm

hello!! losing belly fat is harder than it seems so dont let these things trick youu!! :]
69
Anna
September 8th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

Hi, I’d really love a quick reply to this. This is gonna sound kind of lame, but I was wondering is there’s any sort of routine I can do to temporarily shrink my belly fat in just 3 days. It doesn’t have to be permanent but I’m going out round town with my friends on Friday, and I just want to look nice as my belly will be showing. I’m not crazy, I don’t want a dangerous diet or anything, but I wondered is there were any exercises I could do just to tighten it up for my night out. Thanks.
70
Anna
September 11th, 2008 at 8:08 am

well that was fairly pointless. i had 3 days to get an answer, and 3 days later its not even moderated
71
Paul
September 13th, 2008 at 4:40 pm

Swiming worked wonders for me. 5 hours of swiming each week worked like crazy and I went to having muscle in under a month.
72
Dan
September 18th, 2008 at 6:10 am

Don’t forget about exercise! Among my favourite things to do is the gym but some people like outdoor sports, some like swimming, whatever works for you
74
ALICE
September 19th, 2008 at 6:48 am

dear life learning,

ineed to know those exercise by names and the type of food that can quit out the fatty belly.

thanks.
75
digitalnomad
September 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am

Thanks agent. I was looking for info on yoga, and guess who I found…

Digi
76
I Love Carbs Lacee
September 25th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

What I wouldn’t give for a belly like the Shania Twain looking woman in the picture. I guess I can dream a little bit…hehe.

Great tips for a diet. I love eating carbs and that is a real hang up for me, especially trying to maintain a low carb diet. I found out something that has been very helpful, so maybe it will help your readers as well.

You can eat starchy foods. You just need to eat them before you exercise. That way they are burned for something good and not stored as fat. This tip has really helped maintain my weight.

good luck everybody
77
agentsully
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm

Hey Digi - That’s funny! Cool. Nice to see you here. Thanks for leaving a message!
78
agentsully
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:07 pm

@Alice - Go for a whole foods plant based diet. And for a no-brainer exercise take up speed walking or jogging for minimum 30 minutes per day. Add the other exercises later.
79
agentsully
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:19 pm

@Anna - sorry to get to your question so late. Yes. I have been away from my blog for a while with my “day job.”

To answer your question, there’s nothing that I would recommend to lose belly fat in 3 days. You could possibly loose water weight by switching over to a low-sodium whole foods plant based vegan diet for a few days. By eliminating dairy and meat and possibly wheat (if you are sensitive to it) you could reduce chronic inflammation thereby losing some (water) weight.

That is what I would recommend for a 3 day diet and also for a life long diet. Check out my post on “The Secrets to a Healthy Life.”

Wishing you all the best!
80
Disease
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:53 pm

anyone can lose the weight with patience and self control.
81
Loose Fat
October 8th, 2008 at 1:11 am

Wow, this is one fantastic resource. Thanks for putting so much effort into creating this. Some great tips in there as well. I’ve only just started yoga but am loving it!
82
Andrew
October 10th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

I was overweight for many years causing a lot of heart ache and pain. I was in a bad way and even hurt my back because of it. I tried many forms of exercise until i discovered Pilates this worked for me and has helped a lot. I thought that these simple easy looking exercises would never help but i persevered and i’m glad i did. that was 4 years ago now and i have lost so much weight that i feel confident for the first time in my life and my back core muscles are strong again giving me the ability to live life to the full. If anyone reads the information provided by you and follows a pilates exercises i know they will become like me. Thanks for the wonderful information keep up the good work.
83
skwinny wannabe
October 13th, 2008 at 12:35 am

NIce article!
I’m looking forward what new body I’ll have by April! =D
And good resources, too. =)
84
Sharleen
October 28th, 2008 at 9:57 am

You gave me all the answers I need. It comes to a point where you just don’t know what your doing wrong. But as a female i’ve learned that confidence and patients will set in. Thank you. Great advice!
85
Gavin
November 19th, 2008 at 7:16 pm

Excellent advice and diet is key! It is amazing how much discipline and accountability comes into play too in losing that stubborn belly fat!
86
hannah
November 26th, 2008 at 5:33 am

if i am to loose my wait the way you say i will be very happy.
87
hannah
November 26th, 2008 at 5:37 am

is it relly possible for me to loose my over weight.
88
Amy
December 7th, 2008 at 8:08 pm

Thanks the tips really work! I am glad I found your website.
89
Holly
December 7th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

First let me begin by saying that you have put together a very informative article with a lot of helpful tips. I am a young mother (23 yrs. old). My daughter is 3. I gained 60 lbs. during my pregnancy and so far I have only been able to loose 30 lbs. of that which I lost immediately after having her. So, needless to say, I have been carrying around 30-40 lbs. of extra weight for 3 years now. I have tried numerous diets but I can’t seem to stick to any of them. Do you have any suggestions for getting motivated and staying motivated? Also, is there anything that I should do in the beginning to jump start my new way of eating (maybe like a specific diet to detoxify or boost my metabolism)? Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks in advance.
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Get 6 Pack
December 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Great Article, Goes into alot of depth, Il have to fully read this again tonight.
Bookmarked and thanks!
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Cory
December 19th, 2008 at 10:03 pm

at i want a six pack, this does work but not for muscles too much, it just gets rid of the body fat already there
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Lose Belly Fat Guy
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:40 am

Hey,

Nice article - What I found really changed everything for me was the bodyweight exercises that you touch on.
For me, 80% of my workout is based on function training and multi-joint exercises - dumbbell rows, snatches, squats, working your back and legs in general as they are some of the largest muscles. This has helped me boost my metabolism loads, therefore resulting in me shredding pounds.

Good stuff.
Alex
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bauchfett
February 25th, 2009 at 5:17 am

Great post! Many thanks for the comprehensive info. It contain quality information that will help very much to lose belly fat and get desired body having flat stomach. Thanks again!
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six pack
February 27th, 2009 at 5:00 am

Great hub! Its comprehensive informative. Exercise and proper diet makes possible to lose the fat around the belly.
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Slim Seductions
March 3rd, 2009 at 11:17 am

I think people are misled when people say “Lose Belly Fat” because they think you can actually target where you want to lose fat, which you can’t unless you get Lipo.
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agentsully
March 6th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

@Slim - you can’t target only one area for fat loss, but you can lose belly fat with an overall fitness strategy.
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Amy
March 19th, 2009 at 10:39 am

I’m 14. And im not fat but i have a little belly fat, and tiny love handles. im a gymnast so i expect myself to look better, and im like the only one on my team who has fat on their body, and i feel horrible when im in a leotard at practice, or in a bikini. i just want a body like all my friends do. i know i have nice abs too. they arent visible becaus of my fat. my body is like really ‘wide’ and i hate it so much. i practice 5 days a week for 3 hours a day too, so im getting enough excercise right? i need help!
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agentsully
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm

@Amy - it sounds like you are exercising a lot! My advice is shoot for health, fun and loving yourself. Here’s what I mean:

Exercise is great. Do the exercise that makes you happy and appreciate your strengths. If gymnastics does that for you, then focus on that and not a small amount of fat around your middle. Women have all different bodies, but generally speaking most women have more fat then men. Since you are 14 the girls on your team may not have developed that layer yet. (But they will!)

Exercise should be fun and support good health. Do you feel healthy and strong? Do you have fun with it?

Have you considered branching into dance, in particular middle eastern or belly dance? I do this and I find that it builds self-esteem and love for your body as well as providing excellent exercise. And it is so much fun! I have learned to love my tummy and the small layer of fat. It makes the dance more beautiful.

Maybe dancing is not for you, but please do find a sport or activity that not only keeps you healthy but supports your self-esteem. Don’t find the beautiful body that you have. Cherish it for all that it does for you everyday.

What do you think?
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Darlene
March 26th, 2009 at 9:24 am

i love this article
very inspiring and makes me beleivei can lose this little belly fat i have!
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agentsully
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm

@Darlene - you can do it! Be kind to yourself and go slow. Slow weight loss is the best and longest lasting too!
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megan
April 14th, 2009 at 2:35 pm

thnx it really helps an dill try 2 do it! lol
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help seeker
April 14th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

hi im 14 and need help!
i do 3 hours of sport a week plus once or twice a week i go tennis for an hour.
but i’m the fattest in the class (everyone else is really skinner) and im a little jealous =( !
But i love fruit and veg!
what can i do? and i want to look better for the summer!
please help!
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How to Get Six Pack Fast
April 15th, 2009 at 11:54 am

My fellow on Facebook shared this link with me and I’m not dissapointed that I came to your blog.
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Fertility and Pregnancy
April 20th, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Almost every woman will gain weight during their pregnancy and most of them are anxious to drop the pregnancy pounds and get back to their pre-baby bodies, after giving birth. don’t be worry it’s naturally to gain weight during their pregnancy.
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David
May 4th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

Thank you for that info. I became vegetarian and put on loads of weight just in my tummy while the rest of my body is completely thin! I looked like a strawberry! I went for a cholesterol check during routine check and I couldn’t believe it when I heard that me! vegetarian had a result of 5.4!! Vegetarian and 28! I couldn’t believe it!

I have been swimming every day for the past 6 months, at first my body was so unused to this exercise that I got very sick with a flu. When that passed I went back to swimming and I lost loads of weight and started to build up.

Now I am in the gym as well and I hope it will work.

I have two questions:

1) Is it possible to be just unlucky with your genetics and never be able to loose it?

2) Is bloating ever mistaken for fat? I am worried that I might be allergic to some food or something because if I eat bread or anything with wheat I bloat up like a football! Now really I am not being funny but it is like my tummy is 10 times the size!!! It is awful.

3) I know I said two questions but this one really came to mind, I am so determined to get rid of this awful fat that I am going to the gym for an hour and the pool for an hour (Im a good swimmer), is this too much do you think? If I give it a break for about 3 days and then go I can do WAYYYY more but then I feel guilty for not going those three days and I get cravings for the gym!!

Thanks
David
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Elawwelen
May 5th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

There is no possible way to lose belly flab. Once it’s there, it’s always there unless you have surgery. I’m tired of these ridiculous lies getting people’s hopes up. Diet and exercise never proved to lose belly flab. Losing weight? sure. Gaining muscle? sure. Losing flab? Impossible. It’s a part of you.
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True Protein Coupon
May 12th, 2009 at 10:30 pm

Buddying up never really worked for me, we’d end up cheating on our diets together. I was watching Dr. Phil the other day and he mentioned that one should be around those who are “like-minded”. However, I think that is the problem for alot of us dieters, we are around family and friends who helped get us overweight to begin with. Its a double-edged sword many times they are there to support us, but they won’t help us with accountability as much as we’d like.

I’d like to add a tip, not really for actual fatloss, but to stay committed.

Its a good idea to take a starting picture spread of yourself so that you have a visual of the start of your weightloss program. Every Month take another set of pictures so that you can see the progress over time. This way you can both make adjustments to your program if you have plateaued, but also so that you can look back to the beginning, see the progress you’ve made, and use it as a motivational tool.
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healthnut83
May 14th, 2009 at 9:38 am

Have you watch this video? It’s an instructional work out video where dance and martial arts are combined. Watch and learn easy to perform lower body exercises by watching this video.
http://www.female-workout.com/female-workout/power-booty-and-lower-body-moves-video
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agentsully
May 15th, 2009 at 11:22 am

@TrueProtein - cool idea! And yeah, stay around people who are motivated and disciplined, not the ones who will say “oh, don’t worry about it, one time (overeating, skipping exercise) is not going to kill ya.” Good luck!
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agentsully
May 16th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

@Elawwelen - fat cells can shrink and eventually fat cells do die although at a much slower rate than other cells. It’s not impossible. Plus what do we have to lose?

If we try, we will become healthier at the very least, feeling good. At the best we will also become more trim. We can’t lose by trying. And you can always improve your situation. Slow and steady wins the race.

Should a flat stomach be our goal afterall? Maybe not. A bit of fat is healthy. (Women min 10%/ max 30%) (men min 2%/ max 25%)

I know that it is difficult in the western culture with the ideal being a flat stomach. I say work on your health and also your confidence at the same time. Dress nicely, carry yourself with good posture, and be happy with yourself. Practice that as much as your stomach exercises and you will improve the quality of your life right away!
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agentsully
May 16th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

@David - if you were eating lots of dairy as a vegetarian that could cause some weight gain. You might want to find ways to reduce or eliminate dairy in your diet and you’ll probably see the pounds fall off. To answer your questions:
1. Everyone has a unique weight that is healthy for them. For some this is larger than others. I would say focus on your body fat percentage and how you feel health wise. You can always improve your body at least a little bit (if it is needed) with persistence and effort.
2. Yes, bloating can look like fat! If there are foods that make you bloat, try to avoid them such as wheat gluten. There are so many great alternatives. Learn new ways of cooking and eating and that does NOT mean giving up taste! Here’s a book on gluten free eating: Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies. Personally I have to stay away from dairy for this reason, which is no problem at all!
3. Regarding exercise, I would say do whatever routine that is sustainable for you. You might want to alternate and do 1 hour gym one day and then swimming the next. But if your current program works for you then keep it up!

Good luck!
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agentsully
May 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

@help seeker - simply put:
1. Believe you can. (Because you can!)
2. Make an exercise plan and healthy eating plan you can stick to. (See my healthy eating article)
3. Be in it for the long haul. Put one foot in front of the other each day.
4. Love yourself today. Enjoy yourself today. Focus on what you have, not what you don’t have. Always dress in clothes that flatter you no matter where you are in your progress so that you will feel good about yourself.

5. Smile and find joy everyday!

Life is more than a flat tummy. Work on it, yes. But enjoy the journey. Be happy today.
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David
May 16th, 2009 at 6:32 pm

@AgentSully

Thanks for the tips!! I have great news! Since I wrote I have lost half of it again!! So I can say Elawwelen you can really loose it!!

I really like the idea of taking photos day in day out to see the difference - thanks for that idea True Protein Coupon! I will do that. I noticed pics of me from last year are totally different to this year so pics are a good idea!

I’ll let ye know how I get on!
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agentsully
May 16th, 2009 at 8:21 pm

@David - that’s awesome! Thank you so much for reporting your success!!

If you’re not too shy you should add the photo log to your website, which I’m excited to check out! Nice piano playing!
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yomi
May 24th, 2009 at 5:29 pm

Nice stuff and ihave also learnt something i could add to my approach keeping the belly fat permanetly off.just put up this squidoo lens about my own knowledge in getting a firm belly;you may check it out at
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Mike.
May 25th, 2009 at 2:36 am

Have to say a few words,i am 52 and been overweight nearly all my life well since early teens.Recently lost 3 stone because my daughter is getting married later this year,probably needed the poke with a sharp stick.Anyway i also have loose skin around my stomach area but let me tell you i still feel and look 100% better than i was.So to all you people out there who think they haven’t got a good enough reason JUST DO IT FOR YOURSELVES,if i can do it so can you.GO FOR IT !
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agentsully
June 6th, 2009 at 11:47 am

@Mike - thanks for that Awesome testimonial about how it is possible! Good for you! Keep up the great work!