5 Ways to Lose Belly Fat (Backed by research)

Belly fat is more than just a nuisance that makes your clothes feel tight.
Fat inside the belly area is also termed visceral fat, and it is seriously harmful.

This type of fat is a major risk factor for type II diabetes and heart disease, to name a few .
Many health organizations use BMI (body mass index) to classify weight and predict the risk of metabolic disease. However, this is misleading.
People with excess belly fat are at an increased risk, even if they look thin on the outside.

Although losing fat from this area can be difficult, there are several things you can do to reduce excess abdominal fat .
Here are 20 effective tips to lose belly fat, backed by scientific studies.

1. EAT DIETS THAT ARE VERY RICH IN PROTEIN.
   Protein is an extremely important nutrient for weight control.
   High protein intake increases release of the fullness hormone PYY, which decreases appetite and promotes fullness. Protein also raises your metabolic rate and helps you retain muscle mass during weight loss .
   Many observational studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who eat a lower-protein diet .
   Be sure to include a good protein source at every meal, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, whey protein or nuts.

2. TRY FASTING.
   Fasting has recently become very popular for weight loss.
   It is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and periods of fasting .
   One popular method involves 24-hour fasts once or twice a week. Another involves fasting every day for 16 hours and eating all your food in an 8 hour period.
   In a review of studies on intermittent fasting and alternate-day fasting, people experienced a 4–7% decrease in abdominal fat within a period of 6-24 weeks.

3. PERFORM RESISTANCE TRAINING (weight lifting).
   Resistance training, also known as weight lifting or strength training, is important for preserving and gaining muscle mass.
   Based on studies in people with prediabetes, type II diabetes and fatty liver disease, resistance training may also be beneficial for belly fat loss .
   In fact, one study in overweight teenagers showed that a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in visceral fat .
   If you decide to start weight lifting, it is a good idea to get advice from a certified personal trainer.

4. AVOID TOO MUCH ALCOHOL.
   Alcohol can have health benefits in small amounts, but it is seriously harmful if you drink too much.
   Research suggests too much alcohol can also make you gain belly fat .
   Observational studies link heavy alcohol consumption with significantly increased risk of central obesity — that is, excess fat storage around the waist .
   Cutting back on alcohol may help reduce your waist size. You don't need to give it up altogether if you enjoy it, but limiting the amount you drink in a single day can help.
   In a study of more than 2000 people, those who drank alcohol daily but averaged less than one drink per day had less belly fat than those who drank less frequently but consumed more alcohol on the days they did drink.

5. CHANGE OF LIFE STYLE AND COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT METHOD.
   If you do just one of the items on this list, then it won't have a big effect on its own.
   If you want good results, then you need to combine different methods that have been shown to be effective.
   Interestingly, many of these are the same things we generally associate with healthy eating and an overall
   healthy lifestyle .
   Therefore, changing your lifestyle for the long-term is the key to losing your belly fat and keeping it off.
   When you have healthy habits and eat real food, fat loss tends to follow as a natural side effect.