How to lose belly fat with 5 simple tips – and reveal those abs – The Sun

LOSING weight and getting chiselled abs is one of the most common New Year's resolutions out there this January.

However, many people believe this a practically impossible task that involves hours and hours in the gym and barely eating anything.

Despite this, getting that honed bod you've always wanted is more than achievable if you follow several easy steps.

Here, we take you through some simple ways you can shed those pesky pounds you've put on for Christmas and reveal that six pack…

1. Eat well

To lose weight in any form the simplest thing to do is create a caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume.

Dietitian Helen Bond suggests: "A sensible weight loss is 1-2lb a week.

"To lose 1lb (0.5kg) of fat, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, and it’s easy to shift 1lb in a week simply by reducing your calorie intake by 500 calories a day."

It’s easy to shift 1lb in a week simply by reducing your calorie intake

The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker.

If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, Garmin offers the best activity trackers on the market.

2. Eat less

Intermittent fasting is one proven way you can shed body fat and reveal your abs.

Even Hugh Jackman used intermittent fasting to get lean for his role of Wolverine.

The most popular intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where slimmers eat normally for five days of the week and severely restrict their calories for the other two.

On the fasting days, dieters are meant to eat 25 percent of their recommended calorie total – 500cals for women and 600cals for men.

However, for serious trainees, there's the 16:8 diet.

This diet allows you to eat for eight hours of the day, while fasting for the remaining 16 hours.

3. Get squatting

Doing squats does a lot more than just build you a Kim Kardashian-style booty.

They're the secret to strong abs as they give then that extra kick and improve core strength and definition.

This is because when performing a squat, your abs and core face constant tension – as this tension prevents you from falling over.

4. HIIT

High-intensity training that significantly increases your heart rate is hugely effective when it comes to reducing belly fat – which can help make your abs more visible.

In fact, a recent study revealed that short spurts of intense exercise are better for weight loss and burns more fat than workouts that takes double the time

Researchers found that 23 minutes of high intensity interval training was more effective than 41 minutes of  a conventional workout.

Tips to get into running

Olympic runner Jo Pavey, who is an ambassador for Simplyhealth, has shared her top tips for beginners wanting to get into running.

  1. Get family involved –  it can be a lot easier to get out of the door for a run if you get your family or kids involved.
  2. Build up gradually – take your time with your running and don't be frightened by the fact you might not be able to run very far at first.
  3. Set a long term goal – set a target to really motivate yourself and really give yourself a reason to get out the door.
  4. Give yourself a cheat day – you need to make sure you are getting a decent amount of carbohydrate in order to fuel yourself.
  5. Mix up the pace – running can be a lot more fun and interesting if you mix up the pace during your training sessions.
  6. Run in new locations – switch it up and try and go and run in beautiful or new locations.
  7. Make it fun – above everything, if you want to be a runner it should be about enjoyment not just shedding the pounds and weight loss.

 

It led to 29 per cent more weight loss than traditional gym sessions.

Steven Ward, CEO of fitness industry body UK active, said: “These figures show the positive impacts of interval training on reducing weight and, with Britain battling a grave obesity crisis, this research should be welcomed.”

Typically, HIIT involves 30 seconds of intense effort, such as sprinting, cycling or doing burpees, followed by short recovery periods.

5. Drink more water

It may seem a bit contradictory, but one of the best ways to lose water weight is to actually drink more water.

That’s because if you’re constantly dehydrated, your body tends to retain more water in an attempt to prevent its water levels getting too low.

Water also boosts your metabolism, cleanses your body of waste and acts as an appetite suppressant, experts say.

Guidelines suggest about two litres per day, but it can vary from person to person, so simply drink when you’re thirsty and stop when you feel well hydrated.

You can usually use your urine colour as an indicator of hydration – if it’s light yellow or fairly clear then you’re well hydrated.

When it’s dark yellow or amber then you need to be drinking more water.

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