Women struggle with weight management more than men. This is because women are genetically programmed to have higher percentage and less muscle mass than men. I know it’s a bit unfair and you can do nothing to change the fact so just live with it. However, though such fact remains, women can still achieve a leaner and slimmer physique if they eat a balanced diet and do regular exercises. This article will outline the best approach on how women can lose weight but most importantly fat.
#1 Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercises like treadmills, ski machines, and stationary bikes are very effective in burning calories. The fat-burning actions of such exercises are based on the basic principles of Indirect Calorimetry. According to a medical study, calories are converted to energy with the help of oxygen. And as aerobic exercises improve your oxygen level, the amount of calories you burn also increases.
Aerobic exercises are not only limited to gym equipment. You can also avail the benefits of Aerobic training by doing activities that literally have you grasping for more oxygen like competitive sports and fast paced dancing.
#2 Resistance exercises
This is a type of strength training performed against an opposing force or resistance. Resistance training aims to develop the strength and size of the muscles, thus it can significantly benefit the body and improve health and well-being if it’s done correctly.
Resistance training can generally be performed using different kinds of exercise machines, resistance bands, and swimming machines. Moreover, a recent study in East Carolina University has concluded that resistance exercises are more effective than aerobic exercises when it comes to reducing the body’s total fat percentage.
However, fitness instructors and health professional’s recommend combining aerobic and resistance training to maximize the benefit you’ll get from both exercises – increase oxygen level from aerobic exercises and increase muscle mass from resistance training.
#3 Eat colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetable salads without the heavy cream and mayonnaise will surely get you into shape fast. This is because they are heavy on the tummy due to their high water content but very light on calories. In fact, some people who are on low-calorie diets consume fruits and vegetables exclusively. However, this is not highly recommended since your body needs all the nutrients from all the food groups.
Fruits in particular, contain high amounts of soluble fiber that helps in controlling the blood sugar levels and could therefore prevent binge eating and post-menopausal weight gains. Top five fruits that contains very low amount of calories are blackberries 25 calories/100 grams, melon 28 calories/100 grams, orange 30 calories/100 grams, peach 30 calories/100 grams, and strawberries 30 calories/100 grams.
Vegetables on the other hand, especially the green leafy ones, contain very high amounts of vitamins and minerals but very low amount of calories. For that reason, vegetable is a great choice when you are on a negative calorie diet. Top five vegetables with very low amount of calories are spinach 8 calories/100 grams, celery 10 calories/100 grams, cucumber 10 calories/100 grams, mushroom 12 calories/100 grams, lettuce 15 calories/100 grams
#4 Listen to your body
Sometimes, thirst is misinterpreted as hunger, thus the reason why the population of the overweight and the obese had grown at an alarming rate. Whenever you think you’re hungry, try to drink a glassful of water and see if it will satisfy your tummy. This way, you avoid unnecessary food consumption.
Moreover, try to eat slowly because it usually takes time for your brain to tell your body that it’s full. This way, you do not only avoid overeating but your get to taste and savor every bit of your food as well.
Also, do not deprive yourself from eating the food that you love; because if you do, you’ll feel guilty when you gave in to temptations. A lot of people have the so called “cheat day” where they allocate a day in a week where they can eat anything they want. This does not necessarily mean that you can eat a whole piece of cake, but the idea here is to treat yourself after a whole week of eating healthily.
The 4 methods above present the best way on how to lose belly fat. All you need to do is make out a plan that will include your diet and exercise schedule and stick to it until you get the results you want.
