It is quite normal to gain a few pounds in your abdominal region. However, it is not really a pleasant sight.

Trust me; wearing a gown when you have a protruding belly doesn’t make you sexy. But the good news is; you are not the only one in this and there are a lot of things you can do about it.

Belly fat is caused by a number of factors. It can be hereditary. Yes, you probably have belly fat because of your genes.

Hormonal changes, especially in women, could result to belly fat. Stress is another factor. Also diseases such as diabetes, stroke and hypertension can cause fat accumulation.

Nevertheless, here are 12 things you can do to burn belly fat very fast (under three major categories):

Diet Change

Most people place emphasis on exercise to burn fat. Though exercises are okay, all would be fruitless if you don’t complement them with a balanced diet. Since fat accumulation is caused by what we ingest into our body, it is only normal that the way to rectify it is through what we eat.

Here are few good places to start from:

1. Do not eat sugary foods

The end product of sugar in your body is fat and when this becomes excessive, it causes belly fat. Stay away from soft drinks, candies, sweets, and any other food that contains sugar. If you have a sweet tooth; instead of drinks, take fruits. Honey is a healthy substitute for sugar.

2. Eat less carbohydrates

Instead of carbohydrates, eat more proteins. Proteins aid weight loss. Though carbohydrate gives energy, when it becomes too much, it is stored as fat. When you eat carbohydrates, they should be accompanied by vegetables and nuts.

Proteins such as fish, meat, eggs should be a main part of your meal.

3. Limit Alcohol intake.

Taking alcohol is not a problem. However, if this becomes a habit, it poses great damage to your overall health. In the long run, alcohol gives you a protruding belly. It contains calories that are not nutritional. The fat from alcohol is easily stored in the hips, the thighs and the belly.

Take alcohol in small quantities. Remember, it is not about how many times you drink, but how much you drink each time.

4. Do not eat processed foods

Stay away from anything that comes in a can. Processed foods contain preservatives which cause weight gain. They usually have high sugar content; they are low in fiber and usually have a high amount of trans fat. All these make you gain weight.

Instead of consuming processed foods, fresh foods are a better option.

5. Eat foods rich in fiber

Eat foods that contain fiber, especially soluble fiber such as black berries, avocados, legumes, etc. Fiber helps in fighting weight gain. It also helps to reduce appetite and makes you eat lesser than usual. When you eat fiber, you ingest fewer calories.

Lifestyle Change

To complement diet change, there are some habits you need to let go off.

1. Never miss breakfast

It is no news that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Truth is, when you miss your breakfast, it makes your body go into protective mode and stores fat. When you eat breakfast, it makes it easier for your body to regulate insulin. This in turn makes you eat a lesser amount of food for the rest of the day.

2. Get enough sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body stays stressed and stress is one of the factors that cause fat accumulation. Ideally, you are supposed to sleep for seven to ten hours daily. Try not to overdo it though, because too much sleep also causes weight gain.

3. Spend less time on the couch

Body movement, no matter how little, burns calories. If you regularly spend a long time sitting idly in a place, your body will accumulate fat in large quantities. Take a walk; get yourself busy.

4. Do not starve yourself

This is the most important. Most people eat very little and starve themselves. This is wrong. Not eating only makes your body store fat. Instead of starving, eat right. Eating the right combination of food is a healthier option.

Exercises

Dieting and exercising go hand in hand. While healthy meals ensure that the fat we ingest into our body is reduced, exercises burn fat through physical activities.

It is important to note that aerobic exercises do the trick when it comes to abdominal fat. They are considered very effective.

To get the desired results from exercising, you need patience. However intense the exercise is, you can never get good results within a day or a week.

Here are some exercise routines that should help:

1. Rapid walking

Taking a walk might be simple, but it is effective. Walking rapidly actually helps. All you need to do is take a walk in a pace that is faster than normal. If you can do that daily for an hour, your belly fat will reduce immensely.

2. Bicycling

Riding a bicycle reduces belly fat. It is a cardio exercise. The motion of your legs while cycling strengthens your stomach muscles and also helps to burn fat. Within thirty minutes of cycling, you can burn 300 calories.

Bicycling is also a fun activity. So whenever you ride, it doesn’t seem like an exercise.

3. Mountain climber

This exercise imitates the climbing motion. Place your hands on the floor in a pushup position. Then, lift your right foot and move it in an upward motion to your chest. Take it back to the floor and continue with your left foot. Keep alternating both feet.

Do this for thirty seconds and take a rest to catch your breath. Continue for four to five minutes.

Conclusion

Burning belly fat might take a while, but the key to making sure that these tips work is to ensure that you are persistent. Keep on doing it however uncomfortable it might be until you get the desired result. Note that exercises and diet work hand in hand to burn belly fat. Do not neglect one for the other.