Losing the fat around your midsection can be a battle.In addition to being a risk factor for several diseases, excess abdominal fat may make you feel bloated and discouraged. Luckily, several strategies have been shown to be especially effective at reducing your waist size.If you dream about having a flat stomach, this article may be just what you need.Here are 30 science-backed methods to help you reach your goal of a flat stomach.
1. Cut Calories, but Not Too Much
It is a well-known fact that you need to cut calories to produce weight loss.One popular approach is to reduce your daily intake by 500–1,000 calories to expect to lose approximately 1–2 pounds (0.5–1 kg) per week. That being said, restricting your calorie intake too much can be counterproductive.
Eating too few calories can cause a major decrease in your metabolic rate, or the number of calories you burn on a daily basis.In one study, a group of people who ate 1,100 calories per day slowed their metabolic rate more than twice as much as those who consumed about 1,500 calories per day for four consecutive days.
What’s more, this decrease in metabolic rate may persist even after you start behaving like you normally do. That means you may have a lower metabolic rate than you had before you severely restricted your calorie intake.
Therefore, it is important that you don’t restrict your calorie intake too much or for too long.
2. Eat More Fiber, Especially Soluble Fiber
Soluble fibers absorb large quantities of water and slow down the passing of food through the digestive tract.This has been shown to delay stomach emptying, causing the stomach to expand and make you feel full.
Furthermore, soluble fiber may decrease the number of calories your body is able to absorb from food. By eating soluble fiber, you are also less likely to accumulate fat around your organs, which reduces your waist circumference and the risk of several diseases.
One observational study showed that each 10-gram increase in daily soluble fiber intake decreased fat gain around the midsection by 3.7% over five years.
Good sources of soluble fibers include oats, flax seeds, avocados, legumes, Brussels sprouts and blackberries.
