10 Tips to Blast the Belly Fat and Get a Six-Pack, Part 1
One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How do I get rid of my belly fat?” or better yet, “How do I get a six-pack?!”. The answer is, it will take more than you working out twice a week with me at the gym. In fact, most of the work MUST be done by you, outside the gym.
I’ve compiled a list of tips on how to lose fat, decrease your circumference around your midsection, and maybe, just maybe, lead you to that eventual 6-pack.
1) IDENTIFY your Weakness
Whether it is ice cream, wine, chips, etc. DO NOT have it in the apartment- PERIOD!
If you crave something sweet at night, chug a huge glass of water and try these healthy sweet options:
A greek yogurt with berries and a little honey
Cottage cheese with fruit
Flavored almond milk
100-calorie skinny pop (they come in the 100 calorie bags so you can’t over-indulge!)
Wine or cocktail?
Limit yourself to 1 week night and one weekend night to start if it’s an every night habit. From there, cut it back to one night.
Have a glass of water between every drink. That will go a long way in helping your body to metabolize the alcohol and putting off that hangover looming in the AM.
Cut it out completely to obtain best results.
Good choices of alcohol include:
Dry wines, which are very low carb, clocking in at about 0.5-1 g per glass (4 fl oz/115ml). Sweet wines are much higher at 4-6 g per glass.
Cognac, gin, rum, scotch, tequila, vodka and whiskey are all basically zero carbs.
Drink your alcohol straight or mixed with diet soda.
No need to be super-neurotic about this stuff. Drinks should be enjoyed after all. Just be aware that there are better and worse choices out there.
2) Wake up to a Hearty BREAKFAST, that you look forward to!
Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day. Mine is usually egg whites with oats. Other options include:
A protein shake
Cottage cheese with fruit
Steel cut oatmeal with flax seeds
Greek yogurt with fruit and flax seeds,
Omelet with veggies
Hard boiled eggs
Want bread? Try gluten free and organic sprouted whole grain
3) Set One Day a Week aside for the “PREP”
This means cooking one day out of the week and putting your food in plastic containers to take to work with you. Sound overwhelming?
Stock up on salads (fresh direct has some great options) you can grab and take to work with you. Avoid the dressings though.
Make a goal and stick to it. (e.g. I’m going to cook at home 4 times this week and only eat out 3x).
The problem with ordering in food or eating out is the fact that we have no idea or control what is actually being put in our food. Make a plan. Start small. But get it done.
4) IDENTIFY When you are Hungry, or if you are Just “Bored”
If your metabolism is revving you should be getting hungry every 4 hours or so. Big breakfast means you’ll be hungry later. Before putting anything in your mouth, do a body scan. Are you even hungry? Are you thirsty? Are you stressed? When was the last time you ate?
Pay attention. If you are not hungry, don’t eat. Simple.
5) SLOW DOWN
In all aspects of your life. Slow down when you are eating. Slow your brain down during the day. Take 5 minutes out of the day to close your eyes and breathe deep. I know this sounds crazy but cortisol (the hormone that causes stress) can cause us to over eat. Simple breathing techniques can help and taking the time to slow down will cut stress and decrease calorie consumption.
Check in next week, when I share more tips to blast the belly fat and get a six-pack.