Are you frustrated because it’s much easier for other people to lose belly fat than it is for you? Sadly, your genes may be the reason why your belly fat won’t budge.
Research suggests that some people are more likely to accumulate fat in the abdominal area due to genetics. In short, you can inherit belly-fat-risk from your mother or father or both.
Researchers explain that there are 49 genes that affect abdominal fat. And 19 of these genes have a stronger effect on women.
Now, you may think you’re doomed if either or both of your parents are overweight. However, further research suggests that you can conquer genetic belly fat through diet.
A large UK study involving 786 twins found that 67.7 percent of belly fat is attributed to diet while 17.9 percent is influenced by our genes.
This means you can have a flat stomach even if you inherited a high belly-fat-risk from your parents. You just need to make the right diet choices.
Unfortunately, most of the diet advice out there is nebulous and it never leads to the desired results.
Luckily, today I’ll share with you actionable diet and exercise strategies that can help you lose genetic belly fat.
How to Lose Genetic Belly Fat
1. Increase Your Intake of Plant Protein
Increasing your intake of plant-based foods can tremendously enhance your fat loss. And one of the easiest ways to increase your intake is to replace animal protein with plant-based protein.
Plant-based protein offers plenty of fiber, which has been proven to enhance weight loss.
In fact, a review of 12 studies found that people on a plant-based diet lost 4.4 pounds (2kgs) more than those on a diet with animal products.
You don’t have to go vegan. Just increase your intake of plant-based protein such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, and so on.
2. Become A Walker
Walking can offer breathtaking results when done consistently. According to this study, walking for 50 to 70 minutes, 3 times a week can reduce your waist circumference by 1.1 inches or 2.8 cm in 12 weeks.
Unfortunately, most people don’t reap the belly-shrinking benefits of walking due to a lack of strategy.
Here are a few things you should do to lose fat through walking:
- Walk an extra 200 to 300 steps every day and keep increasing the steps.
- Wear a pedometer every day to help track your steps.
- Get a walking partner. Preferably, someone who’s fitter than you.
Here are more walking strategies you can use to lose belly fat.
3. Eat a Fruit Before Every Meal
People with genetic belly fat are more likely to overindulge because excess fat interferes with ghrelin receptors.
Ghrelin is a hunger hormone. When you’re hungry, ghrelin levels rise and then drop after you eat. Research shows that obese people have overly active ghrelin receptors.
Now the question is, how can you control this hunger hormone? Well, eating one or two fruits before a meal can increase your fullness and consequently reduce the chances of overeating.
This strategy can be handy, especially if you’re indulging in unhealthy foods. It’ll not only increase your fullness but also make you conscious of the food choices you’re making.
4. Get 80 Percent of Your Carbs from Unprocessed Sources
You’ve probably heard the phrase carbs make you fat. Well, that’s not entirely true – processed carbs make you fat!
Therefore, you need to cut back on processed carbs to lose genetic belly fat. Get most of your carbs from unprocessed foods because they’re low in calories are very filling. Go for sources such as sweet potatoes, veggies, and corn.
Beware processed carbs can be problematic even when they’re low in calories. They may spike your blood sugar levels, which increases the chances of overeating later.
I won’t ask you to avoid all processed carbs because that may be impossible in this day and age. However, be careful not to eat them when you’re having emotional issues as that may trigger binge eating.
5. Make Sure Veggies Cover the Biggest Portion of Your Plate
Do you hate veggies? Well, you should learn how to make them delicious if you want to lose genetic belly fat effortlessly.
Veggies enhance fat loss because they’re very filling and they’re low in calories. In fact, you should eat them every meal to lose fat rapidly.
Not only that, make sure they cover the biggest portion of your plate and you eat them first.
I agree, eating veggies in every meal can get annoying at some point but you can keep them tasty by using spices and trying different recipes.
6. Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress can make it harder to lose genetic belly fat because it keeps cortisol levels elevated all the time. Research has linked high cortisol levels to the accumulation of belly fat.
Getting quality sleep every night is an effective way of reducing stress. Other strategies such as meditation, prayer, yoga, and walking have also been proven effective.
7. Eat an Avocado Every Day
When was the last time you ate this unique fruit? If you can’t remember, you need to add it to your diet.
Avocado is ideal for losing excess belly fat because it reduces hunger. One study found that people felt 23 percent more satisfied after they ate avocado with a meal. Plus, they had a 28 percent lower desire to eat over the next 5 hours.
That’s not all. Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats, which can be handy if you’re not getting enough healthy fats in your diet. Lastly, they have strong antioxidant properties.
8. Drink 1 to 2 Glasses of Water Before Meals
If you’re a regular reader, you’ve seen me recommend this strategy before. Well, I keep repeating it because it works!
Drinking water before meals increases fullness and reduces the chances of overeating. In fact, this study shows that drinking water (500mls) before each meal can help you lose 44 percent more weight.
There’s no reason not to use this strategy because it requires little effort yet it offers extraordinary results.
9. Try Intermittent Fasting
You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting, popularly known as IF. This eating approach enhances fat loss because it makes it easy to regulate food intake and also improves insulin sensitivity.
I usually recommend 24-hour fasts once a week but if that doesn’t work for you, try these different fasting methods.
10. Start Doing Short Workouts
Have you ever wondered why so many people struggle to exercise consistently? This mostly happens due to the lack of discipline to stick to long workouts.
If you’ve struggled with workout consistency in the past, you need to try short workouts. Unbeknown to many, exercising for 10 to 15 minutes can transform your body rapidly.
You see, short workouts will help you lose genetic belly fat by adding lean muscle and boosting your metabolism.
In fact, some people have lost as many as 15 pounds in less than a month using this short-workouts sequence.
I’ve created this sequence to help you burn fat and build muscle in the shortest time humanly possible.
Learn more about the fat blaster sequence
The truth is you can destroy your genetic belly if you use these strategies. Start applying them today and watch your belly shrink by the hour.
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