How to Actually Lose Belly Fat | "Secrets" to a Toned Tummy

How to lose belly fat would easily have to be one of the most searched terms on the internet, and it's definitely a question I get daily.

Maybe you've been working out and dieting for months now but just can't seem to shift that stubborn fat around your belly.

Or, maybe you follow a pretty healthy diet, but feel like you've never been able to shift that fat that sits around your belly.

Losing belly fat is not going to be the same journey from one person to the next.

The first thing I'm going to start with is where you fit on the "scale" and your expectation.

By scale I don't mean a physical scale that you stand on to weigh yourself.

I mean, if you can imagine a line, and at one end of the line you have a very high body fat percentage, and at the other end you have a fairly low body fat percentage, with a little stubborn belly fat that you want to lose.

Then there's everything else in between.

You will fit somewhere on this line.

Although the level of difficulty will vary from person to person when it comes to losing belly fat, the approach will always be very similar.

But, some people just have good genetics though right?

Yes, genetics do play a part.

Some of us do have more lean muscle mass, an athletic physique and a faster metabolism.

Some of us are more naturally "stockier built" with a slower metabolism and find it harder to lose weight.

We are all different, and yes genetics do have an impact, but it definitely does not inhibit your ability to lose fat overall.

Here are some of the mistakes you're probably making when it comes to losing belly fat, and what you can do to fix this.

Trying to spot reduce fat

Let me make one thing very clear.

You cannot spot target fat loss on any area of your body.

It is not scientifically possible to do this with diet, or with exercise.

A question I am asked often is, "what exercise can I do to lose belly fat? "

There is no exercise at all that you can do specifically, to lose fat around your belly.

Exercise will tone the muscles, for example your abdominals, but a calorie deficit is what you need to be in to lose the fat.

Exercise does burn calories and will assist fat loss, however your primary focus must be on nutrition.

Nutrition is key!

So, if you have the idea in your head that you can target a specific area of your body to lose fat, you absolutely cannot.

When we lose fat it comes off our entire body.

It just happens that as individuals, we store fat in different areas.

This is due to genetics which is something we cannot change.

Consuming too many calories

There are basically two ways this happens.

You're either not being honest with yourself, or you simply lack the knowledge.

All too often I hear people saying;

"I'm eating healthy but I still can't lose weight"

"I'm pretty happy with my body shape, but I have stubborn belly fat that I can't get rid of."

The only way to burn fat is to consume less calories than you're burning on a daily basis.

Some people believe its not about the calories, and instead its about the types of foods you're consuming.

Yes different foods have different effects on our bodies, such as highly processed, inflammatory foods causing inflammation.

However, when it comes to losing fat, it all comes down to calories in vs calories out.

Too often people fool themselves into thinking they're eating healthy and are in a caloric deficit, however are overindulging on the weekend and undoing all, or a lot of the progress.

Its quite possible you're drinking too much alcohol, eating out a lot, or being too flexible on the weekend, which is bumping your calories up significantly, throwing you right off track, then you're back at square one on Monday.....

Week, after week, after week.

It's also possible that you genuinely do believe the foods you're consuming are healthy, but in fact they're little calorie bombs.

In most cases you probably are consuming more calories than you realise and this is the most common reason people struggle to lose fat.

Some common traps here are cooking oils, sauces, marinades, salad dressings and coffee creamers/syrups.

Adding these to your meals can easily add a few hundred calories.

Throughout the day this adds up quickly!

Here is a video I created about 10 "Healthy" Foods Causing Weight Gain

YOU LACK CONSISTENCY AND PATIENCE

When it comes to fat loss, it's highly likely you want this done yesterday.

It's all well and good to follow a workout routine and healthy diet, but if you can't remain consistent, you're never going to see results.

Consistency, patience and discipline are essential.

Yes its slow going, but this is the only way to lose fat and be able it maintain it long term.

How many times have you got yourself excited by a new fad diet, sped down to the grocery store and stocked up on all the foods that you need, and then within a few days you've gone completely off this diet because it either wasn't sustainable or you just gave up because you weren't seeing the results fast enough?

I know I did this a lot before I knew much about health and fitness.

Stop searching for a quick fix, or tempting marketing schemes that will see you fail over and over again.

Be patient, build discipline around nutrition and exercise and stay consistent.

It needs to be seen as a lifestyle change, not a short-term challenge.

Athletes, fitness trainers and people who are fit and healthy generally remain very consistent in their approach.

It's a lifestyle for them.

Adapting to a new healthy lifestyle does come with a degree of sacrifice.

You are having to give up bad habits that have become a part of your daily routine, often without even noticing.

Your focus needs to be on consuming 80-90% whole foods, such as fibrous veggies, lean protein and healthy fats.

Limit the amount of processed, high sugar, high saturated fat foods that you consume.

I will always promote including carbohydrates in your diet, they are absolutely necessary for energy and balancing blood sugars.

However, you could be eating too many of the wrong carbs.

Complex carbs such as oatmeal, pasta, sweet potato, beans and rice tend to be more calorie dense as opposed to foods that are higher in protein.

So the main reason people gain weight when they eat carbs, is because they're simply consuming too many highly processed carb rich foods, which are far less satiating, spike your blood sugar levels and leave you craving the same foods again very quickly.

In my 21 Day Weight Loss Accelerator I help you reset your system and burn fat with a 21 day nutrition guide, recipe books, food list and home workout program.

I also walk you through the exact steps people like myself have taken (and still take) to lose fat and build a lean toned physique.

RESISTANCE TRAINING TO BURN MORE FAT

Sometime in our 30s to 40s we begin to lose muscle mass.

This can be as much as an eight percent reduction per decade. This affects our metabolism because the less lean muscle mass we have, the slower our metabolism will become.

So how to we speed up and maintain a quick metabolism?

You can do this by varying your workouts and including regular resistance training to your routine.

This can be extremely beneficial in helping speed up your metabolism!

Cardio is great for your heart health and burning calories, but resistance training is essential for building lean muscle mass.

With more muscle mass you increase your resting metabolic rate which results in burning more calories while your body is at rest.

No, you will not get bulky!

Resistance training, whether it's with weights or without weights, will not turn you into the Hulk, or anything close to this.

Don't be afraid of picking up some dumbbells or doing some serious body weight exercises to build strength and muscle hypotrophy.

Remember that sustainable fat loss takes time and patience.

If you implement this advice and stay consistent, you will lose belly fat.

The sad truth is, most people won't stay consistent long enough to see the results.

To cut all the guess work and accelerate fat loss and body toning, join me inside my 21 Day Weight Loss Accelerator.

Over the 21 days you will;

• Understand the exact steps you need to take to lose fat and maintain it long term

• Break the cycle of emotional eating 

• Boost metabolism & fat burning

• Start toning your physique with my exclusive 21 day home workout program

• No counting calories

• No eliminating food groups

• Feel stronger physically, mentally and emotionally

• Feel more confident

• Visible weight loss