The big fat tire around your waistline is not only unattractive but it can be the beginning of many serious diseases. Belly fat is strongly linked with chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular issues. But the problem doesn’t stop at the belly fat when a person decides to get rid of their belly fat the whole internet is filled with all kinds of options. In this article, Delhi’s top Dietitian and Nutritionist Avni Kaul busts some of the biggest myths for reducing belly fat.
Myth 1: Sit-ups Reduce Belly Fat
Sit-ups are good physical activity and they burn calories but doing tons of sit-ups or crunches won’t actually flatten your belly if you are overweight. If abdominal muscles are covered with excess fat, strengthening muscles won’t make the belly area look slimmer. Only if you’re at a healthy weight, doing abdominal exercises correctly and consistently will help the stomach area look toned.
Myth 2: High-Intensity Workouts to Burn Belly Fat
No doubt intense workouts lead to fat loss but belly fat requires a specific workout. In fact, a simple morning walk is highly effective to control waist fat. Researchers at Louisiana State University found that walking for two and a half hours per week was able to shrink belly fat by one inch in just a month in their test subjects. The scientists say that walking even appears to reduce abdominal fat before it’s reduced in other areas.
Myth 3: Avoiding Fatty Foods Will Result in Losing Belly Fat
One of the biggest myths about losing belly fat is that you have to stop consuming all fatty food. However, the truth is you need good amount of healthy fats and drop consumption for bad fats to lose weight and belly fat.
Healthy fats like olive oil and avocado oil (without extreme heating) promote longevity, glowing skin, hair, and nails, and fight against cardiovascular disease and diabetes by keeping your blood glucose levels stable. However, the key is to take them in the right quantity of good fat, like one serving of fat equals one tablespoon of olive oil, 10 olives, or 1/4 avocado. Most people should aim for two to three servings a day.
Myth 4: Drinking Green Tea Melts Fat
Green tea is good for health and it has no influence on your sleep unlike tea or coffee but green tea is not a magic potion; you still have to improve your daily diet and lifestyle to get rid of belly fat.
Myth 5: You Need To Eat Less
To reduce belly fat, you must starve or eat very less is a myth. When you starve or eat very little, you drastically cut back on the number of calories instead of improving the quality of your calories. That may damage body metabolism and with detrimental metabolism, your body may find it harder to lose weight and maintain the reduced weight. Hence keep your metabolism up by eating a balanced and carefully planned diet that focuses on high quality and fresh ingredients.
