Different options to help you get rid of belly fat

Talk to your doctor about how to get rid of belly fat. And before making an appointment for surgery, take the time to see what else you can do about it.

Ah, love handles. Why do they hold on so tightly?

• If you’re a woman, your hormones may sometimes enjoy making life difficult for you. A decrease in estrogen during menopause is linked to an accumulation of stomach fat.
• On top of that, the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which trigger feelings of satiety or hunger, can also play tricks on you.
• Bad overall health habits make it worse; getting inadequate sleep, for example, can actually cause you to overeat. That means getting a good night’s rest is a fine place to start in the battle to get rid of belly fat.

Stress is responsible for many health problems, and stomach fat is not excluded.

• The stress hormone cortisol is known as a factor that can lead to the thickening of your abdomen.
• Consult your doctor and then get started with a stress reduction practice such as yoga or tai chi.

But all the stress reduction in the world can’t help you get rid of belly fat if your hormonal system is unbalanced. Your doctor can determine if that is the case and if your excess of abdominal fat is affecting your cardiovascular health and your blood sugar levels.

• Get seven to nine hours of sleep every night; a lack of sleep affects your metabolism.
• Exercise regularly; endurance sports are best if you want to get rid of belly fat.
• Practise abdominal breathing and relax with leisure activities.
• Eat slowly, savour each bite, and chew well.
• Choose a diet rich in fibre, which helps you digest fruits and vegetables properly.
• Opt for starches with a low glycemic index, such as whole grains.
• Avoid trans fats at all cost and fill-up on omega-3-rich foods, such as fish, hemp seeds and linseed oil.
• Consume lean proteins, such as fish, poultry and legumes.
• Monitor your intake of fructose; it is a natural sugar found in fruits and jams, but it affects your blood glucose levels and contributes to the accumulation of fat.

Sometimes, surgery is the solution of choice for dealing with an accumulation of abdominal fat.

• The most common procedures are liposuction and abdominoplasty (tummy-tuck); they aim to remove subcutaneous fat or excess skin in the abdominal area.
• These surgeries are performed at cosmetic surgery clinics. A prior consultation with your general practitioner is a must.

There are other less invasive options to eliminate fat such as laser lipolysis (reserved for localized excess fats) and cryolipolysis.

• These methods allow the patient to return to a normal situation immediately after the intervention.
• With lipolysis, thermal laser beams break up fatty cells. Cryolipolysis does somewhat the same using extremely cold temperatures.

In addition to consulting with one of the health care professionals at your local medical clinic—doctors, nurses, nutritionists, dieticians and psychologists—you might also choose to speak to a personal trainer or even a life coach about how to get physically active and see yourself from a new perspective.

• The battle may not just be about how to get rid of belly fat, but also to develop better self-esteem. Either way, setting your health as a priority will make you proud.