3 Week Diet Plan to Lose Belly Fat is a revolutionary and highly popular diet system that has helped thousands of people across the globe to lose belly fat fast in just three weeks!. There are many diet plans in the world that promise to help you burn fat. The truth is, many of those diets are scams. As a matter of fact, most diets promote eating excessive amounts of unhealthy food and don’t want for their customers to invest in a well balanced diet and regular exercise
Food For Belly Fat Burning
Let’s face it: Belly fat can be stubborn. Despite your best efforts, you may be asking yourself “why am I losing weight everywhere but my stomach?”
Believe it or not, there’s a scientific explanation for why this is happening.
“The fat in your abdomen builds up around your organs and stomach and creates an inflammatory response in your body that can disrupt your hunger hormones and insulin sensitivity,” says Ashley Larsen, RDN and owner of AshleyLarsen Nutrition. “Belly fat, which is also called visceral fat, is more likely to cause chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes than the fat that lies underneath your skin.”
The bottom line: while being overweight and obese is harmful to your health, having excess belly fat is even more dangerous. We’ve all heard, “you are what you eat” and this is certainly the case with belly fat. So which foods actually burn belly fat? Here’s everything you need to know.
Foods that burn belly fat
Getting rid of stubborn belly fat may come down to simply shifting your diet a bit and incorporate more belly fat-burning foods. Start with these ones.
Oats
Oats are high insoluble fiber, specifically a fiber called beta-glucan, which absorbs water and slows digestion and glucose, or blood sugar absorption.
“Soluble beta-glucan fiber has been shown to be beneficial for insulin resistance and weight loss, specifically abdominal fat loss because it helps to keep you full and reduces hunger cravings,” Larsen explains. “A bowl of oatmeal in the morning with high fiber fruit and flaxseeds can provide a good dose of soluble fiber and manage your appetite throughout the day.”
Barley
Barley is a whole grain with a chewy consistency and nutty flavor. Barley is high in soluble fiber and resistant starch, which is not digested by our body.
“Resistant starch slows digestion which curbs appetite and lowers blood glucose,” says Larsen. “Resistance starch is also a beneficial prebiotic, helping the beneficial bacteria flourish in our gut. A healthy gut is associated with improved satiety and weight loss.”
Larsen recommends swapping out your white rice with wholegrain barley as a dinner side to boost your fiber intake and help with belly fat loss.
Apples
Apples are one of the highest-fiber fruits, packing 4.5 grams of fiber (17% of the daily value) in one medium apple.
“The fibers in an apple are called pectin, which breaks down in your gut and slow digestion, helping you feel full longer after eating,” Larsen explains. “An apple a day can keep the belly fat away! Although apples contain sugar, you don’t need to be worried about this increasing blood sugar because of the high fiber content which slows blood sugar absorption.”
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and the antioxidant lignan.
Diets rich in lignans can help to reduce inflammation and fight against metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions that can increase the risk for chronic diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood glucose, and large waist circumference,” Larsen states. According to one study, men who consumed flaxseed daily at breakfast lost significantly more weight than those who did not eat the flaxseed.
To incorporate more flaxseeds in your diet, Larsen suggests adding them to a smoothie or sprinkled on cereal, avocado toast, or yogurt parfait.
Capsaicin
This can be found in cayenne pepper, chili peppers, chili powder, curry powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes.
“Capsaicin has not only been found to suppress inflammation caused by obesity, but it has the potential to decrease food intake, burn fatter, lower body fat stores, increase metabolism, and reduce appetite,” says Melina B. Jampolis, MD, internist, board-certified physician nutrition specialist and author of Spice Up, Slim Down: A Guide To Using Herbs and Spices To Live A Longer, Healthier, and More Vibrant Life. “Chili peppers and cayenne, in particular, can help us burn more calories by about 5 percent.”
Cardamom
Nicknamed the “Queen of Spices” (black pepper is the “King”) because it was a favorite of the elite, and because its flavor is almost feminine compared to other spices – floral, lemony, with a hint of mint, Dr. Jampolis explains. That might be why it was once considered an aphrodisiac.
The health advantages of cardamom ran the gamut.
“People used it to remedy inflamed eyelids, tooth and gum infections, lung congestion, and more. The benefits we see today are broad, too, but relevant because Americans eat so poorly. In essence, cardamom may help counter the effects of our bad diets, especially when we tend to eat too many carbohydrates,” says Dr. Jampolis.
One study showed that subjects who ate cardamom gained less extra weight (and, importantly, less belly fat) and avoided increases in their blood sugar, cholesterol and inflammation levels. Cardamom also helps relax the gut to help improve digestion and may improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and preventing blood clots according to animal and test-tube studies.
Raspberries
“These fruits are full of fiber, vitamins and nutrients that help you stay fuller and eat less throughout your day,” says Courtney D’Angelo, RD and author at Fit Healthy Momma. “The vitamin C is an added bonus that’s great for your immune system.”
How to Lose Stomach Fat in Three Weeks
Measuring stomach with measuring tape.
Chances are you didn’t gain all your stomach fat in three weeks, so you can’t expect to lose it all that quickly. If you do nothing, your risk of health problems remains high. Fat deep in your middle surrounding your internal organs — called intra-abdominal obesity or visceral fat — is particularly dangerous. It acts like an endocrine organ, secreting inflammatory chemicals that increase your risk of developing chronic disease, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Belly fat responds well to a low-calorie diet and exercise, but you can’t lose more than about six pounds in three weeks. Use the three weeks to jump-start a process of weight loss so you can slim down safely and for good.
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How You Lose Stomach Fat
You can’t target certain areas for weight loss. Visceral stomach fat, though, is somewhat unique. Because it’s metabolically active, it breaks down faster than subcutaneous fat that lies just under the skin on the torso, hips, arms and thighs. Visceral fat will be some of the first fat you lose when you start a weight-loss plan.
Reducing your calorie intake and moving more spurs weight loss. When you consume 3,500 calories fewer than you burn, you lose a pound. A 500- to 1,000-calorie deficit per day thus creates a manageable 1- to 2-pound per week weight loss. You might want to lose weight faster, and could in the first few weeks of making big changes, but maintaining a high rate of weight loss for any length of time can lead to health concerns such as gall stones and nutritional deficiencies. Even when you do lose a notable amount of weight in the first week or two of beginning a diet, a lot of it is water weight — not stomach fat.
Dietary Changes to Reduce Calories
Eat at least 1,200 calories per day, or you could stall your metabolism and lose valuable muscle mass. Before you reduce calories by limiting the healthy food you eat, limit your intake of sugary sweets, caloric beverages and refined grains. Plan your meals so they consist of lean proteins, whole grains and fresh, fibrous vegetables. Snack on fresh fruit, low-fat cheese or yogurt, a handful of nuts or cut-up vegetables. Watch your portion sizes and have just 3 to 4 ounces of protein, a cup or two of vegetables and about 1/2 to 1 cup of whole grains at meals.
White bread, white pasta and soda should be off the menu. Limit full-fat dairy and fatty cuts of meat, too — they have a lot of saturated fat — and avoid foods with trans fats, such as margarine, fried foods, snack crackers and store-bought baked goods.
Exercise Away Stomach Fat
Three weeks of exercise isn’t enough to prompt significant fat loss, but it is long enough for you to get into an exercise routine. A physically-active lifestyle combats stomach fat, asserts Rush University Medical Center. You may need to participate in at least an hour of moderate-intensity exercise daily to create the deficit required to lose belly fat. Add calorie-burning activity throughout the day by fidgeting, pacing and doing active chores.
Crunches and other abdominal-specific exercises strengthen and build endurance in the abdominal muscles, but they do nothing to make the fat itself go away. A comprehensive strength-training program helps you build a greater amount of lean muscle mass, which increases your metabolism at rest to help you burn more fat. Hit the weights at least twice per week, but know that building muscle takes more than three weeks of consistent work to see real results.
Settle Into Sleep and Stress Less
Create a bedroom that promotes a quality seven to nine hours of sleep per night; good sleep promotes a healthier body weight. A study published in 2014 in the journal Obesity found that switching participants from a sleep schedule of less than six hours per night to one that involved seven to eight hours led to decreases in visceral fat. The participants changed their sleep habits over six years — not three weeks. Getting too little sleep can cause you to crave more fatty and sugary foods and makes it hard to stick to a weight-loss plan.
Lack of sleep can exacerbate stress, which also plays a role in the development of belly fat. When bills, work deadlines and family pressure builds up, your body produces more of the hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol drives the storage of excess calories to the abdomen. Although stress is sometimes inevitable, find non-food ways to deal with it. Experiment with yoga and meditation; delegate work duties; and spend social time with friends.
Cut Down On Refined Carbs
Refined carbs may have zero nutritional value but they pose a serious risk to health. They can cause blood sugar spikes and lead to obesity. Several studies have proven that a diet high in refined carbs leads to belly fat or abdominal obesity.
Say No To Sugar
Cut down on the refined sugar and foods containing added sugar, as they can harm our health to a much greater extent. They can not only lead to weight gain but can also cause obesity, diabetes and heart disease in the long run. So, steer away from sugar.
Avoid Dressing And Sauce
If we are saying that you should eat salad, that doesn’t mean you have to top it up with sauces or salad dressings. These are loaded with flour, sugar and salt which will give you nothing except fat!
Increase Fiber Intake
Consuming more dietary fiber can work wonders for weight loss. Dietary fiber is a good carb that we cannot digest and absorb. It helps in breaking down fat into short-chain fatty acids, and increase the number of good gut bacteria. According to a study, it was found that people with a greater variety of gut bacteria have a lower risk of belly fat.
Portion Your Meals
If you thought that eating healthy won’t make you fat, you’re highly mistaken. Along with eating healthy, it is important to practice portion control as well. Eat in a small plate and fill half of your plate with veggies, one fourth with whole grains and the rest with protein.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods like sausage, salami, beverages, ready-to-eat foods, packaged foods and frozen foods contain high amount of sugar and sodium. These foods are also loaded with preservatives, flavouring agents and artificial colours and have reduced nutritional value and are high in calories.
Avoid Beverages
If you are planning to shed kilos, consuming beverages like soda, packaged juice, cold drinks, coffee or tea with crème and sugar are a big NO! These are loaded with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and carbonated water which will only lead to weight gain.
Exercise Is A Must
You must have heard that weight loss depends on 70 per cent on your diet and 30 per cent on your workout. So, do some light weight training. You can go for a brisk walk, or climb stairs more often, or do basic cardio for 15 to 20 minutes daily. This will not only help you lose weight but will also tone your muscle and give you a more sculpted look.
Include Protein
A high-protein and low carb diet is great for weight loss. It reduces energy intake, maintains muscle mass, and prevent you from gaining weight.
Get Some Sleep!
Do you often spend your nights watching movies or shows? If yes, you need to stop it as improper sleep causes weight gain. Yes, you read it right. Several studies have shown that when people sleep less than 7-8 hours a day, they have increased levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin and decreased level of fullness hormone, which could lead to overeating and weight gain.
Another study has shown that if a person sleeps for 5 hours a day, he consumed more carbs and gained nearly 2 pounds.
Start Your Day With A Glass Of Honey Water
This weight loss tip isn’t difficult to follow, is it? Drinking honey water on an empty stomach is the easiest thing you can do to lose weight. This drink will not only help to cut down fat but also let your body soak up the vitamins- making your immune system stronger.
Drink Adequate Water
You must have heard this that drinking 8 glasses of water can help you lose weight. According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, if a person increases his water consumption by 1.5 litres a day would burn an extra 17,400 calories which means losing approx 5 pounds!
Best exercises for losing belly fat
The best exercises for targeting fat are aerobic exercises that burn the most calories in within a short amount of time. Some examples include:
1. Running
Running is an aerobic activity that is very efficient for weight loss and belly fat burning. It activates several muscles at once, and it requires muscle resistance while improving your physical stamina and cardiorespiratory endurance. All of this helps to boost your metabolism, which will activate fat burning.
One way to speed-up weight loss and belly fat burning is to do interval training, which should be done at a high intensity. This consists of alternating between periods of effort and rest to further increase metabolism. Rest can be active or passive. It’s important that this type of training is supervised by a personal trainer to avoid injury and to ensure that the activity is being carried out at a high intensity.
2. Aerobic class
Aerobic classes like step class, combat, and Zumba, for instance, are also good options for losing belly fat as they are usually done at a high intensity. In addition, aerobic classes are normally done in groups, which is good because the participants encourage each other to perform the the activity correctly.
3. Jumping rope
Jumping rope is considered to be a complete exercise because it stimulates the muscles and improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This will boost metabolism to promote calorie and fat burning. Overall, jumping rope has lots of different health benefits.
4. Cycling
Cycling is another great way of promoting weight loss and belly fat burning, since it builds muscle and improves strength and resistance. It employs a great number of muscles to work, and the more muscles working, the higher the capacity of the body to burn fat.
5. Speed walking
When it is consist and quick, walking can boost metabolism and promote weight loss and fat burning. For this to be possible, however, you need to do speed walk for at least 30 minutes at a consistently high intensity. It’s also important that you follow the right diet alongside this physical activity.
6. Swimming
Swimming is also an excellent exercise that can be performed for weight loss, as it improves your physical condition and strengthens the muscles, which helps to burn fat faster.