Best Ways for Men to Lose Belly Fat

With cheap, convenient food everywhere, most of us don't worry about going hungry, but these foods are so high in calories and saturated fat that other worries come to the forefront. For men, belly fat can be stubborn, but with a commitment to exercise and healthy eating you can soon say goodbye to the bulge and hello to your feet!

Reduce Calories

• If you are carrying extra fat anywhere on your body, it is because you have been consuming more calories than your body can use. The extra calories are stored away as fat, the intention being that it will be turned back into energy on a particularly active day when you have burned more calories than you have consumed. Pay attention to how many calories you eat for a couple of days. You may be shocked by the figures, but writing it down will help to hold yourself accountable. An average person can do just fine consuming 2,000 calories per day, but this will vary depending on your metabolism and activity level. If you are way above 2,000, start downsizing.

Eat the Right Foods

• It is not enough to just eat fewer calories, you need to eat the right calories. If you pair monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) with whole grains, you may double the amount of belly fat you lose versus following a different plan. MUFAs are abundant in avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate among other foods, and whole grains are found in many cereals, bread, quinoa, rice, and crackers.

Exercise

• Exercise is important because it will burn calories and tap into those fat stores to find more energy. Cardiovascular exercise, such as running, burns lots of calories and can help to tone muscle, but it is also important to build muscle. Weight or resistance training will build muscle and the more you have the more calories you will burn to fuel those muscles every day--even just sitting on the couch. Of course, it is a great idea to do exercises that target your midsection so that when you succeed in losing belly fat you will have toned muscles to reveal. Remember though, sit-ups alone won't really help to lose fat in one area.