By Ahh, the dreaded belly fat situation that most of us have undoubtedly dealt with at one or more stages of our lives. Unfortunately, as you age, this seems to become a prolonged and somewhat annoying feature that’s not only challenging to overcome, but once you get it, difficult to get rid of!
Saying this doom and gloom above calls for a bit more positivity. You can and will be able to get rid of this dreaded belly fat. For some, it can take less than 3 weeks, or a lot more time than this. I always tell clients, the longer you allow it to work, the better you will be at sustaining the fat loss, and being able to know your body well enough, spotting triggers that will help you stop and assess your lifestyle and food choices.
This is not a race to the finish line. Some peoples belly fat is a result of imbalances of hormones, perhaps a gut microbe issue. These take a little longer than 3 weeks get back to the natural state of flow.
To answer your question, I’d like to say that it all depends on a variety of factors, and this is why I alway suggest the help of a professional. They will know how to guide you through all of this, providing the best possible solutions during each and every pit stop. Sometimes you do have to put your money where your mouth is, if you want the best possible solutions, in a shorter amount of time.
In the meantime, let me offer you some wonderful solutions to get you started. As I do not know your underlying problem, let me assume you have not tried the following things below.
First step: Know what kind of fat you are dealing with.
Subcutaneous fat is the type of fat located below the outermost layer of the skin, and can be pinched using your fingers. It’s usually the layer that covers your hidden six pack. Visceral fat on the other hand is located between your organs and deep within the body. Someones stomach usually sticks out as a result of too much visceral fat (hence, the beer belly syndrome). Studies show that men have a lot more visceral fat than women. Women actually begin to develop more visceral fat when they reach menopause, because less estrogen is produced within the body. We must become aware of these factors as we age.
There are a lot of negative effects when your visceral fat is too high. It increases inflammation, blood pressure and creates a bit of a catastrophic effect on your insulin health. It decreases the amount of adiponectin in your body (this is essential for fat burning) increasing the amount of triglycerides in your bloodstream. To put it all together, when you have decreased insulin sensitivity, hypertension, elevation of triglycerides, higher bad cholesterol and the increased risk of diabetes. This is probably the most catastrophic combination you can develop on your health.
But wait, there is more…
When it comes to men, the more visceral fat you have, the more it lowers your testosterone levels, as well as your overall health. This also means less muscle mass and bone density, increasing your chances of fractures. Visceral fat actually has the potential to degrade muscle mass, leading to even more fat accumulation. This is why so many men struggle with a protruding belly, inflammation and the accumulation of even more fat, despite their efforts.
Despite all this, you do have a chance to turn this around
Where there is a will, there is a way. A few ways in fact, that can turn your situation around. But you do really have to make sure the exercises implemented on a weekly basis will be something of interest to you, because it will have more staying power within your schedule. There is also a dietary factor to consider, as this is (as you know) key to weight loss success.
4 ways to eliminate that fat belly in 4 weeks or less
- HIIT – interval sprints to be exact. Although this is recommended outdoors, we cannot always do this realistically. Therefore I recommend sprint intervals on a treadmill, increasing the intensity as you become more and more accustomed to it. Ensure this is only implemented 2–3 times per week at the most. Start off small, then increase as you go. Do not rely on cardio alone, as it’s not the only factor for weight loss.
- High protein and cruciferous veggies. Whilst I don’t personally eat meat at all, I’m not going to recommend you do the same. This is personal preference, although I do ask of you to pick the best, high grade sources of protein available to you. Think grass fed, organic or wild caught fish and organic eggs. While this is sometimes hard to do, just do the best you can. Stay away from grain and antibiotic fed animals at all costs. This can mess with your hormones, create a catastrophic inflammatory environment in your joints and in your gut health.
Choose low calorie options like eggs, chicken breast, turkey and fish. These should be cycled with your high fat meats like steaks and lamb. Always add variety to your meals, stopping boredom and lack of flavour.
Veggies should be green as much as possible. Green veggies flush the body of toxins, have my fiber content, and keep you full for a lot longer than vegetables like potatoes. I do not recommend restricting carbs, but you can get all the carb sources you require from veggies alone, and without the insulin spikes. For now, focus on green veggies. The carbs will come later on when you get your blood sugar under control. - Strength training. You cannot just do HIIT, it will not create an environment to reshape your body as weights do. If you want to look like a long distance runner, that’s fine. But if you want to look lean, fit and have a shapely look, weights should be your best friend. Those hard, vigorous and intense compound movements will provide the best results when starting out. Save those isolated exercises for the end of your sessions. These do not create the hormone responses necessary for fat loss. Remember too that we want to ensure you are doing the correct exercises, that will bring you the fastest results. You can’t get shapely, lean legs with just the leg extension machines. Seek the help of a proper personal trainer, who know’s the strategies required to get you there. Sometimes you need to invest a little, to gain a lot and eliminate the frustration and wasting of time.
- Fasting intermittently. It doesn’t matter if you fast only 3 times a week, or even just restrict calories a couple of times a week. Fasting has a profound effect that will regulate your hormones, eliminate body fat and increase your energy levels. Yes, it is a little uncomfortable, but there results are too amazing not to even give it a try. Remember too, that this is a lifestyle, it’s not something to do once and then forget about it. Long term, consistent results require the implementation of proper strategies forever. It’s the key to being at your best, or letting yourself go. The choice is ultimately yours.
I would like to point out that 3 weeks is not a lot of time to lose belly fat, or fat in general. The timeframe required will alter from person to person, and it’s important to keep this in mind. Optimal health is something we have to work on every day, for life. This is not to say you can’t have a good time and enjoy a treat once in a while. I encourage this, as it will keep you sane. What I do want to really drum home is that we all respond in different ways to exercise, dietary changes and stress levels. This plays a huge part in our weight loss efforts, so please do not be disheartened if your weight loss efforts do not come on that fast. Take your time, change your habits, make those standardised in your life, and watch yourself achieve those weight loss goals.
I do hope this has helped you.
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