Posted Sept 9, 2013
By Mukherjee, Meghna
We tend to overlook certain habits that affect our life. We list six such habits that give you a belly pudge and how you can get rid of the unwanted fat gathering around your increasing waistline…
Skipping meals
When you skip meals, you end up overeating later and the fat inevitably finds a way to your midsection. Make it a point to eat small to medium-sized meals every three to four hours daily. Says nutritionist Jivesh Shetty, “We have to trick our body into having smaller meals every two to three hours to keep our metabolic rate high, not making us feel hungry and binge later.”
Binge drinking
When you binge-drink, you are inviting flab to settle down on your mid-section. Alcohol contains lots of calories and you often tend to feel hungry while you are drinking. If you want to go out drinking with friends, make sure you opt for red wine — it helps fight paunch. Nutritionist Namita Nanal, says, “The consumption of alcohol in moderation is fine during weight maintenance. You can choose to have wine as it is a rich source of antioxidants.”
Crazy about crunches
Sit-ups tone the muscles and does not affect the layer of fat covering them. Doing 50 or 100 crunches will not make your jeans fitting loose. Instead of doing 50 crunches a day, it is advisable to jog or brisk walk in the park or on the treadmill for half an hour daily to get rid of the belly pudge. Nanal says, “Only doing too much of crunches will not help. A proper combination of a good workout along with diet will help you to lose the fat faster.”
Consuming ‘lite’ products
Remember that opting for sugar-free sweets, yoghurt, low-fat snacks or diet sodas will not help in the long run. These artificial sweeteners trigger your metabolism to increase the storage of fat.
Staying away from bread
Whole-grain breads and cereals reduce the chances of adding fat to your belly. Make it a point of include wild rice, whole wheat and oatmeal in your meal plan once a day. Says Shetty, “Breads made from whole wheat and other whole grains usually have more fiber. It is healthy to have some amount of carbohydrates.”
Fatty foods: a big no-no
Not all kinds of fats are unhealthy. Monounsaturated fats are good for you. Nutritionists opine that if you consume one-quarter of an avocado either in your sandwich or salad, you will lose the fat around your belly. Nanal adds, “Good fats are essential for your body. For example, you can have nuts, healthy oils like sunflower and olive oil. Avoiding them completely will not benefit your body.”
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