Best Ways to Lose Belly Fat

Sometimes my "best ways to..." articles don't apply to everyone. But these "best ways to lose belly fat" are universally applicable -- which means they will work for you if you keep doing them! But remember: no tips for losing belly fat will work if you only do them once or twice.

So, try these on for size...and keep trying them for at least three months...

Best Ways to Lose Belly Fat

Count the empty chocolate wrappers or potato chip bags. This fat loss tip is based on food psychologists Brian Wansink’s research: keeping the empty wrappers right in front of you will remind you of how many treats you ate, which will encourage you to stop eating sooner than if you weren’t keeping track. It’s easy to keep mindlessly munching the mini chocolate bars and bags of potato chips – and forget how quickly the calories are add up! Keep the evidence of your snacking in plain view.

Change the order in which you eat food. Instead of eating the French fries and burger first, fill up on a large salad with no salad dressing. Then, if you have room, go for a bit of the burger and fries. And, don’t eat the boring iceburg lettuce salads with cucumber! I put apple chunks, red and orange peppers, spinach, red onions, orange chunks, pumpkin seeds, and raisons on my salads. The idea is to eat more veggies and fruits, and eat less carbs, starches, and fat. You don’t want to eliminate fat entirely – it’s good for your brain, hair, and body cells – but you do want to stick to small portions of healthy fats.

Pause for 10 seconds before you eat anything. When I ask, “Should we have some chocolate?”, my hubby pauses. He thinks for at least ten seconds. He checks in with his stomach. He checks with his head. I don’t know what he’s thinking about exactly, but he doesn’t just say “okay!” One of the best ways to lose belly fat is to think before you eat.

Identify your eating triggers — and find out what works for you. I tend to munch mindlessly right after lunch, especially when I feel anxious or scared about work (I’m a full-time freelance writer and blogger, and I get stressed!). I could sit in front of Judge Marilyn and eat granola, nuts, popcorn, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips for hours — especially if I have a difficult article assignment. But I’ve achieved my weight loss goals by finding my own best ways to lose weight. Over time I’ve learned what does and does not work for me, and I keep doing what works.

What do you think of these ways to lose belly fat? Comments welcome below...

For more tips, read Best Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off.

Best Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

If you're looking for the best ways to lose weight and keep it off, remember that losing weight fast doesn't translate to keeping it off. Don't scramble to drop 40 pounds in a month, becauuse it'll backfire!

These tips for losing weight and keeping it off will help you create a healthier, happier lifestyle...

Best Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Take your personal tastes into account. “All the popular diets can help you lose weight because they provide almost identical calorie intakes,” says nutritional biochemist Shawn Talbott, PhD, author of The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health – And What You Can Do About It. “But different people may do better on different diets because of personal tastes. For instance, if you love bread, don’t even think about trying Atkins…because it won’t work.” For more info on different types of weight loss plans (diets, yuck), read Achieve Weight Loss Goals With 5 Healthy Diet Plans.

Strategize to deal with different life situations so you control the food – and it doesn’t control you. Use smaller plates, drink flavored waters, and bring a veggie or fruit salad or low-fat healthy dish to a party so you know there will be something you can comfortably eat. Call or Google restaurants ahead of time to check out the menu, so you’re not surprised and order food. To learn more, read The Best Ways to Lose Weight.

Learn how to feel full without overeating. You may have heard this satiety tip before - because it works. “Look for prepared foods with five or more grams of fiber per serving,” writes Dr John La Puma in Chef M.D.’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine. “Only plant foods have fiber, and most foods that are high in fiber are low in calories.” To feel full without overeating, enjoy the soluble fiber in oranges, apples, carrots, flaxseed, barley, nuts, and dried beans and peas. For insoluble fiber, eat the skins of root vegetables, green beans, leafy greens, whole-wheat bread, and corn bran. To learn more, read Satiety Tips – How to Feel Full Without Overeating.

Believe you deserve to lose weight. Some women sabotage their weight loss goals because they don’t believe they deserve to be fit and healthy. They don’t put themselves on the top of the priority list - and “if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”! The best way to lose weight fast is to believe in your heart and soul that you deserve it, that you’re worth the effort. Do you believe you deserve to be thin, fit, and healthy? If you don’t believe you’re worth it, you’ll never achieve your weight loss goals.

What do you think -- have you tried any of these "best ways" to lose weight and keep it off? My favorite tip is #3: figure out how to feel full without overeating.