Going from zero to 100 isn't that easy. And it also does not make sense, because success is usually lacking. Have you ever planned to train for an hour every day from now on, and to hold out for a few days? And how did the whole thing end?
If we take on too much, we usually achieve the opposite of what we want to achieve. You want to get rid of your belly fat, are highly motivated to do sports every day, register at the gym and go there for a week. Then this is what usually happens: You'll get sick. It's a friend's birthday. Your leg hurts. Or you just don't feel like it. And skip once. So your complete plan to do sports every day has failed. In other words: Actually it doesn't make any sense anymore to continue with it. You are frustrated and in the worst case this endangers not only your "sub-goal" sport, but the whole project to fight your belly fat.
So it is important with such changes that you approach them in a way that saves you unnecessary frustration. The best way to do that is to set realistic goals. Nobody trains every day. Even professional athletes take breaks. That's what the body needs. And of course your life doesn't change from one day to the next, but the changes happen bit by bit.
So, instead of doing a lot of sports, it's best to start by planning more exercise into your everyday life. A good goal, for example, would be to consciously move yourself once a day to a place where you wouldn't have done it otherwise. For example, you can ride your bike to work. Or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or walk to the first station. You will probably think of many more things when you look at your normal daily routine. And the great thing about such a somewhat broader goal is that if it rains in the morning and you can't take the bike, you can climb stairs later. A small setback does not mean that you have not achieved your goal.
In this way you can gradually bring more movement into your everyday life. And the lighter you get, the more fun you'll have with it.
Start at home first
Gyms are great. There are the latest devices with which you can do cardio training and train all muscle groups. You can do sports in any weather and take a shower and change clothes on the spot. There are well-trained staff who can answer all your questions and help you with the right training. You have a wide choice of courses where you can do sports to music in a group. And you'll meet people who also like to train. So there's a lot to be said for a gym.
However, fitness studios also offer great frustration potential for sports beginners and beginners. Because that's where a lot of people who've gone further than you train. If you just start and compare yourself with them, you will sometimes emerge as a loser. And then when you stay home, you feel twice as bad because you spent a lot of money. This will spoil your enjoyment of the sport even more.
So before you sign up for a studio, you should start exercising at home. Because there are many ways to train without becoming a member of a studio. You already learned how to get more exercise into your everyday life in the last chapter.
In addition, you can train at home as follows:
- Gymnastics: A few exercises (push-ups, sit-ups) you certainly still know from school times, and with a few minutes a day you already have a good introduction to training.
- Yoga: There are many instructional videos on the Internet that make it easy for you to do yoga at home.
- Dancing: A little music and you can whirl through the room to the beat. This not only burns many calories, but is also fun and in a good mood.
- Equipment: You should only buy training equipment (treadmill, stepper, home trainer, rowing machine etc.) if you are sure that you are using it. But if you like to train with a certain device, the purchase can be worthwhile. Because you save a lot of time on your way to the gym, you can train at any time of the day or night, and if you use it long enough, you'll be able to recover your initial costs at some point.
Of course, you can also train outdoors, for example while walking, running or cycling. Also a visit to the swimming pool will bring you a lot for the fight against your belly fat.
Every step counts
The easiest way to move more is to walk more. That sounds banal, but it is frightening how little some people move on foot. It is so easy to get into the car quickly or take the train, although you could also walk the same way comfortably. And often the argument (to oneself) for convenience is used to save time.
Yeah, you can get to work or friends faster in a car than on foot. But you don't "save" the time to do something great with it afterwards. Rather, you plan less time for the journey from the outset and are still just as stressed - no matter whether you take the car or walk.
In addition to the movement, the fact that you can concentrate completely on yourself also speaks for walking. In the first chapter you read that stress also causes you to gain weight. And through "pauses for thought", which automatically arise when you walk somewhere, you prevent this.
Meanwhile every mobile phone has a built-in pedometer or you can download a corresponding app. There are also very cheap pedometers that look like wristwatches. This allows you to measure exactly how many steps you take each day. And then slowly improve.
Try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. That works a lot, but it's not if you really consider all the steps you take during the day. In the office, for example, you can visit your colleague instead of calling him (but be careful not to get on his nerves or keep him away from work). Or during the break, make a small march around the block.
If you're really walking very little so far, start with a lower value. For example, start with 5,000 steps a day, but try to increase by 200 steps every day. Then, after less than a month, you have reached your goal of walking 10,000 steps every day.
Reduce belly fat: Foods that support fat burning
Your new best friends
There are foods you shouldn't eat if you want to lose belly fat. In the chapter on eating habits you got to know them. But there's also food that helps you get rid of fat. The composition of these foods stimulates the metabolism, fills you up for a long time and makes you lose weight faster. So you can eat the following foods with a clear conscience.
Avocado
Avocados aren't so popular for nothing. They are rich in vitamins and healthy fats and help you to be healthy and full. The linoleic acid (an unsaturated fatty acid) present in the avocado actively stimulates fat burning in the liver. Unfortunately, the avocado itself has relatively many calories, so it is best to combine it with low-fat foods.
Examples of ways you can prepare avocados are:
- in smoothie
- in a salad
- on toast (very tasty with hummus, salt and pepper)
- or simply for spooning
There are no limits to your imagination with avocados.
Broccoli
Broccoli is not only readily available almost all year round, it also helps to get rid of abdominal fat. The many vitamins and minerals in broccoli help the body to break down your fat. Broccoli has very few calories, so you don't have to watch how much of it you eat. The many dietary fibres ensure that you feel full for a long time. Broccoli is even said to help with cancer screening.
You can cook broccoli well and serve it with sauce. But you should be careful that the sauce does not destroy everything because it has too many calories. You can also prepare a vegetable casserole with wholemeal noodles or rice from it. By the way, you don't have to throw away the stalk of the broccoli, but you can cook it excellently and puree it to a soup.
Salad
Salad is always a good tip when it comes to losing weight. It is versatile, tasty and most ingredients have virtually no calories at all. Salad with vegetables has a lot of fiber and also salad is rich in vitamins and minerals. Therefore lettuce can also actively