Views:861 | By: Wanjiru The excess weight that develops overtime around the center of the body is what we refer to as belly fat. It is a situation a lot of people are facing, leaving them in a dilemma on how to get rid of it or at least reduce it. It has made a negative impact in many people's lives leading to lowered self esteem.

There are different types of belly fat, visceral belly fat(the fat that surrounds body organs) and the subcutaneous belly fat(that sits under the skin). Visceral fat is more dangerous compared to the subcutaneous fat, it is mostly found in the heart, liver and intestines. In most cases, this fat causes blockage of intestines putting you at a risk of getting diseases like cancer, proteins that increase insulin resistance and heart complications which lead to premature deaths.

What are some of its causes?

Poor feeding habits
Intake of sugary and processed foods,beverages and carbs. Excessive consumption of the above foodstuff causes an increase of belly fat. Some of the examples of these foods; cakes, frozen yogurt, flavored coffee drinks and sodas are the top listed sweetened foods. Also solid calories and sweetened beverages which take time to be processed are stored as fat.
Stress
A big number of people do not even notice when they are stressed. People tend to eat a lot when in this situation which is a great setback. During this period the body releases a stress hormone which can lead to weight gain when produced in excess especially in the lower abdominal region, instead of the hormone boosting your survival it promotes fat storage.

Alcohol consumption
Intake of alcohol causes a variety of health problems, belly fat being one of them. Men are the possible casualties here because in most cases they are the ones over drinking leading to big bellies, liver problems and inflammation. People who abuse alcohol are very liable to get struck with obesity.

How to lose belly fat

Taking a healthy diet
Replace your unhealthy diet with healthy foods such as proteins, vegetables and less fat meat or even abstain. Drink a lot of water per day instead of taking the
sweetened drinks, also reduce the amount of dishes you take per day for instance, if you have three meals per day, you may reduce them to two. Eating after 7pm is not advisable.
Regular exercise
Start exercising at least 30 minutes of moderate workouts in 5 days per week. Take a walk, jog in the morning(most appropriate time) or ride a bike. This will help in burning excess fat and reduce weight.

Manage your stress in a better way, do your favorite activities, go out with friends or even look for a counselor if it is more serious.

All it requires is effort, commitment and perseverance. Be persistent and you will definitely be at your desired body shape and size.