Nothing is more loyal and dedicated as belly fat—whatever you do, it just never seems to leave, it always overstays its welcome.

Unfortunately, a majority of the world’s population suffers from belly fat issues. A lot of people try ab crunches, crash diets, detox diets, and many tricks to lose belly fat, but here’s the thing—you need to work hard to lose belly fat. Good exercise, healthy eating, and a good lifestyle are important if you want a flat stomach, there is no easy way out.

Many factors are responsible for abdominal fat or belly fat. A few of them include:

• Your genes play an important role in your body type. If you have a family history of obesity, you’re more likely to be obese and have belly fat as opposed to those who don’t have a family history of obesity.
• If you have a hormonal imbalance or if your hormones are going haywire, you’re more likely to end up with belly fat. This is the reason why a lot of women experience bloating during their menstrual cycle. Also, women above 40 are more prone to belly fat because menopause includes hormonal imbalance, which, in turn, can lead to belly fat.
• Not getting enough sleep can cause a weight gain as it decreases your metabolism.
• Stress causes weight gain as well. When stressed, your body releases a hormone known as cortisol, which can alter the chemical balance of your body, and make you crave for comfort foods that are usually sugary and junk foods.

Lose the flab – How to get rid of belly fat

• Belly fat is one of the most stubborn fats in your body, so if you’re wondering how to get rid of belly fat, then dedication and willpower is much needed. You need to make a few lifestyle changes and follow these tips if you want the perfect stomach.
• Exercise. If your worries are all about how to get rid of belly fat then don’t overthink it anymore. While this is the solution to all problems, there is a good reason as to why exercise is the first to-do item on your way to a slimmer waist. Incorporate at least thirty minutes of cardio thrice a week, and some mild exercise on the other days. A lot of people are under the misconception that working out your abdominal muscles is more than enough to lose weight—this isn’t true. Studies have shown that even six weeks of constant training and exercising of only the abdominal muscles, showed no significant effect and didn’t help lose the flab around the waist. You need to do a full body workout. Other types of exercises like running, swimming and walking, have proven to be effective.
• Avoid your sugar intake. Sugar has an overall harmful effect on your body. Your liver is responsible for metabolizing the glucose and fructose in sugar. If you take too much sugar, your liver gets loaded with excess sugar, and it ends up changing all the excess fructose and glucose into fat instead. Sugar increases belly fat as well as liver fat, and this can lead to other complications like insulin resistance and other metabolic problems. Studies show that consuming too much sugar can lead to obesity and that you have a sixty percent risk of being obese. Avoid beverages with artificial sweeteners and sports and energy drinks as well. Drink natural homemade fruit juices without sugar instead. Fruits have sugars too, but the fructose in sugars isn’t half as harmful as the fructose in refined sugars.
• Take in more protein – it is one of the most important nutrients that aids in weight loss. And how you may ask? It boosts your metabolism by a good eight to hundred calories, reduces your craving for food by over sixty percent, and while it helps reduce your weight, it acts as a great nutrient for your overall body health. Add high protein foods to your diet like eggs, fish, nuts, meat, legumes, whole wheat, and dairy products.
• Make sure you eat a lot of fiber, especially viscous fiber. Fiber aids metabolism and good metabolism is necessary for a healthier and fitter you. Invest in foods like whole grains, oatmeal, fruits, and vegetables.
• Ditch the carbs—this is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. When you cut down on carbs, your appetite will go down, and this understandably aids in weight loss. Studies have shown that low carb diets have been more effective than low-fat diets. Cutting down on carbs can help cut down on your water weight as well. Start with reducing your carb intake by 50 grams. Your body will go into ketosis, which means it will kill your appetite, after which your body will start burning the fat in your body for fuel.
• Stop trying to decide how to get rid of belly fat with crash diets. It will send your body into starvation mode, and once you resume your normal eating habits, your belly fat will return—twice as much.
• Get an adequate amount of sleep if you are wondering how to get rid of belly fat. Sleeping too much or too less can contribute to visceral or belly fat. Your body needs a good seven to eight hours of sleep a day; don’t compromise on this.

  To know exactly how to get rid of belly fat is not easy, but it isn’t impossible either. Follow the above steps, and you’ll see a significant change in your body.