Sonia
If you want a flat belly, what you eat in a day makes a huge difference. Apart from accumulating belly fat, poor eating habits can also pose severe health risks, such as cardiovascular diseases. So, if you are looking to shed some belly fat, here are 15 of the worst eating habits to avoid.
Overeating
You are more likely to get belly fat when consuming more calories than required. It generally happens when you are distracted, like watching television or using the phone. According to experts, eating while distracted increases the chances of overeating by five times. So, it is better to eat mindfully and eliminate all distractions at the dinner table.
Excess Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol, especially beer and wine, contains a lot of calories and sugar in them. Drinking an excess amount of alcohol might give you belly fat because when you drink alcohol, your body starts prioritizing metabolism over burning fat. It also alters certain hormones in our body whose primary function is to burn fat or control hunger.
Staying Dehydrated
We tend to eat more when we are dehydrated or do not have much energy. This is when we confuse hunger with thirst. It is necessary to drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain a decent appetite. So before eating your daily meals, have plenty of water to keep yourself full and avoid overeating.
Consuming High Calorie Snacks
It is obvious that we should choose healthy food over unhealthy ones. But knowing how much to have these healthy snacks is also important. In most cases, we consume too much of high-calorie snacks, which naturally leads to consuming more calories. The solution is to read and know how many calories a snack item has and then decide how much one should have.
Eating Outside
Normally, the food we order in restaurants has excessive amounts of fats and sugars, adding to our body fat. Some sauces that are normally added to the food to enhance its taste increase the number of unwanted calories in the meal. Apart from that, outside food also has high levels of sodium, adding to the weight gain.
Avoiding Vegetables or Fruits in Meals
Fruits or vegetables are a source of good vitamins and fibers to our bodies. Including them in our meals is a good way to maintain a healthy diet. Besides vitamins, it is recommended to include fruits, berries, and vegetables because they are high in antioxidants, which help control hunger levels and lower chronic inflammation.
Avoiding Meals
Skipping meals is a horrible approach to burn belly fat. When you skip meals, you harm your metabolism, and give in to overeating later on. So, prioritize your meals and prepare them in advance so you can control how many daily calories you consume. Also, eating at regular intervals speeds up your metabolism, which can help you control your appetite.
Skipping Protein from Meals
Protein is vital for our body and for feeling full longer. Failing to include enough in your meals can make you feel the urge to reach for those unhealthy snacks. Moreover, protein accelerates metabolism and helps build muscle mass, allowing the body to burn calories even at rest and ultimately reduce belly fat.
Consuming Too Many Supplements
It is important for our body to receive the necessary vitamins through healthy supplements such as selenium or biotin. However, overconsuming these supplements can lead to higher inflammation. Taking supplements is necessary only if you cannot get vital vitamins from your daily diet. Otherwise, it is better to skip supplements.
Sugary Drinks
Beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sweetened juices are packed with added sugars that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to spikes in blood sugar levels. This excess sugar, not immediately used for energy, gets stored as fat in your body, particularly around the abdomen, contributing to belly fat.
Eating White Carbs
White carbs, such as white pasta, rice, or bread, are generally stripped of nutrients and fiber during processing. And overeating them leads to a spike in blood sugar, eventually making you hungrier. Opting for whole grains instead can help maintain a healthier weight and reduce belly fat.
Eating at Late Night
Having a heavy meal at night disrupts our metabolism and the quality of sleep we get. Firstly, the metabolic process slows down once it gets dark, so eating food or calories during the night is stored as fat. So, if you cannot avoid late-night eating, you must at least limit it.
Eating Fast
If you gobble down your food too quickly, your body will not have time to let you know when you are full, resulting in eating way more than you should. The contrast is that eating slowly and chewing each bite thoroughly will give you enough time to feel full. Eating thoughtfully or being mindful about it, for example, concentrating on the taste of each bite you consume, will help your digestive system.
Overindulging in Snacks
Eating too many sugary or high-calorie snacks like processed foods results in consuming more calories than the body can efficiently burn and naturally gaining more belly fat. If you fail to monitor your snacking, it defeats any effort you put into losing weight. Not only will it demotivate you, but it will also not show any results.
Emotional Eating
Many people turn to food when they have a bad day or are simply excited. Unfortunately, this behavior can throw you off track when it comes to losing weight because this food is not for the body but for the soul. So, instead, learn how to deal with emotions and stress in a healthy way. Understand what triggers you to overeat and find alternate ways.
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