Although most people think keeping a trim midsection is all about appearances, it’s actually much more than that. You can extend your life by paying attention to your belly fat. Losing weight lowers blood pressure, helps you sleep better, and can help you ward off diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
Although there is no such thing as a diet that specifically targets the midsection, you can nonetheless accomplish this by losing weight overall. In particular, reducing the amount of visceral fat — a type of fat within the abdominal cavity that can’t be seen but nonetheless increases the risk of a whole lot of health problems — is key.
So what are the 8 secrets to losing weight and keeping it off? Check out this list.
1. Always read labels
Take a look at nutritional labels on several brands and compare. You’ll notice, for instance, that some yogurt manufacturers will boast that they’re lower in fat than their competitors without mentioning that it contains loads of added sugar. After all, they know that a product that is low in fat still has to taste good. Also be aware that when they reduce the fat in peanut butter, mayonnaise, and other products, they replace it with sugar and additives that actually make these items less healthy.