THERE ARE A LOT OF TIPS FLOATING AROUND ON HOW TO LOSE STUBBORN BELLY FAT AFTER YOU HAVE A BABY. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE ARE EITHER GIMMICKS THAT DONT WORK OR DANGEROUS DIETS THAT DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

When youre fighting belly fat, youre working against both subcutaneous fat right under your skin and visceral fat stored around your vital organs. The best way to combat both of them is to focus on making healthy changes to your lifestyle as a whole.

1. SHIFT YOUR FOOD FOCUS

Changing the way you look at food transforms your diet into a sustainable pattern that reduces overall body fat and increases your sense of well-being. Clean the processed packaged goods out of your pantry and replace them with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. This is good for you and for your whole family!

Add small amounts of healthy fats in the form of nuts and seeds to create meals that nourish and satisfy. These whole foods deliver optimal nutrition along with quality fiber to balance blood sugar, improve digestion and reduce abdominal bloating.

2. ADD MORE WEIGHT

To lose weight around your belly, add weight to your workouts. Lifting heavy weights has been shown to elevate metabolism both after you exercise and in the long term.

Since muscle is more metabolically active than fat, you wind up burning more calories at rest when you replace fat with lean muscle mass. High-weight, low-rep workouts provide the resistance necessary to build muscle and develop the elusive six pack that so many people are looking for.

Be sure to wear your V-Belt when you workout for faster results!The V-Belt provides physical reinforcement for your waist via wired, flex-fit compression while promoting the elasticity of your skin! Learn more!

3. RETHINK CARDIO

Cardiovascular exercise is the other part of the fat loss equation, and the type of cardio you do matters when youre focusing on your belly. Swap the hours on the treadmill for bursts of activity like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or circuit training.

These workouts elevate your heart rate and burn more calories in a shorter period of time than steady-state cardio. HIIT in particular has been shown to reduce stress hormones and kick your metabolism into high gear.

4. SOCK IT TO STRESS

Reducing stress hormones through exercise and relaxation techniques is necessary if you want to lose belly fat. Prolonged elevation of cortisol, the main hormone involved in stress reactions, can lead to increased fat storage around your midsection. Plus, too much stress puts strain on your body as a whole, which leaves you feeling tired and lacking motivation.

Take a morning or afternoon to yourself to relax and refresh!

5. SLEEP ON IT

Lack of sleep creates an imbalance in the hormones that signal hunger and fullness in your body. The satiety hormone leptin goes down while ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, increases. This leads to late-night snacking that can undermine your healthy eating plan. Good quality sleep is also essential for muscle recovery after workouts.

Caring for your body as a whole helps reduce stubborn belly fat and improves well-being on every level. When youre strong and in good health, you can look in the mirror every morning and feel confident and happy in your own skin.

Follow me on Facebook for even more tips!