How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat With 5 Key Foods

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake. ~ Anonymous (Tweet this)

Being overweight in the eyes of cultural norm does not automatically equate to being unhealthy. There are plenty of plus-sized individuals who are in phenomenal health—I know a few personally. In fact, some of the healthiest people on the globe are the Native Inuit people, who consume a diet of mostly fat and have their fair share of body fat.

On the contrary, there are plenty of average weight or underweight individuals with metabolic symptoms associated with obesity. In other words, their organs are fat (such as fatty liver disease).  It’s not the fat under the skin that is a problem, at least not from a perspective of wellness; it may be a problem for the American standard.

The fat to be concerned about is visceral fat located in the abdominal cavity, this is the belly fat that causes issues and is usually a symptom of internal issues. This type of belly fat typically shows up even on overall thin individuals as the beer belly look and is the real cause for concern.

Despite popular opinion, you can actually learn how to get rid of belly fat independently of other types of fat that may be in your body. But first, let’s look at the cause of it, to understand where the cure is actually located, and then how to get rid of belly fat in the steps that follow after that (below).

What causes belly fat?

There is a specific reason for belly fat and weight gain in general and no it’s not about calorie consumption. In fact, the biggest contributor of weight gain and loss comes down to hormone health.

The main cause of weight gain, especially around the belly is elevated cortisol. This stress hormone does a few of things that lead to weight gain around the belly. First, when the body is under stress it will hold onto water for “survival.” This can give your belly a bloated and puffy appearance. Second, as cortisol rises, blood sugar also increases.

If blood sugar levels go up, the pancreas manufactures insulin. Over time, this can lead to blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, which is also known as metabolic dysfunction. This in turn makes it very difficult to burn body fat. The good news is that the concept behind how to get rid of belly fat is really as simple as lowering elevated cortisol levels.

The tricky thing is that there are many causes of elevated cortisol. Here are just a few contributing factors:

1. Food Intolerances: Food intolerance can be a major stress on the body, which raises cortisol behind the scenes every time you consume that particular food.

2. Toxic Build Up: Excess fat around the stomach can be a toxic overload in the body. If the body is filled with toxic residues from food additives, environmental pollutants, chemicals or internal toxins from poor digestion or physiological stress then the body will actually produce more fat cells. The reason the body retains fat is to protect the internal organs from these poisons by insulating the toxins in the fat cells.

3. Mental/Emotional Stress: Stress can come in a variety of ways; however, the most common is likely stemming from the mind. When we are in resistance to life circumstances, we experience pressure and what most refer to as stress. In result, the nervous system will react to this mental stress the same way it would to physical disease by producing excess cortisol, potentially resulting in weight gain.

How to get rid of belly fat by cleansing

Over all, the thing to do in your search for how to get rid of belly fat most efficiently is going to be lower cortisol. A full mind and body detox is in order. Let’s take a look at some simple things you can do to safely cleanse your system of toxic residue:

1. Go organic

Commercial foods are loaded with toxins that can create a heavy burden on the body and lead to belly fat gain. Instead, eat high-quality, organic food.

2. Get rid of junk food

The best thing one could realize in terms of eating is that this idea of junk food and health food is a myth. There is real, wholesome food that nature provides and then there is poisonous junk disguised as food. Processed and refined food digest poorly in the body, which leads to toxic build up and metabolic disorders that result in visceral fat.

3. Eliminate refined sugar

Refined sugar is pure poison to the body. When consumed it turns to crystalline acid in the blood, which completely suppresses the immune system. If there was one simple thing you could do to melt away belly fat it would be to remove this substance form your diet entirely. Instead, consume fresh berries, sweet veggies and perhaps the occasional piece of organic raw chocolate made with maple syrup or raw honey.

4. Ditch commercial beverages

Most commercial drinks like sodas, sports drinks and protein shakes are just junk food in disguise. Not only that, they are very expensive and contain little nutrition—if any. Stick to fresh living spring water instead. If you need to switch things up, try sparkling mineral water with citrus essential oils and a drop or two of stevia extract. You can also experiment with the occasional kombucha, kefir water or coconut kefir.

5. Remove industrial grains and dairy

These foods are not foods anymore thanks to Industrial Agriculture. They are mostly man-made things that are hybridized and genetically modified. Therefore, they digest very poorly in the body and can cause many autoimmune responses due to the mutated proteins.

Not only that, these foods are cultivated in the most destructive ways that are very harmful to the Earth and animals, especially commercial dairy, which is taken from sick cows who are very poorly treated and pumped with drugs. By the time you get the milk, the animal has experienced so much stress that the milk is literally loaded with stress hormone and growth hormone that causes estrogen imbalances in the body.

Not to mention, it is highly pasteurized and homogenized, removing all the beneficial properties, enzymes and bacteria, making it very hard to digest. Instead, consume organic gluten-free, ancient grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat and wild rice.

6. De-stress daily

Stress in any form will raise cortisol so make it of utmost importance to find some quiet time at the end of every day. Also, pursue a path of meditative living where you are more observant of your thoughts, calculations, perspectives and interpretations. There are many forms of yoga that teach one how to become more aware of their mind, emotions and body. This will result in less stress, as stress is just resistance. By observing, we no longer resist our thoughts and emotions, but become an accepting witness.

Five Foods To Burn Belly Fat

Now for some practical and simple action steps you can implement into your daily routine. These foods listed below are easily digestible, taking a major stress off of the body and are also detoxifying, which will help the body shed unwanted toxins and the fat cells where those toxins store. These foods contain active constituents that improve metabolism and help dissolve visceral belly fat. Consumed regularly, you will notice a much leaner belly region:

1. Green Smoothies

This is a great way to get detoxifying veggies and herbs as well as plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and water to nourish the metabolism and flush out toxins. As a blended food, it is essentially pre-digested, taking a digestive burden off the body, which can preserve energy for detoxification and burning off those fat-soluble toxins.

For a proper green smoothie be sure to avoid using sugary fruit and raw cruciferous veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli and asparagus. Instead, stick to water rich vegetables like cucumber and celery and leafy green lettuces like romaine, green leaf and Boston lettuce. Add some avocado for blood sugar support and creaminess. For some sweetness you can use berries and a bit of stevia. Or stick to a savory Ayurvedic green smoothie that is more of a soup!

2. Chia Seed

These little gelatinous seeds are wonderful fat burning food because they stabilize blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and contain a healthy amount of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. In order to burn fat effectively, insulin needs to be in check, as we discussed. Just a tablespoon added to your green smoothie will do the trick.

3. Cayenne

The active ingredient in Cayenne pepper, known as capsaicin, has shown to improve metabolism and burn belly fat. Not only that, it enhances circulation and thermogenesis, which can assist with the flushing of toxins out of the body. The nice thing about Cayenne too is that you can easily incorporate into your diet. Add it to warm lemon water in the morning for a detox drink or to salads, soups, stews and a variety of dishes.

4. Raw Cacao

It might be surprising to you that chocolate is on the list of fat-burning foods; however, there is a difference between commercial chocolate and raw cacao. Pure cacao actually contains phytochemicals, polyphenols and other constituents that naturally increase serotonin levels.

A natural boost in serotonin can suppress appetite (not hunger, just cravings). This can help one avoid overeating and even diminish the likelihood of the emotional eating of high-sugar foods. Be sure to get 100% raw cacao though as most commercial chocolate is highly processed, leaving it stripped of these beneficial compounds. Commercial chocolate is often loaded with sugar too, which can deplete the adrenals and raise cortisol.

5. Leafy Greens

Fresh leafy greens—especially wild ones like dandelion—are perhaps the healthiest foods on the planet. They are nature’s purifiers; adding them to your diet will load your body with enzymes that break down accumulations in the body, prebiotics to feed you healthy gut bacteria and because they’re naturally sugar free and fiber rich, they will keep blood sugar stable.

At first, they may be bitter, because they are, but this is what makes them great. The bitter taste actually stimulates the vagus nerve, telling the liver to flush toxicity. This not only keeps the body pure, it ramps up metabolism and digestion. Some leafy greens like kale, spinach and cabbage should be cooked while others like arugula, endive, and dandelion are best eaten raw.