1. Eat for what you are going to be doing, and not for what you have done. This means that the majority of your calories should be taken in during the active part of your day. Most of us are active between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
2. Drink plenty of water during the day. The recommended amount is 6 to 8 glasses daily.
3. Stay away from zero carbohydrate fad diets. These types of diet can cause memory lapse, slow bowels, fatigue, and the loss of muscle, which is important in burning fat.
4. Do not skip meals when trying to lose weight. This throws the metabolic clock off balance. As a child our bodies were programmed for three main meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). When that sequence is not being followed, the body throws up its own defense mechanism by holding on to fat to protect itself. The body will burn muscle for energy and save the fat just in case.
5. If you can't flex it, don't carry it. Keep a tab on the scale and mirror. If the body fat starts to increase, cut back. Let the last meal of the evening be fruit or a mixed salad with low calorie dressing. Don't forget the water.
6. Keep a nutritional calorie journal. By measuring your calorie intake, you will know whether to add or take away.
7. Compare labels for nutritional information on products when grocery shopping. Be especially aware of the fat and sodium content.
8. Eat four to five small meals a day instead of three large meals. The body will burn the calories more efficiently and the craving for food will not be as great. Keeping in mind that a meal can be the size of a banana, or apple, or bran muffin, or a cup of yogurt.
9. Never wait until you're starving before having a meal. You are most likely to overeat during that time.
10. Break the age-old habit of eating everything on your plate. Especially when the portions are large. Leave with a slight feeling of satisfaction.
11. Feed your body quality nutrition. Proper nutrition accounts for 75% of who we are, and our aim should be - "you are what you eat." The body is on a quest, constantly generating new cells and tissue. That process is cut short; however, when empty and worthless calories are given in the body.
For starters, a man seeking to lose his belly must drastically cut back on carbohydrates and, instead, increase protein intake. Eliminate or radically reduce bread, pasta, and rice in the diet. Start eating more fish, turkey, tuna and chicken. Add more fruit and vegetables to your diet as well. Fill up on salads and vegetables. Drink plenty of water.
Of course, the most important thing is to perform consistent aerobic exercises 3 or 4 times a week to help speed up your metabolism to lose the weight (your belly) more rapidly. Once you are training regularly, you still need to watch what you eat. Some people think that once they are exercising they can eat whatever they want. This is absolutely not true. Continue to keep your carb intake low, especially in the beginning of your new workout regime.
