6 Best Tips to Beat the Battle of the Bulge

A common trouble spot for women is belly fat. It seems that whatever we eat goes straight to the stomach. For some women, an expanding waistline is par for the course after menopause, when body fat tends to shift to the abdomen.

Although an increase in belly fat does make it hard to zip up your jeans, it is also linked to an increase of certain diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The good news? The threats posed by belly fat can be reduced.

What to do? Check out our 6 tips to beat the battle of the bulge!

Let’s get to it.

1. Toss Out Temptation

Everyone has a list of “trigger foods” – which means an open bag is an empty bag. Before you revamp your eating program, go through your pantry, fridge, and freezer, and toss out these “trigger foods”. Any unopened packages can be donated to a food shelter. While it may be hard to say goodbye to those cookies or Goldfish at the moment, it will be worth it later on. If it’s not staring you in the face, the odds are you won’t want it. Trust us!

If you have family members that will get angry if you throw out their favorite snack food, make them keep that food in a place you won’t find it. If it’s a perishable item, buy the smallest quantity available – one-serving portions if possible. Write their name on it with a magic marker and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge, behind the bottles of milk, tea, and water, where you won’t see it. Out of sight, out of mind.

2. Turn on the Water Works

To make sure you get enough fluid every day, choose water-rich fruits and veggies in addition to your water and tea. If you have a choice between a vegetable full of water, like baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms, or one that’s on the starchy side like fresh corn, go for the water stuffed one.

Water helps to flush out toxins and feel more energetic. Water, herbal tea, green tea, and sparkling water are all great choices. Again, if it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. Put a bottle on your desk so you remember to stop every so often and take a sip or two.

3. No Starvation, No Deprivation

Eat every 3-4 hours to maintain a steady blood sugar and energy level.

This requires you to be prepared – take meals and snacks with you to work and on the go. Also, make sure your plate is well-balanced – one-half should be vegetables and/or fruit, one-quarter lean protein, one-quarter whole grain. Adding a small amount of healthy fat (i.e., avocado, olive oil, nuts, nut butter) will help you stay fuller for longer periods of time.

4. Portions are Important

Read the label on the foods you eat, so you learn what a portion or serving size is. Fast food restaurants are notorious for super-size portions way beyond what is required.

A serving of fruit means ½ cup of berries or a small whole piece of fruit. A serving of vegetables, other than leafy greens, is ½ cup as well. A serving of greens is 1 cup. A slice of bread is a serving. A half-cup of whole-grain pasta or rice is a serving. Protein (fish, chicken, pork, or beef, tofu) is 4 ounces for a serving, about the size of a deck of playing cards.

5. Get Back on the Wagon Immediately

Everyone has a tendency to slip up and have that extra cookie, a bag of chips, or serving of ice cream, now and again. Forgive yourself but don’t use it as an excuse to trash the entire day’s worth of eating right. You have the choice to get right back on the wagon. So don’t wait. And write it down!

6. Food Journaling

Writing down what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat is important to your success. 

Journaling provides feedback, which allows you to make the necessary changes to help you reach your health and wellness goals. Remember to write in your journal immediately after you eat. If you wait until the end of the day, you’ll likely forget much of what you ate or drank. There are usually sneaky foods like that second cup of coffee or that handful of chips from the office.

There you have it – our 6 best tips to beat the battle of the bulge. You don’t have to jump into all six tips right away, as this can seem overwhelming. Try incorporating the easiest ones first and working up to all of them. You will start to notice changes in how you feel… and your favorite jeans might fit again!

Besides eating well, it’s always important to get in some physical activity to be your best self. Here are some of our favorite ways to burn more calories!