Ok are we ready to tackle belly fat and get flat abs? When I say tackle, I mean specifically lose belly fat, and get rid of those last stubborn pounds once and for all!

First things first, in order to lose belly fat you have to get into the right mind set and be able to maintain it no matter what happens.  Make the decision first and commit to whatever it takes.

Take full responsibility for your body, diet, fitness and mind. Keep a positive and focused attitude and don’t resort to blame, excuses, genetics or the one we all love, procrastination.

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Make a list of all the positives and benefits you will gain from losing weight and getting flat abs. For example, you will gain self confidence, have more energy and be able to fit into your skinny jeans or bikini.

Then make a list of all the negatives and how much pain and frustration being overweight causes you in your life.  It may take effort and self control to lose belly fat and extra pounds but its a lot easier than being overweight. 

What would you rather have and feel and where do you want to be in 12 months time? 12 months is not a long time and flies by.

Do you still want to be fighting the battle and feeling depressed, or would you love to  feel amazing and confident about yourself? Accept that it wont always be easy but staying consistent, committed and having a good attitude is key for your success.

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Keep your list handy so you can refer to it often as a reminder. Set a date and make a commitment to yourself to lose weight by such and such a date. Be reasonable in your weight loss expectations. Keep a diary so you can keep track of your food and stay consistent especially with exercise.

Taking care of your health and losing weight is the best thing you can do for yourself. Let’s end the fight and find some solutions and motivation with these 14 great tips to lose belly fat and hopefully set you on the right track.

1. Let’s start with calories. How many calories do you need to lose weight and burn belly fat and to do it in a healthy sustainable way?

Women who need to lose about 15 pounds of weight need about 1200 calories per day.

Women who need to lose about 15-45 pounds need about 1400 calories.

Women who need to lose over 45 pounds need about 1700 calories per day.

For Men all you do is add 250 calories to each category.

2. These calorie levels will help you to lose weight and burn belly fat.  The average weight loss should be about 2 pounds per week. As you get closer to your natural weight you will notice that the fat loss slows down to about 1 pound per week. Don’t get discouraged; the less you have to lose the slower it will be, this is natural. You need to exercise too, about 20-30 minutes per day or 3 – 4 times a week at 45 – 60 mins.

3. Set some goals. It’s very important to stay motivated and inspired. When you lose a little weight you will feel great about yourself and this will inspire you to keep going with your set goal. So make sure to set some goals no matter how small and take action. It’s easy when you have something to aim for.

4. Eat a salad every day and eat your vegetables (Just like your mother told you). You don’t have to worry about calories with these. Add spices so they are not boring but these 2 foods are your very best friends when you need to burn fat.

5. If you are a meat eater make sure it’s organic or grass fed and cut the fat off. The fat on meat can really contribute to your own body and belly fat. Try not to eat meat every day. Eat more veggies!

6. Change to fat free milk. Milk is far better for you than drinking sugary sodas or juices. Cut the sodas and yes even the juices! And drink fat free milk. The difference in fat content is quite alarming, so go fat free milk if you do drink milk. Research studies have proven that the biggest contributor to fat is sugary drinks and that also means juices.

7. Watch the cooking oil or any oil for that matter. When cooking measure your cooking oil in tablespoons. Don’t pour it straight into the pan. 1 tablespoon is equivalent to 120 calories. It’s pure fat and has empty calories. Use a spray, and lightly coat the bottom of the pan.

8. Don’t use mayo and watch the salad dressing. Use another condiment such as chili sauce, mustard, pickle or my favorite salsa.

9. If your favorite treat is ice-cream try fat free yogurt. ½ cup of plain vanilla ice cream contains about 150 calories. Fat free yogurt has about 65 calories. You can eat Jello which has no calories.

10. If you’re crazy about potato chips, corn chips or pretzels try chopped fruit instead. Chop them up and enjoy the sweetness, no refined sugar in these babies.

11. You must set aside time to exercise every day even if it’s only 20-30 minutes a day. You can exercise 3-4 times a week at 1 hour a day. It’s up to you. Sometimes when the time is only 20-30 minutes a day it doesn’t seem so difficult. 20 minutes, in a pinch! Put this on your goal list. This will really help to lose belly fat!

12. Eat 2 pieces of fruit every day. This is great to cure refined sugar addiction. However if you are on a restricted candida diet you may have to fore-go the fruit until your digestive system can handle normal sugar in fruit.

13. Eat natural wholesome foods. Any foods that are not processed. If you stick to the basics you can’t go wrong. Organic meats, eggs, salads, veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Stay away from packaged and tinned goods.

14. Make healthy snacks. You can have popcorn, air popped is best and minus the butter. Almonds and walnuts are excellent but limit these to a small handful a day. Smoothies are great as a meal replacement. Beef jerky is also a good snack and peanut butter but limit this to 2 teaspoons only a day.

15.  It’s difficult to give up cheese because it’s so delicious but it does have a high fat and calorie content.  Reduce the amount of fat in your cheese by selecting products that are made from skim milk, 1% milk, or 2% milk.  These cheeses provide all the flavor with a fraction of the fat.

16.  Water can help you to suppress your appetite and it’s the best fluid to hydrate the human body.  Drink a glass of water before every meal.  The fluid will help your stomach feel fuller, faster. Water will also take the edge off of your hunger.

17.  Start your day with Pilates!  Regularly stretching can help you loosen up.  If you do pilates in the morning you will kick-start your metabolism for the day and burn extra calories. To Lose Belly Fat try these great Pilates Abdominal Exercises.

18.  Get adequate sleep at night.  Make sure your sleeping well at night and for at least 7-8 hours.  More if you are burnt out.  If you get the right amount of sleep this can lessen your stress levels, lower your cortisol which reduces weight gain.

If you really want to lose belly fat and lose weight over-all the No 1 key is to change your eating habits. Diet contributes to 80% of weight problems. So its really important to eat in a healthy and nutritious way not only to lose pounds but also to retain your energy and vitality and to feel great about yourself!

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