When thinking of a diet to lose belly fat, some people automatically think of drastically reducing calories to get rid of the fat deposits. While calories do have a lot to do with achieving and maintaining desired weight, radically cutting down your calorie intake may do your body more harm than good. Take note: your body needs calories in order for it to be at its optimum condition and to perform its everyday functions. When you starve yourself, you put your body into starvation mode and it responds to starvation by slowing down your metabolism and attempting to store as much fat as it can. But you don’t want to store fat, right? You want to burn those fats, especially those around your belly.

The smart way to lose belly fat is not to starve yourself but to properly understand and execute calorie management. A guide to help you comprehend how many calories your body needs for it to carry out its regular functions is the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). The required calorie intake differs by gender, age, weight and level of activity. For you to lose weight, you do not have to (and you must not) starve yourself, instead, you need to create a slight calorie deficit. You achieve the calorie deficit when you burn more calories than you put in your body. A calorie deficit of 15-20% of your daily calorie needs is typically recommended for you to lose weight without going into starvation mode.

You should also be aware of which kinds of food increase your belly fat and which help you whittle the fat away. Alongside calorie management, you also have to be wise about the food that you eat as this has a great effect on your waistline. Here are a few tips:

Staying Away from Sugar

If you want to successfully lose belly fat, you have to stay away from sugar as sugar is stored as fat in the body. Sugar is considered to have empty calories – calories without nutrients. Attention to everyone who loves soda pop, ice cream and candy. Of course, life without sweets is a dull life, but you have to be smart about it. Keep your sugar intake to a minimum and strive to go for natural sweets instead of artificial or processed ones. Indulge in fruits (fresh, not canned) and use natural sugar substitutes such as extra virgin honey when cooking, baking or preparing beverages.

Being Careful of Anything Fat-free

Fat-free sounds great, but look more closely at fat-free food packages. Most fat-free foods compensate for the loss of fat by adding more sugar, which still equates to fat. Be sure to check the nutrition information properly before you buy.

Making Fiber and Protein Your Best Friends

Fill up on high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. High-fiber foods are digested slowly, so they give you energy longer and make you feel full longer. Fiber also helps prevent the spikes in blood sugar and insulin that signal your body to store fat. On the other hand, protein helps in developing muscles, which you will need to burn fat. The more developed your muscles are, the more fat they will burn. Examples of protein-rich foods are chicken, turkey, eggs and fish.

Eating Soup

Soup is a healthy comfort food. It warms your tummy, relaxes and soothes your mind. It is also a part of a wise diet to lose belly fat. When you’re to go for a friendlier approach to losing belly fat, make soup a part of every meal. The body responds differently to soup than it does to water. When you drink water with your meal, water passes straight through the pyloric sphincter at the bottom of your stomach and enters the intestines. If you eat the same meal as a soup, the pyloric sphincter will hold the whole mixture in the stomach so you will feel full for a longer time. The longer you feel full, the less you will eat.

Drinking Water

Strive to turn to pure drinking water to quench your thirst instead of juice or soda pop. Drinking water fights bloating, flushes out toxins from the body and suppresses your appetite. Water also has fat-burning properties by helping the liver metabolize fat more efficiently. Make a habit of drinking enough water every day, as it will help you keep healthy and lose weight.

Quitting Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

Many people think that smoking helps people lose weight by suppressing appetite. It does suppress appetite, but the problem is that smoking releases cortisol, a kind of stress hormone found in the body. High levels of cortisol will encourage the storage of fat, especially around the midsection. On the other hand, drinking alcohol increases appetite so you will feel like eating more. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories and low in nutrients. Excessive drinking leads to weight gain.

Remember that the combination of healthy amount of exercise, smart calorie management, wise choice of food (read about fat burning foods here) and healthy lifestyle is your secret to losing belly fat and achieving your desired weight (read about how to lose belly fat here).