Studies have shown that belly fat is actually a better indicator of bad health than either a high BMI or your actual weight. When you have a big belly it indicates that you have a large amount of visceral fat accumulation. Visceral fat is a deep fat that wraps itself around internal organs. This causes your organs to have to work harder to do their jobs and keep you functioning.

Visceral fat has been linked to contributing to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer. The ideal waist measurement for women is under 35 inches (88 cm) and in men it is under 40 inches (102 cm). Often the midsection of your body is the toughest section to target. Also, spot weight loss is next to impossible. So if you have a large belly what should you do to get your waist measurement under 35 inches?

Walk. Walking is a great place to start on your weight loss journey. Walking is also a great way to rid yourself of overall body fat. Studies have shown that walking will reduce your overall body fat in as little as 30 minutes a day. If you increase your intensity and add interval jogging you increase your rate of loss. Walking and running are one of the few exercises that decrease belly fat.

Here are a few tips to blast off that belly fat.

1. Walk at the same time every day. Preferably in the morning. If you walk in the morning you get a nice energy boost and your metabolism gets a great kick start. Also by making it your first item on the list everyday it is less likely to get pushed aside for anything else that may come up.

2. Drink a lot of water. Well, how much water is enough water? There are many different points of view on this. It used to be that you should drink at least 8 glasses a day of water not counting any other beverages. Now some professionals say any fluid counts. The best rule of thumb is to drink half your weight in water. All beverages are not the same. Your internal organs have to work harder if you are drinking beverages with lots of sugar and additives. Water is the best choice for hydration. It is hard to drink too much water, especially if you are working on becoming more active.

3. Eat a balanced diet. That also means to eat throughout the day. Many people that are dieting skip meals. If you body thinks it is starving it will hold onto that stubborn belly fat. Make it easy for your body to let go of it by feeding it quality, nourishing meals spaced throughout the day. Add an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables to your plate and that will cut down on less undesirable choices.

It is possible to rid yourself of belly fat, it isn’t easy and it can take a large amount work. You are worth it. Taking care of yourself will help you to be able to take care of those around you even better. Don’t let stubborn belly fat get the best of you. Small changes every day can make a huge difference in your quality of life.

If you would like to discuss walking plans, nutrition plans, or anything else that has helped you eliminate belly fat come visit us on the forums. We would love to hear about your triumphs and get some tips we can share with others.