Fitness Coach Reveals 12 Habits That Helped Her Beat Stubborn Belly Fat

Jenna Collins is a health and fitness coach from New Zealand who specializes in health and fitness. In a new viral video, she reveals the secret to losing belly fat fast, which is broken down into 12 easy habits. "If you've ever felt like belly fat is the hardest to lose, no matter what you try, you're not alone. Belly fat is the hardest area to lose fat. However, it's definitely achievable with the right approach and a few good tips," she says, revealing some "simple habits that you can start implementing to help reduce belly fat quicker. These aren't quick fixes because quick fixes don't exist, so please stop chasing them, but rather lifestyle changes that will have long-term benefits and will make a huge difference in helping you reach your goals," she says.

Start with Nutrition

Nutrition is the first thing to consider. "A significant part of losing belly fat comes down to what we are putting in our bodies. I know you know this, but it's not taken seriously enough, so let's start with a few changes that will make a significant difference," says Jenna in her post.

Reduce Refined Sugar

"One habit that you have to adopt is reducing refined sugar," she says. "You should never have to cut this completely, but excess refined sugar can increase insulin levels, which encourages our bodies to store fat, especially around our belly. The other thing that is so sneaky about refined sugar is the amount of calories. Often, foods high in refined sugar or made up of these sugars almost entirely are very small by volume, but they pack a lot of calories. This is where it's very easy to consume more calories than your body needs on a daily basis, and those extra calories will be stored as fat. Do this every day, and you can see how quickly fat will accumulate. The longer this is ignored, the longer it's going to take to reverse and the harder it's going to be for you to do that," she continues. She suggests that when you have sugar cravings, to opt for something "more natural, healthier" like berries or a piece of fruit. "It's a very simple switch. Yes, it's not as attractive or appealing, but it will satisfy that sweet tooth most times." However, you don't need to cut out sugar completely. "Definitely allow yourself the sweet things that you'll enjoy. However, keep it minimal, especially if you're on a fat loss journey. Once you've lost the fat and changed your body composition, you can afford to be a little more flexible."

Prioritize Protein

"Another simple and necessary diet change is to prioritize protein in every meal," she says. "Protein plays a huge role in keeping you full and satisfied, which means you're less likely to snack and overeat. Protein also helps to build, maintain, and repair muscle cells at each meal. Aim for one palm size portion of protein, things like chicken, fish, eggs, or plant-based options like tofu, beans, and lentils," she says.

Consume More Whole Foods

The final nutrition recommendation she makes is "simply consume more whole foods on a regular basis and watch your portion size," she says, recommending one palm serving of protein each meal, one thumb-size serving of fat, two cupped hands together of fibrous fruits and vegetables, and one palm serving of complex carbohydrates. "When you start to go above and beyond this, and it happens very easily, this is when you start to exceed your daily calories for maintenance. People really struggle with meals because we overcomplicate it for ourselves. There's no need to spend hours in the kitchen each day preparing aesthetic-looking meals. I can guarantee that fit, healthy people who eat well consistently aren't bothered about what their food looks like. They're focused on getting food as fuel to build and maintain a healthy body."

Nutrition Should Be a Lifestyle, Not a Diet

"Nutrition is huge when it comes to losing belly fat, and the only way to do this successfully is to be consistent. You can't do it for a few weeks and revert back to old habits and complain that it doesn't work or assume that you have a hormone imbalance. It's highly likely that you are simply too impatient, and if you're honest with yourself, you're just not remaining consistent. This is a lifestyle, and it's not always easy. No one said it was, and it's not something you have to do either. You have to want to do it and be prepared to make the sacrifices and adjustments to get there. Most people are too addicted to their old habits to make an impactful change. However, I believe in you, and I know you can do this," she says.

Understand You Can't Spot Treat Fat

She then moves on to exercise. "First of all, you can't spot target fat loss with any particular exercise, so let's just forget about that right now. Please stop searching for belly fat-burning exercises because they don't exist," she says. "Exercise burns calories and those calories can't be targeted from a specific area of your body. You can't do an ab workout and select calories from your belly only to burn. That's not how it works. We can target specific muscle groups with certain exercises to help tone your muscles, but if you're not burning the fat covering them, those toned muscles won't ever be revealed."

Be Consistent With Exercise

"While exercise is important, it doesn't always have to be intense. What matters most is consistency. Back to what I mentioned earlier, you can change your body composition through exercise by building more muscle and slowly reducing body fat at the same time. You'll increase your body's ability to burn extra calories while resting, which increases your metabolism. What's great about this is it will eventually allow you to be more lenient with your diet. You often see fit, healthy people being able to consume higher-calorie foods. Well, these people have a higher resting metabolic rate than someone who lacks muscle tone and has a higher body fat percentage. They burn calories faster, therefore, they're able to consume more calories on a daily basis, and it won't affect them negatively," she says.

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Strength Training Is the Best Workout

She maintains that strength training should be your main workout. "Prioritize weekly training. Figure out how many days per week you can work out, and in those days, I highly recommend including two to three resistance training and strength workouts. This doesn't need to be in a gym. It can be done at home with or without dumbbells. This is what I personally do."

Sprinkle in Pilates and Cardio

"In addition to this training, it's also good to include some Pilates as well as one or two cardio focus sessions per week," she says. "Please do not make cardio your sole focus. I know you think that it helps you burn more fat and you'll reduce your belly fat faster, but this is not the best approach. Regular resistance training will do far more for you when it comes to building lean muscle and reducing body fat over time. Our bodies benefit so much from regular physical activity, so make sure you set aside time each week and remain consistent with these short 15 to 30-minute workouts with a focus on high-intensity core strength. Overall body strength and endurance are what you want to focus on."

Hydrate

Next, she moves on to lifestyle habits. "These may seem simple, but they have a huge impact," she says. " First, hydration, drink water, first thing every single morning. You need to rehydrate. Staying hydrated helps with everything from improved focus, energy levels, digestion, and even reduced bloating. I'm not going to tell you how much water you have to drink each day, but make a habit of having a water bottle with you wherever you go, and try to get at least a couple liters of water every day."

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Get Sleep

Another important habit is getting enough sleep. "I know this is easier said than done," she admits. However, she points out that sleep increases cortisol, "which is a stress hormone that encourages our body to hold on to fat, especially in our belly area. If you can ideally aim for seven to eight hours of quality sleep per night." Ways to get better sleep?  "Instead of being in bed and being on your phone for longer than you realized, try and read for 30 minutes. This really helps to unwind and relax your mind. This definitely helps me fall asleep much easier. Also, if you don't need to be up watching TV and doing nothing, go to bed earlier."

Find Ways to Destress

Lastly, she tackles stress. "We all know that stress can affect our bodies, and belly fat is no exception. When we are stressed, our bodies release cortisol, which can cause us to store fat, especially in our belly area. Managing stress doesn't need to be complicated, and I strongly believe that often, we bring unnecessary stress into our lives. We can minimize this by simply living in the moment. We worry about what's ahead, what's happening the next day, what's happening the next week, and this is just no way to live. There's no point in worrying too much about what's ahead because that actually doesn't exist yet. Even if you can just manage five minutes per day, take this time just for you. We can all manage this. No matter how busy your schedule is, whether you take this time for deep breathing, journaling, or just sitting in silence with no sound, you're going to really benefit from taking this time. Over time, these little habits add up and make a huge difference." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.