Looking for cost-effective ways to get rid of that fat tummy fast? Here’s how you can defeat belly fat in a healthy and affordable way!
Belly fats are the bane of our existence. Whether you’re a man, woman, nonbinary or transgender – we all want a flat tummy, preferably with some abs. Sure, it makes us look more attractive but that’s not the only reason why we want a flat tummy. Belly fats are unhealthy. In fact, it is the first sign that our bodies are dealing with excessive amounts of unhealthy food and lifestyle. Getting rid of belly fat can be challenging; not to mention quite expensive! But don’t worry, if you want to know how to lose belly fat on a budget, then you’re on the right page. Here is a comprehensive guide to losing belly fat and getting healthy that won’t cost you a dime!
Why Belly Fats are Bad?
It is true – a bit of body chub is necessary to keep us in good health. However, too much of the stuff can have the opposite effect on life expectancy and well-being, especially when it collects around the midsection. Not only does belly fat, or visceral fat, make it difficult to zip up your jeans, but it also increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, even if you’re not particularly overweight.
In fact, according to a study, normal-weight obesity is linked with high rates of mortality. Therefore, even if your overall weight is okay, but you have belly fat, it can be dangerous for you in the long run. Take this opportunity to get rid of stubborn belly fat and improve your health.
Experts at FreebiesDip have compiled a comprehensive list of tips to lose weight on a budget. Read on!
Top 20 Affordable Ways to Lose Belly Fat Fast
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to losing weight. Every person is different. Each with its own unique body chemistry. For maximum results, it is recommended that you consult a doctor or a personal trainer. Nevertheless, the following tips are known to work for losing belly fat without any side effects.
1. What to Eat and What Not to Eat to Get Rid of Belly Fat Naturally
The first thing you need to do in order to lose belly fat is to change your lifestyle. It includes changing what you eat and drink, bringing significant changes in your daily habits, and in a way altering your lifestyle completely.
Soluble Fibers are your Friends
According to multiple studies, soluble fibers are the best for losing weight because they are not broken down by your digestive enzymes. As a result, they keep you feeling fuller for longer and naturally decrease your appetite. Eating less equals less weight gain, simple. Moreover, they absorb water and turn into a gel-like substance in your gut, improving your digestion.
Most importantly, it is not difficult or expensive to incorporate soluble fibers in your daily meals. Some excellent sources of soluble fibers that hardly cost a couple of dollars are flax seeds. Brussels sprouts, avocados, legumes, blackberries.
Eat Foods High in Protein
Several studies show that people who eat more protein tend to have less abdominal fat than those who do not. Eating protein is especially important when you’re trying to lose weight and burn belly fat because they help you retain muscle mass. Additionally, proteins release the fullness hormone which decreases appetite and facilitates weight loss.
The best thing about incorporating high-protein food into your daily diet is that you probably already eat them on a regular basis. All you have to do is increase the quantity. Food rich in protein is meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, and whey protein.
Try to source your protein-rich food from a farmer’s market to get a better rate than grocery stores. Not to mention, they are fresher and organic.
To increase your protein intake for free, you can look up some free protein bar samples that certain companies give out regularly.
Include Fatty Fish in your Weekly Diet
Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fats that help reduce visceral fats. A study revealed that taking fish oil supplements greatly reduced liver and abdominal fats in patients with fatty liver disease. Ideally, you should get two or three servings of fatty fish in a week. Try including fish like mackerel, salmon, herring, anchovies, and sardines in your diet. Alternatively, you can take fish oil supplements that cost between $10 to $25 and will last you for a couple of months.
2. Don’t Buy Soda
This is hard for a lot of people, but there is nothing beneficial they have to offer, even diet sodas. And they aren’t cheap! According to an estimation, half of all Americans drink soda every day, usually about 2.6 glasses on average. That’s about $50 a month and more than $500 a year!
In contrast, you can get an entire week’s supply of fresh vegetables and fruits for only a couple of dollars. So, spend that money on some good produce instead. Pop a slice of cucumber, a wedge of lemon, or some mint leaves into your glass of iced water and enjoy. It might take some time, but go without soda for a while and see if your taste buds don’t start craving water instead.
Studies show that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to a 60% increased risk of obesity in children. It has the same effect in adults also. If you want to lose belly fat quickly, completely cut out all kinds of sodas from your diet.
3. Make Lemon Water to Lose Belly Fat Quickly
Drinking an appropriate amount of water every day is necessary for hydration and keeping the body functioning properly. Undoubtedly, water and lemon are a powerful combination. It is a good idea to drink lemon water to lose weight and belly fat quickly. Firstly, lemon water is super low in calories. It is better to drink water with a few drops of lemon drops in it than to drink fruit juices or other beverages.
Secondly, it is helpful in losing weight. A study with 173 overweight women found that drinking more water resulted in more weight loss and fat over time, irrespective of diet or physical activity. This shows that drinking lemon water throughout the day is an excellent way to burn belly fat without spending a single dollar!
4. Apple Cider Vinegar Works Magic for Burning Belly Fat
Apple cider vinegar has multiple health benefits. One of them is helping in reducing belly fat. A study showed that obese men who ingested 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar lost half an inch from their waist in a couple of weeks! Drinking a glass of water mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar is a cheap and effective way to lose belly fat. Furthermore, a one-gallon bottle of high-quality apple cider vinegar costs about $29, and it’s pretty much going to last you a year. So, be sure to check this hack out!
5. How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Belly Fat?
As mentioned earlier, increasing water intake helps in reducing body weight and fat. But exactly how much water should you drink? Well, experts say men should drink 3000 ml of water and women should drink 2200 ml of water daily. Ideally, you should drink a glass of water before every meal for maximum weight loss effect. It will fill you up and decrease your appetite.
Water contains zero calories, so drinking more of it will have no effect on your daily calorie count whatsoever. If you don’t want to drink plain, boring water, add a few drops of lemon or apple cider vinegar to it. Plus, you can get a free Fitteam Fitstick sample – an organic beverage powder for boosting energy without eating calories.
6. Try a Specific Diet
To lose belly fat in a healthy way, dieting is essential. Not all diets work for everyone. It is recommended that you consult a doctor before making any drastic changes in your diet suddenly. Pick a diet that particularly targets belly weight in addition to losing weight, such as the Nutrisystem diet and South Beach diet. These diets are specially designed to help you lose weight. They are planned by professionals, each with different phases to first, help you get adjusted to a restrictive diet, and later, wean out of it and go back to normal eating. They also provide you with foods to eat daily in perfect portions at your doorstep. Try the Nutrisystem coupons to save money.
Specifically, Nutrisystem Freshstart can help you lose 13 lbs and 7 inches overall only in one month. That’s excellent value for money. Of course, you do have the option of coming up with your own diet plan but in our opinion, that is too much work and expenses. After all, it is difficult to come up with a healthy grocery list on a budget. Instead of figuring out your own daily meals, buying lots of ingredients that you might not use up all, measuring portions, all the while trying to keep yourself motivated to diet and exercise, it is better to let pros handle it. So, you can comfortably focus on losing that belly fat.
7. Control your Portion Size
In order to lose belly fat quickly, you must control your meal portion size. Eating less combined with exercising more is a surefire way to burn belly fat fast. However, it can be difficult to eat less when you’re hungry. That’s why try our appetite-decreasing methods mentioned above. Drink a glass of water before every meal. It’ll make you feel full and naturally make you eat less.
8. Intermittent Fasting is a Must for a Healthy Slim Body
Intermittent fasting has become a buzzword in the weight loss industry recently. And rightfully so! Intermittent fasting is definitely helpful in losing weight, plus it has tons of benefits for your gut health.
Intermittent fasting means alternating between periods of eating and periods of fasting. Generally, you should start with a 12-hour eating period and 12 hour fasting period. Gradually, increase the fasting period to 18 – 20 hours. There’s no restriction on what or how much you eat within the eating period but for maximum results, stick to healthy full-portioned meals.
A review of several studies on intermittent fasting showed that people lost 4% to 7% of abdominal fats during intermittent fasting.
9. Consume More Protein Shakes and Dietary Supplements
Protein shakes are an easier and cheaper way to consume proteins than eating meat, which is very expensive. Plus, they don’t contain as many calories as solid food. You can easily prepare a protein shake using protein powder. Simply, get a good quality protein powder, such as Nutrisystem Turbo Shake, blend it with some water and you’re done!
In addition, there are several dietary supplements you can take to promote weight loss and burn belly fat. Turmeric Forskolin is excellent for this purpose because it is made with all organic ingredients, both known for their weight loss and anti-inflammatory properties.
10. Avoid Alcohol or at least Limit it
Alcohol is a known exacerbator of belly fat. Think Beer Belly! According to studies, drinking too much alcohol leads to abdominal obesity. Not only does it make you bloated but also overloads your liver, causing it to produce visceral fats. So, if you want to lose belly fat, avoid alcohol at all costs.
11. Replace Junk Snacks with Healthy Snacks
No one can resist snacks. But resist you must, if you want to get rid of your chubby tummy. Nonetheless, it is better to eat healthy snacks instead of munching on unhealthy junk food. Replace your bag of chips with granola and protein bars, or limited portions of fresh and dry fruits. They have additional health benefits apart from preventing weight gain.
12. Eat more Probiotics for better Gut Health
Probiotics are good bacteria that keep our gut health in check. They maintain the digestive system and improve metabolism. Now, a study has revealed that they even help in reducing belly fat. In particular, the Lactobacillus family strain is especially effective against belly fat.
13. Avoid Stuff Loaded with Carbs and Sugars
Numerous studies have shown that excess sugar and carbohydrates lead to increased accumulation of fat on the belly. Some believe this is the primary mechanism behind sugars and carbs’ harmful effects on health. It increases belly fat and liver fat, which leads to insulin resistance and a host of metabolic problems. When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose and is forced to turn it all into fat. The amount of fructose you get from fruit is negligible compared to what you get from a diet high in refined sugar.
If you want to cut back on refined sugar and carbohydrates alike, then you must start reading labels during grocery shopping. Even foods marketed as healthy foods can contain huge amounts of sugar. It is best to shop from a local framer’s market to find healthier produce and also save money on groceries since you’re buying directly from an individual farmer, there are no additional packaging and shipping fees. Moreover, all the produce is organic, fresh, and free of additives and preservatives.
14. Drink Green Tea Regularly
One cup of green tea regularly is sure to burn fat within 3 months. It assists in detoxifying the body and in doing so gets rid of stubborn, unwanted fat as well. The tea is now available in various flavors such as Jasmine, Lemon, Mint, Pomegranate, and many other exotic flavors. Losing fat never tasted so good before!
15. Do not Compromise on Exercise!
It is important to exercise in order to burn belly fat. Even ten minutes of just crunches, sit-ups, or High-Intensity Interval Training incorporating all sorts of exercises are sure to help rid of the tortuous fat around the midsection. Studies show that exercising and drinking green tea regularly works wonders for reducing belly fat quickly. Furthermore, exercise also leads to reduced inflammation, blood sugar levels, and all the other metabolic abnormalities that are associated with central obesity.
16. Which Exercises are Perfect for Burning Belly Fat?
All kinds of exercise are beneficial for getting rid of belly fat, weight loss, and improving health overall. However, you need a special workout regimen to target belly fat. According to experts, it is impossible to target belly fat in isolation while working out. This means you’ll have to do exercises that are helpful in reducing body fat overall.
Aerobic exercises like walking, running, swimming, etc., are good for improving health and should be incorporated into your daily routine. However, you should do strength training to lose belly fat. Strength training includes squats, sit-ups, crunches, etc. The best thing is that you can easily do these cardio exercises at home without needing expensive gym memberships.
How many Squats a Day to Lose Belly Fat?
There is no set number. It depends on your endurance level. Commonly, it is a good idea to start slowly. Do a set of 15 reps in the beginning and gradually add more sets as you build your endurance. 3 sets of 15 reps are a good number of squats to do in a single workout to lose belly fat. The same goes for how many crunches a day you need to do to burn belly fat.
In fact, it has been proven in a study that the intensity of your workout has little effect on the total belly fat burned. It is the frequency and duration of your workout that shows a better final result. In this study, women who did light aerobic exercise for 300 minutes per week showed more fat loss than those who did heavy training for 150 minutes a week.
- How many steps a day to Lose Belly Fat? – Health experts recommend walking 10,000 steps every day consistently to lose belly fat. You don’t necessarily have to go on a two hour walk to fulfill this step count. Simply, download a step counter on your phone and keep it with you all day. Plus, try to walk as much as you can. You can walk around the house, the neighborhood, or even walk to your office and grocery store, etc.
- How many situps a day to lose belly fat? – Situps is another effective exercise to lose belly fat quickly. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you should do at least three sets of 12 reps of situps during a workout daily in order to lose belly fat fast. keep in mind that only doing situps will not magically make your belly fat disappear. In fact, you need to integrate them along with other cardio and strength training exercises to see any results.
17. Lift Weights to Lose Belly Fat Fast
If you want to seriously lose belly fat in a couple of weeks and are not afraid of working for it, then do try weight lifting. No, it is not for bodybuilders only. Lifting weights involve your whole body during a workout. It targets all the fat in your body. That’s why it is the best way to lose belly fat quickly and get slim overall. Studies show that weight lifting plus aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in belly fat as compared to all other workout routines.
If you’re scared of gym membership fees, then don’t worry there are plenty of gyms that offer 24 hours free gym trial pass for visitors!
18. Use Oils
Applying certain oils to fat helps to burn and reduce it. The same goes for belly fat. It may be stubborn and requires multiple applications for three months or more, but in the end, it does help to reduce it. The “Cla Safflower Fat Oil Burner” is a tried and tested remedy with many losing up to 5 inches of belly fat in just 2 months. Other oils that assist in fighting gluten marks are coconut oil and sesame seed oil. Both oils are super cheap and hardly cost $2 per kg!
19. Get a Full Night’s Sleep
It might seem unrelated but it is not. Getting proper sleep plays an important role in losing weight. Studies show that people who don’t get at least 7 hours of sleep tend to gain more weight than those who do. In order to lose belly fat, you need to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night along with a weight loss diet and regular workout.
20. Reduce Stress
Stress is a leading cause of weight gain. When you’re stressed out, your body releases cortisol, a stress hormone that increases appetite. As a result, you eat more and gain more belly fat. Experts agree that people who are already overweight are vulnerable to this ruthless cycle I.e., getting stressed trying to lose weight -> more cortisol -> increased appetite -> more weight gain.
That’s why it is important that you reduce stress while on this journey to lose belly fat. Try relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, or anything that helps you relax. Do not obsess over how many calories you lost or how much weight you lost every day. If you stick to your dieting and workout plan, you’re bound to see results, so look forward to that!
How to Lose Belly Fat Overnight? Is it Really Possible?
Unfortunately, you cannot miraculously lose belly fat overnight. Although, there is a trick! You can wear a tummy shaper or a body shaper to hide your belly fat instantly.
However, to burn body fat naturally, you need to consistently put in work every day. Usually, you start to see visible results after one week. Meaning, it’s more realistic to ask, “how to lose belly fat fast in two weeks?” The answer is simple, eat less, eat more fiber and proteins, plus do strength training. This simple combination is a surefire way to lose belly fat quickly.
If you have more time, say a month or two, then it is even easier to get rid of belly fat for good. Design a plan based on the given tips to lose belly fat in two months. It will be less challenging to get used to the sudden shift in eating habits and gym routines. You’re much more likely to stick to this healthy lifestyle as well.
How to Lose Weight and Belly Fat for New Moms
It is common to have belly fat after giving birth. So, if you’re wondering how to lose belly fat after pregnancy, then here are some actionable tips for you that don’t cost anything at all.
- Go for half an hour daily walk.
- Do not try extreme diets. Always eat full nutritious meals.
- Do 20 to 30 minutes of workout, especially crunches, planks, squats, lunges, leg raises, head lifts, and curl-ups.
- Try Anulom-Vilom – a deep belly breathing yoga practice that contracts your belly and abs. It is super helpful for getting rid of mom belly post-pregnancy.
- Plus, you can try some mom workouts along with your baby to get your body back in shape while taking care of your newborn baby.
Can you Lose Belly Fat at 40?
Normally, it gets difficult to lose weight and eliminate belly fat after 40 years of age. This is because as you grow older, you start to lose muscle mass and your metabolism slows down, making it harder to burn calories. This is true for both men and women. Losing weight after 40 means double the hard work and effort.
Although it is difficult, it is not impossible to lose belly fat after 40. The key is changing your diet and working compound exercises. Compound exercises are those that work multiple muscles at the same time. For example, squats work out your glutes, calves, and quadriceps at the same time. Other compound exercises include lunges, bench presses, and deadlifts. Be very careful when doing these exercises to not overstrain your muscles. And always start with a proper warmup since aging bodies are at an increased risk of muscle cramps.
Key Takeaways
All the methods stated above are proven to be effective in losing belly fat. Plus, they’re very affordable and cheap. None of them require any big investment, and there are plenty of budget-friendly alternatives too. So, don’t let money be an obstacle in achieving your belly fat elimination goals! We do hope this comprehensive guide to losing belly fat quickly helps you in your endeavors! Don’t forget to share your story with us!
