You might have tried all fad diets and exercise routines to lose belly fat. While some invest hours in the gym or pool, others jog on tracks just to lose some inches or flaunt their abs. But during the whole process, you tend to make minute mistakes that leave you with no healthy results. Here are some basic rules of belly fat loss that you need to understand and follow to achieve your desired goal.

Maintain a balanced diet

This is one of the golden rules of belly fat loss, which many fail to follow. In the quest to lose the excess belly fat, many people resort to skipping meals and starving. What is forgotten is the keyword— balance. Randomly cutting out macro nutrients from your diet might help you for a short period. But in the long run, this regime backfires. If you want to work towards the bigger picture, it is essential not to fall for such fads and stick to the basics. Consume the right amount of carbs, proteins, and healthy fats. Ditch the refined oils and sugar-rich foods. Include nuts, seeds, fruits and fiber-rich foods in your diet.

Avoid late nights

The right amount of sleep time is essential to keep your body healthy. Scientific studies over the years have time and again proven the importance of sleep. We all know that sleep deprivation can adversely impact the body and the mind. It builds the risk of developing various ailments and slows down your cognitive functioning. Also, lack of sleep leads to the accumulation of visceral fat. Therefore, It is essential to clock in the required 8 to 9 hours of sleep (no more or no less).

Follow a regular exercise regime

Another basic rule to lose belly fat is to add a physical activity to your daily schedule. Keeping yourself active provides you with more than one benefit, one of them being the loss of visceral fat. Our body starts storing food in the form of fats when it stops taking in more than the required energy. This is a side effect of our sedentary lifestyle. To avoid storing unnecessary fats and to keep yourself healthy, make time to engage in any physical activity such as running, walking, or cycling at least three times a week.

Stay away from stress

Stress has become a major part of our lives. No matter the age, profession, or background, we all carry certain stressful situations on our shoulders. This leads to the malfunctioning of the bodily systems, which further results in negative, unhealthy outputs. Additionally, stress eating gets you nowhere on your journey to lose fat. Therefore, try out practices that help reduce stress and let you relax. This will help you sleep and eat better.