Top 10 Tips to a Flatter Belly in 2 Weeks!

If you’re like many people, getting rid of your belly fat may be one of your New Year’s resolutions. Though it may seem like an impossible task, it can be done in just 2 weeks! Follow these top 10 tips to reduce belly fat quickly and easily—without long hours at the gym or giving up on your favorite comfort foods!

1) Set Smaller Goals ✌

If you want to lose weight, it's important to set small goals instead of one giant goal. Losing 1 lb. per week might not sound like much, but losing just 10 lbs. in 4 weeks is much more realistic and can be done using these quick tips: Take at least 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times each week; eat smaller portions; limit junk food intake; drink plenty of water; avoid eating late at night; stop eating when you're full. By setting smaller goals, you'll reach your weight loss goal sooner than if you had set only one big fat loss goal for yourself.

2) Track Your Progress 🧮

The key to losing belly fat isn’t exercise, it’s what you eat. So stop logging your miles and start recording your meals. (Tip: Download an app that tracks calories automatically.) Research shows eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day is associated with less belly fat, so produce appears to be crucial for reducing your waistline. Aim for at least one serving each of greens, red bell peppers, broccoli and carrots — combined they make up just about all of body’s needs for vitamin C, according to research from Tufts University . Seemingly insignificant habits like picking at food or dragging out meals can cause you to nibble more than you should.

3) Cut Down on Salt 🧂

When you eat too much salt, it causes your body to retain water and hold on to extra fat. So cut back on how much processed and packaged food you eat—or, at least, read those labels. And try limiting added salt when cooking or eating out. You can also use less salt by using lemon juice, herbs, spices and other flavorings instead of straight salt. Another way is by not adding more salt while preparing meals if they taste too bland at first as you adjust them to your own personal preference with time. A healthy diet plan should have no more than 1 tsp of table salt per day (1). But if you have high blood pressure or heart disease, check with your doctor before making any changes.

4) The Power of an Ab Workout 💪

While there are other exercises that can help reduce belly fat, a recent study found that doing sit-ups resulted in a larger reduction of both visceral and subcutaneous fat compared with other exercises like cycling or walking. In fact, adding crunches (without losing bodyweight) reduced belly fat by 15 percent and overall weight by 7 percent. So, look for ways to sneak some extra sit-ups into your routine—curl up while you brush your teeth; do some at red lights or on park benches; or consider purchasing an ab wheel (yes, they actually exist!) so you can work them in wherever you’re already active. Add it all up and it’s no wonder why crunches are one of our favorite abs exercises.

5) Eat Before You Eat Out 🥪

A study from Penn State University found that folks who skip eating before they eat out order an average of 570 calories more than those who don’t. The researchers speculate that people may be ordering so much food because when dining out, all but one food choice (the entrée) has been made for them. If you know you’re going to have a big meal when eating out, you might be less likely to overeat or stray from your diet plan while getting tempted by dessert and drinks. And if you start off with appetizers at home instead of going right into dinner, it may help reduce how many calories you consume during your meal as well.

6) Avoid Junk Food 🍔

Just like they say, garbage in, garbage out. When you eat a lot of junk food and empty calories (foods with very few nutrients), your body starts to get rid of important things that it doesn’t need—like water weight and lean muscle mass. Instead of focusing on drastic measures that involve eliminating entire food groups or severely restricting your calorie intake, start by reducing your consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods. Replace them with whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products. Limit your intake of processed meats like hot dogs or salami since these often contain high levels of fat and sodium.

7) Use the Right Grocery List 📃

It’s easy to write down all sorts of healthy foods, but if you’re not careful you might end up with a lot of expensive vegetables that go bad before you can eat them. The easiest way to avoid waste is to plan your meals and your grocery list ahead of time. Make sure to take into account how many servings per day you want for each food group and leave room for snacks. Buy frozen or dried veggies so they last longer, since they have a longer shelf life than fresh veggies (which are highly perishable). Frozen veggies make great snacks; just be sure there aren’t too many added sugars or oils when cooking them.

8) Mix Up Your Cardio Routine ❤

If you’re doing cardio and weight training, throw in some sprints once or twice a week. This will ensure that your metabolism stays high so you keep burning fat as fuel. If you aren’t already, make sure you are also doing full-body workouts like these 10 Best Full Body Workouts for Weight Loss . If there is one big change to make when it comes to fat loss, it is ensuring that your body spends every waking hour of every day breaking down and burning off more calories than you consume. That way you can shed those inches faster—and on top of that, burn more calories along with them.

9) Get Good Sleep at Night 😴

There’s no single miracle cure for belly fat, but one of the most effective methods for dropping pounds is simply getting more sleep. You don’t have to get eight hours every night, but research shows that it’s better than skimping on sleep. In one study at Laval University, participants who got four hours of sleep or less put on two and a half times more belly fat over six months than those who slept between seven and nine hours.

10) Stand Up Straight (and Smile!) 😊

Posture goes a long way toward defining your figure, and it’s particularly important for keeping belly fat at bay. In fact, experts say that how you carry yourself can make all of the difference when it comes to shedding unwanted pounds. With good posture, you automatically exude more confidence as well as appear smaller from head-to-toe by making seemingly effortless changes like standing up straight instead of slouching.