Most people undergoing a weight loss regimen are more eager to find out how to lose belly fat than anything else.

This could be because the belly just so happens to be the portion of the body where fat tends to gather in such an irregular fashion, leading to difficulty of movement, easy exhaustion when doing daily tasks, and a displeasing self-image. That “belly fat” image is in contrast to the image of the “six-pack” abs that many tout as the ideal body frame, which is why it’s such a challenge finding out how to lose belly fat.

Indeed, when one starts unhealthy eating habits or indulges in inactivity, the belly is the first region that tends to accumulate fat.

One reason it may be so difficult to figure out how to lose belly fat…

is because they could be worrying about the belly fat so much so that they tend to stress too much over trying to find sure-fire ways to lose belly fat and ironically, stress can actually cause weight gain.

Fortunately, however, once you start a weight loss program, the belly will be the portion which will lose fat first. Because belly fat is visceral (internal) fat, the body metabolizes it and turns it into energy faster than the body would do to subcutaneous (just below the skin) fat.

The easy loss of belly fat depends on diet and exercise.

Diet – Proper diet consists of food that do not contain a lot of bad fats (note – there are also good fats that may aid in removing belly fat while providing you with a genuine feeling of fullness), or help in increasing metabolic rate; along with the right amount and the right times.

Examples of food that accomplish these include fruits, vegetables, and protein-heavy foods. Also, as opposed to the ‘empty’ calories that junk foods and sodas give, there are foods containing ‘good’ carbohydrates that provide useful calories, like whole grains and wheat bread. Foods with good carbohydrates boosts metabolic rate by increasing insulin function, which allows it to use blood sugar more effectively, thus increasing metabolic rate and reducing fat accumulation.

Exercise – The last key in an effort to discover how to lose belly fat successfully is exercise.  At first, exercise may be hard, because of the difficulty of movement associated with belly size and body frame.

Try light exercises first, like walking, swimming, or dancing, then once your body is used to exercising, you may have lose some weight by then, and it is time to proceed to more strenuous activities. Exercises not only burn body fat and use up calories; they also maintain constant metabolism, which is the key on how to lose belly fat, and condition your body to get used to it, so you can continue at will.