Tips to Losing Belly Fat in a Few Weeks

Abdominal fat is often the first place weight gain is noticed and the last place for it to leave. According to Motley Health, belly fat is where most men carry extra weight (they call it a beer belly), while for women, weight seems to settle around the hips and thighs and then the abdomen as they grow older and hit menopause, according to the Mayo Clinic. Getting rid of it takes some dedication and effort, combining a variety of methods and techniques that can achieve slimming in the waist and belly region, while at the same time encouraging a healthier lifestyle. According to the Mayo Clinic, excessive belly fat leads to increased risk of stroke, heart attack and diabetes for men and women.

Daily Exercise

Exercise on a daily basis. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes a day, which can be achieved by walking, riding a bike or playing basketball with your friends. All-over exercise helps the body burn fat and increase lean muscle mass, which increases metabolism. Focus on performing stomach-toning and strengthening exercises like crunches and abdominal tucks. You should notice a change in body shape and a flattening of the belly or abdomen in as little as a week or two.

Perform Basic Ab Exercises

Reduce fat in the belly area by burning it off, which means exercising it off, combined with eating fewer calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person has to burn more calories (stored as fat if it's not used in about 24 to 48 hours) than he ingests. Toning muscles and losing weight reduces amount of belly fat.

Tackle the belly area by performing a set of 20 abdominal tucks several times throughout the day. You can perform an abdominal tuck sitting down, standing up or on all fours. Suck in the abdomen and tuck the pelvis slightly under the hips, like you're trying to scoop up a spoonful of something. Concentrate and hold the tuck for a brief second before releasing and repeating the move.

Focus on the lower abs by performing pelvic lifts or tilts. Lie on the floor, knees bent, arms at the sides. Exhale and lift the buttocks slightly off the floor, tucking the pelvis in and holding for about 2 seconds. Your buttocks should only be an inch or two off the floor. Repeat this exercise 10 to 20 times. You can do this exercise several times a day.

You should notice less bloating or puffiness as well as more toned and flatter abs in a couple of weeks, in addition to a reduction of flab on the side of the abdomen as well.

Lift Weights

Lift weights two to three times a week, performing basic weight lifting moves and exercises, either at the gym or using dumbbells in the privacy of your own home. The Mayo Clinic states that exercising with weights offers benefits of reducing belly fat because it requires a higher expenditure of energy that some other types of exercise, including walking.

You don't have to lift extremely heavy weights or barbells to benefit from weightlifting or weight bearing exercise. Perform basic strengthening moves like bicep curls, triceps extensions, shoulder shrugs, shoulder presses and deltoid lifts.

Individuals engaging in weight lifting workouts two to three days a week may notice flatter abs in less than three weeks.

Watch the Diet

Watch your diet. Many women find that sodas and sugar increase abdominal bloating. Drink plenty of water to help reduce water retention. Eat healthy fruits and vegetables instead of greasy, high-calorie and high-fat foods, as these also cause bloating and lead to excessive weight gain if you don't burn off every of those calories.

Some people may notice a difference in their profiles and in their ability to snap that pair of jeans without lying on the bed in about two to three weeks.