With the holiday season approaching, it is easy to think about belly fat as something that is festive and fun. Constantly seeing Santa Claus with his big belly and the Pillsbury Doughboy may make you think that the belly is in.

But belly fat never brings good tidings. Research has consistently implicated belly fat as a cause for increased increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. So this holiday season, while it may be tempting to mimic Santa’s belly, you will be better off thinking about the health implications that belly fat brings.

Last month, we have shared with you 5 Tips to Help You Remove Your Belly Fat. Here are five more tips to help you eliminate belly fat:

Keep track of your waist-to-hip ratio

1. Keep track of your waist-to-hip ratio.

Always take note of your waist-to-hip ratio as well as your body mass index (BMI). Log your measurements on a notebook or a calendar every other month or so. If you find that your waist is wider than your hips, take immediate action to lose your belly fat right away.

For women, watch out if your waist expands beyond 35 inches. For men, the upper limit should be 40 inches. Remember that if your waist size falls into the danger zone and your BMI is 25 or more, you are at risk of heart disease.

2. Choose to consume the good fat.

If 20% to 35% of your daily calories should come from fat, ensure that you get most of it from the good kind of fat. Choose between mono- or polyunsaturated fats and always avoid foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates.

When cooking with fat, opt to cook with vegetable oils, like canola, olive, or sunflower oil. Some examples of delicious foods with healthy fats include salmon, avocados, olives, and walnuts.

3. Burn off existing fat.

There is a saying which goes, “move it to lose it.” If you want to lose belly fat, then you have to engage in an active lifestyle. Routine, moderate exercise helps to fend off the fat, and the more strenuous activity burns off existing fat.

Keep the bigger picture in mind when you’re working out. Keep in ming that spot weight loss is difficult. Just doing a bunch of crunches won’t do it. You are better off going for a fat-burning cardiovascular exercise and combining that with execises that firm up and strengthen the abdominal area.

The good news about visceral fat is that it’s the first fat to go once you start shedding pounds!

Yoga can help calm your mind

4. Relax.

Research has shown that a person’s level of body stress may be related to belly fat. Always find ways to unwind and relax. Exercise can help you de-stress and yoga, with its meditative component can help calm your mind.

5. Consult your doctor.

Always check with your doctor anytime you are worried about your risks. Doctors can track visceral fat by the tape measure or with an MRI or CAT scan (a series of X-ray images of the body that are compiled by a computer to produce a 3-dimensional image).

A blood test can also be given to measure the presence of a protein called retinol binding protein 4 (RBP 4) in the blood, which is an indicator of potential health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

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There is a general perception that losing weight is only a temporary achievement. It is perceived that people who lose weight ultimately gain back what they lost in just a few months.

In fact, a study that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had said that only about 20% of people who lose at least 10% of their initial body weight are only able to maintain their achieved weight for at least a year.

But this does not have to be always the case. Remember that you have control over how long you would like your achieved weight to last. If you maintain your good, healthy eating habits and active lifestyle even after you have achieved your targeted weight, then there is no reason for the lost weight to make its way back to your body.

Remember that keeping the unwanted pounds off is not as difficult. Below are six strategies you can follow to help you keep your achieved weight:

Adopt an active lifestyle

1. Adopt an active lifestyle

Always engage in active activities and avoid leading a sedentary life. Burn as much calories as you can by engaging in high levels of physical activities. Popular physical activities include walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, and aerobics.

2. Take note of the food you eat

When choosing what to eat, always opt for a low-calorie and low-fat diet. Try to lessen eating out and avoid fast foods as much as you can. Preparing your own food is always a better option as you can control the ingredients you put into your food.

3. Eat your breakfast every day

Starting the day off with breakfast helps boost your metabolism. In addition, it also helps you avoid the temptation of eating late in the day and consuming more calories than you need to.

Regularly monitor your weight

4. Always monitor your weight

Regularly monitor your weight and keep a journal to log your progress. Regular trips to the scale helps keep tabs on any weight fluctuations and you will be able to catch them at the onset and correct them.

5. Adopt a healthy eating habit seven days a week

There is a tendency to have a stricter diet during weekdays and be lenient during weekends. This should not be the case. Always eat well on weekdays and weekends. If you are consistent in your eating patterns, you will have a better success at maintaining your weight loss.

6. Do not let a pound or two discourage you

It was common to gain an extra pound or two during your diet. Do not let this affect you. When this happens, take note of it and ensure that those pounds don’t add up quickly.

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