So what can you do about it? You know you need to lose weight but you do have to be careful as to how you implement any weight loss program. The key is to take things slowly. You didn’t become obese overnight so you are not going to shed all those pounds overnight either. In fact losing weight too fast could create a whole new set of health problems. So be smart and do it the healthy way.

You first need to consult your doctor. Get a complete physical, blood work and all. Besides weighing you and taking your vital statistics, he/she can also check your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI over 30 need to be properly supervised when undertaking a new healthy living regime. You need to gradually introduce exercise and physical activity into your life. The good news for obese women though, is that although it may be difficult to become more physically active, you will see results very quickly. Large women tend to lose the pounds quicker at first, than skinny women.

You don’t need to join a gym if you don’t want to. Walking is a great form of exercise and it is free. Take things slowly at first but build up your speed since going for a leisurely stroll is not going to burn the optimal amount of calories. With practice you will get faster and stronger, as you get used to a walking routine.

In the meantime,  you also need to address your diet.  This of course, doesn’t just mean what you eat, although obviously that is important, but you will also need to address how and when you eat. Your doctor or a good nutritionist can help you with this.

Generally speaking we all overeat. We have forgotten how to listen to our bodies and let it tell us when we are full. We serve large portions of food on big plates and have become accustomed to clearing our plates. So the meal is over when the plate is clean not when we are full.

The first recommended step in your healthy eating regime is to reduce portion sizes. It is best to also reduce the size of the plates you use as otherwise you could feel deprived if your food portion is not covering your plate. These little visual mind games can play a big part in your road to success.

The next step is to start cooking or preparing your meals from scratch. Only then do you know what you are eating. Store bought and convenience food often contains hidden fats and sugars among other potentially harmful ingredients. They are put in to make the food look and taste better plus last longer. By cooking your own meals, you will reduce your calorie intake without even trying. You don’t have to be a master chef.  Simple home cooking is fine.

By utilizing just these few tips, you will see results a lot sooner than you think, but surely, not overnight. Hopefully, the small daily successes will motivate you to continue on your quest to lose weight, slim down and tone up. Not only will you look better, but you will feel better too!

The answer is yes, although it takes hard work and dedication. Having “good genes” can be a Godsend, and for some their belly just returns to its natural size,  unfortunately however, most of the time, and for most women,  it just doesn’t work like that.

Now, some women opt to make this happen rather quickly and have it removed surgically. Not all women can afford this nor want to take the risks associated with surgery.  Most just want to lose the baby belly fat the “natural way” as women have been doing all through history.  The natural  and safest way would be through a good nutritional diet and exercise program. These two options are a much more affordable and much safer solution than going under the knife.

Finding the right diet program is easier said than done, and may take a few tries before you find what is right for you. The same could be said about the exercise program. You want to find something that not only works but is also “fun” besides being right for you.

One way to make this transition a little easier is to find a person or group to do this with. Partner up with others.   When you think about it, you are going from eating “anything you want” for nine months to suddenly being on a strict diet and exercise program. Partnering up with other women like yourself can go a long way to keeping you on track.

As far as your diet goes, due to different lifestyles and preferences, this could be a tough one to narrow down, however, going with a lean protein diet which includes foods  such as chicken breast, turkey breast, and egg whites while cutting down on the carbs is a good way to start out.

One positive thing about this type of diet is that you can eat several times a day and it will not hurt you. The reason being  is because the more often you ingest the proper foods, the higher and more stable your metabolic rate will be which in turn helps to burn more calories. Frequent small, healthy meals and snacks will keep your sugar levels consistent and ward off hunger pangs at the same time.

As for the exercise program, this can consist of a high energy workout such as aerobic cardio or jogging, etc. Another form of exercising that would help remove the belly fat would be any type of core work out. This should also include a variety of “crunches.” There are a number of excellent commercial core workouts available online or at your local stores that may be a good idea to follow for proper technique and motivation.

Partnering up, a good nutritional diet plan and proper exercise, will all prove beneficial when trying to lose the baby belly fat. Stick with it and you will be successful! And Congratulations on the new baby!

Yes, there is a level of discomfort that comes from a bloating feeling, but it doesn’t mean that you are putting on ten or twenty pounds. It might feel like it, but you really aren’t. The truth is that there is only a difference of about 2-4 pounds.

So where does this weight gain come from?

There are many misconceptions about where this weight gain comes from before menstruation. Many believe that it comes from overeating. After all, you do eat more during PMS. The truth behind this is that while there is more eating going on, there is also a rise in metabolism that is just enough to offset the difference. There might be a mild increase, but not enough to be noticeable.

Another misconception is that it comes from eating more sweets. The fact is you are craving more sweets during pre-menstruation. It isn’t clear why that is the case, but it’s obvious that it exists and that craving increases as the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome worsen. While you might think that this would cause a lot of weight to come, you aren’t eating enough of an increase in calories to cause very much of on increase in weight.

The weight that you do put on happens to primarily come from water retention. For those who are struggling to control their weight, this can be a very frustrating thing. It seems that no matter how much work you normally do or how good your diet it, you seem to still put on weight and feel bloated. Don’t worry, though. The water that is retained usually all comes off during menstruation.

There is a couple of things that you can do to help limit the amount of water you retain.

1) Limit the amount of sodium you take in.

2) Increase the water you drink.

When you get more sodium (salt) than you need, it tends to sit in the intestines and requires more from the kidneys to flush it out. What happens is that your body starts to need more. When your body isn’t getting the water it needs, it starts retaining more. It notices that it needs more and realizes it isn’t going to get more. When your body feels like it isn’t getting the water it needs to function properly, it starts to go into conservation mode. It starts using less and keeping more.

When you cut down the amount of salt and sodium you normally eat or drink, your body needs less water to function efficiently. When you know that your body is going to be retaining fluids more anyway because you are approaching your menstrual period, start cutting back on salt. Also, start increasing the amount of water you drink. In doing this, you will see your body wanting to retain less and you won’t be wondering each month how much weight gain is going to take place.

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There is no one specific exercise that will make you lose your stomach if you are 20 pounds overweight.  Sit ups and crunches will help strengthen the muscles in the area, but do nothing to burn the fat.  And, belly fat is, at its core, fat. The only way to lose fat is to eat fewer calories than you burn.

So, one element in the fastest way to lose belly fat is to come up with a healthy eating plan.  This is an eating plan for life, not some fad diet.  When you yo yo in weight, you actually compound the stomach fat problem because you lose weight in other areas but you put it back on in the stomach area first.  So, making a change in your diet on a permanent basis is key.  You’re developing a lifestyle, not going on a temporary diet.

Your diet needs to be concerned not only with the total number of calories but the kinds of calories.  You need to take in at least 1 gram of protein per day for every pound you weigh.  You also need some fat in your diet.  A diet of 30:20:50 in the ratio protein: fat: carbohydrates makes a lot of sense for an overweight woman who wants the fastest way to lose belly fat.  Fish oils are the best kind of fat for this purpose.

Next up is your training program.  The fastest way to lose belly fat is by doing both weight training and cardio exercises.  A study of overweight women showed that women who alternated between cardio and strength training every other day lost significantly more fat in their stomachs than women who relied on aerobics alone.

The best way to do aerobic exercise is high intensity interval training.  This is where you do a two minute burst of activity at the most intense level you are capable of doing followed by three minutes of moderate activity.  Repeat the cycle.

You will also want to track your progress.  Not only will you be encouraged to see your belly fat decreasing, but if you stall or go up, you will be able to correct the problem quickly.  It is a good idea to take your body fat measurements every two weeks.

The fastest way to lose belly fat is to develop good lifestyle habits.  Once you lose the weight, your belly fat will come off.

Women, for example, naturally have a higher percentage of body fat than men, 27% on average compared to 15% for a fit individual. That single number alone is helpful information if one of your weight loss or exercise goals is fat reduction. Any woman trying to reduce her percentage should take into account this natural difference, since it can help avoid guilt and provide a realistic goal.

Women experience hormonal changes that differ considerably from that of men as they age. Even young women can have irregularities in menstrual cycle and other physiological changes as a result. This can be seen more clearly by looking at some extreme cases, for example.

Women in concentration camps in WWII frequently discontinued having regular menstrual cycles, as a result of the effects of starvation. Highly trained female athletes also often experience similar changes, as a result of ultra-low body fat and other causes.

The ill effects of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) can be reduced by stabilizing blood sugar levels, regulating fat intake and other dietary changes. For example, mood swings can be smoothed out to a degree by higher amounts of soluble fiber, which helps produce a slower rise in blood sugar. Apples, oats and beans are good sources.

Combining fat with protein and carbohydrate intake in a balanced way will help slow the rise in blood sugar from the carbohydrate consumption. Ice cream may be a comfort food but the effect is short-lived and doesn’t provide the balance needed. Instead, increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. Bananas are a good choice, along with walnuts.

Women are more prone to arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions. Certain previously unsuspected food allergies can worsen the symptoms. Testing is essential, but at the same time a healthy diet will help. Rice beverages can be substituted for those sensitive to cows milk, there are wheat-free breads on the market that are still whole grain and peanuts may need to be avoided for some.

For example some women who suffer from rheumatic symptoms will find they are allergic to wheat. A gluten-free diet will help lessen that problem. This includes finding substitutes for ordinary cereal, standard bread, pasta and other foods made from wheat flour.

During the years of menopause, as cycles become less regular and large hormonal changes are occurring, diet can help lessen the severity of any discomfort. Lowering sodium intake is helpful. Substitutes include herbs, garlic or lemon juice for flavoring. Each individual is different, though, and you should consult a physician for proper amounts.

Menopausal women are likely to benefit from reducing saturated fats, beyond that of younger women or males. Since estrogen levels are declining, HDL cholesterol (the beneficial type) will tend to fall and LDL cholesterol (the potentially harmful type) will rise.

One result is that, though men in general have a higher risk of heart attack as they age, during this time a woman’s risk is equal to those of men of similar age. Reducing saturated and trans fat can help reduce those risks.

Moderate wine consumption is beneficial. It provides anti-oxidants and other helpful compounds and is generally lower in calories than many alternatives. Lowering caffeine can help reduce loss of calcium, which is more needed as women age.

What constitutes a proper diet varies somewhat by gender and age, so investigate what is right for your particular circumstances. Knowledge is the key to health.