The other natural techniques for getting rid of belly fat involve lifestyle changes. Health coach Sai Aparajitha Gopalakrishnan told POPSUGAR that her biggest tip for losing weight and belly fat isn't related to diet or exercise — it's to lower your stress levels. "Stress releases cortisol, which promotes fat storage, especially around the belly area," Gopalakrishnan explained. "It's our bodies' way of making easy energy accessible for us for any panic- or anxiety-provoking situations."
She also advised against any form of restrictive dieting, noting that this in itself can cause stress and result in binge eating — which is, of course, exactly what we're trying to avoid. "When they veer even a little bit off their diet plan, women berate themselves and go on an even more restrictive diet, which is stressful for the body," Gopalakrishnan said. "In dieting so restrictively, they start having cravings and end up binging on the very same foods — usually junk food like chips and sweets — that they tried so hard to avoid in the first place."
Gopalakrishnan's net advice is to be kind to ourselves and engage in self-care, because these tactics ultimately result in the loss of weight and belly fat. "While we certainly can't spot reduce our belly fat with either exercise or diet, just giving ourselves a break, relaxing, sleeping well, and being more self-compassionate can help us reduce belly fat," she said.
Getting enough sleep is another natural way to lose belly fat. "If you don't sleep, your hormones do not function properly," Vyda Bielkus, expert yoga teacher, Health Yoga Life coach, and cofounder of Health Yoga Life, told POPSUGAR. She recommended an easy breathing technique to lull yourself to sleep. "Simply close off the right nostril with your index finger and breathe in and out of your left nostril only. You'll be hitting zzz-land in no time," Bielkus said.
Be patient with yourself, and remember that belly fat won't disappear overnight or immediately after you integrate these techniques into your routine. Think of all these tips — including diet and exercise — as lifestyle changes that will make you an overall healthier person in addition to getting rid of that stubborn belly fat.