Lifting dumbbells in the weight room or taking giant steps on the treadmill is certainly not for everyone. If you simply dread going to the gym or don’t like traditional structured exercise, you can still get in shape and achieve your fitness goals. We talked to Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDNthe founder and director of Real Nutrition, a New York City-based private practice dedicated to successfully and healthily guiding clients to their optimal nutrition, weight, and overall well-being who shares six easy ways to lose belly fat without “do exercise”.

This comes with a caveat. You will not lose weight or reduce belly fat if you completely eliminate physical activity and lead a sedentary lifestyle. Execution Some physical activity is key, even if it’s not the structured workouts you’re used to. In fact, exercise coupled with a nutritious and balanced diet is the best recipe for losing weight, getting in shape and maintaining muscle mass as you get older.

That said, Shapiro breaks down some of the best ways to lose belly fat without exercising. He reads on to find out more, and when you’re done, don’t miss the 14 Ways to Get a Flat Stomach After 40, According to Experts.

If you haven’t tried intermittent fasting yet, listen up, because it can kick-start your fat-loss efforts. For those who don’t already know, intermittent fasting requires enjoying your meals within a specific eating window and fasting before and after that window.

“This allows your digestive tract to rest and your body to use the nutrition you consumed earlier in the day,” explains Shapiro. “It also prevents late-night eating and promotes optimal digestion.” She recommends that women do intermittent fasting for 12 to 14 hours and men for 14 to 16 hours.

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Eliminating unhealthy carbohydrates from your diet is an easy way to shed unwanted belly flab. Nutrients like protein, healthy fats, and fiber are what keep you full. Simple, refined carbohydrates like white rice, pasta, white bread, pastries, sugary desserts, and some breakfast cereals don’t offer these vital nutrients. Instead, they fill you with empty calories that will make you feel hungry soon after you finish them. Shapiro adds: “[White/processed carbs] they turn into sugar in your body, and without exercise, this will be stored as fat.”

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Fresh greens offer fiber, water and bulk, which will help you stay fuller longer. The best part? They are not high in calories and low in fat, so they won’t make you fat even if you eat a lot of them! “When trying to shed belly fat, eating more vegetables will rule out other high-calorie foods,” says Shapiro. He recommends adding greens to two meals each day. (You can also whip up one of our refreshing green smoothies packed with fruits and veggies to maximize belly fat loss!)6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Consuming lean proteins like cottage cheese, skinless chicken breast, salmon, Greek yogurt, white fish and egg whites is the watchword if you want to slim down. Shapiro emphasizes the importance of hitting your protein goals, telling us, “I usually recommend consuming [around] From 0.8 grams to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. This helps you stay full, manage blood sugar, prevent cravings, and support metabolism-boosting muscle growth/strength.

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Cutting out sugary drinks is a smart idea, as they’re another source of empty calories and lack nutrients. Swap them out and focus on drinking more H2O. “Water helps boost your metabolism and fills you up,” explains Shapiro. “When you’re hungry, you’re often dehydrated and confuse thirst with hunger. Before you eat anything, drink a glass of water and revisit your hunger in a few minutes.”

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Just because you’re not a fan of the gym and/or traditional exercise doesn’t mean you can’t find some active hobbies that you actually enjoy. As pointed out earlier, leading a sedentary lifestyle won’t help you in the long run when it comes to losing weight and belly fat. “While you don’t have to exercise aggressively every day, you should be moving your body and not just sitting on a couch or behind a desk all day,” says Shapiro. Without muscle mass, your metabolism will slow down.”

So whether you start hiking with your pup, stretching (and zen-like) with yoga, gathering friends for pickleball games, joining a club sport, or learning to ski, it’s important to establish active hobbies. that you can’t wait to do. do and stick to them.

Alexa Mellardo