Get Rid of That Inner Tube Around Your Waist

Sure, it's absolutely freezing outside and everyone is bundled up like mummies, but it will be summer again before you know it, which means that beach season isn't quite as far away as a calendar makes it seem. And while it's cool to spending summer days floating around the pool in an inner tube, looking like you ate one might not be the look you're going for this year.

What's more, it's certainly not a healthy look, for an excess of abdominal fat can greatly raise a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So, if this whole enlarged waist issue happens to be one to which you can relate, I've outlined some easy and healthy ways to help make next summer your healthiest ever.

1. Cut Back on the Carbs

Having experienced the carb craze a few years ago, this advice is nothing new. The key, as you likely know, is to avoid refined carbs (pasta,white rice, candy, etc.) like the plague, as they will spike your insulin levels, leading to the storage of more fat. Stick to slower-digesting carb sources like vegetables and whole grains.

2. Reduce Your Caloric Intake

This pretty basic tenet is one that people, for some reason or another, tend to be the worst at adhering to. For best results, try cutting about 20% of your normal caloric intake. This way, you don't run the risk of catabolizing muscle, too, by restricting your diet to too few calories. If you don't know how many calories you're currently consuming, start checking nutritional labels today. Then,once you've established how many calories you're currently eating, take that number and reduce it by 20%.

3. Trim the Fat

Remember, fat is not always a bad thing. But, it's also important to bear in mind that for each gram of fat you consume, you're taking in 9 calories. So, without going too crazy, you may want to try cutting back your fat consumption by one-third. The best way to do this is to try low-fat versions of foods (providing they haven't upped the carb/sugar content to make up for the flavor void), eat leaner choices of meat and poultry, and skip a yoke now and again with your eggs. Be this all as it may, do not go as far as to neglect your body of the healthy fats found in fish, avocados, nuts, and olive oil.

4. Go Pro

To make up for the small caloric deficit left by cutting back on fat and carbs, try eating more protein. Because protein is relatively slow-digesting, it requires your body to burn more calories for it to be processed, thereby amping up your metabolic rate. Also,protein helps curb hunger by increasing certain peptide levels, which signal your brain that you are satiated.

5. Eat More

Seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? The key is to make sure that you are eating small meals throughout the day. Gone are the days when three squares is the norm (that is, unless you're in prison). Most people by now are hip to the concept that eating five to six small meals at regularly scheduled times of the day is the best way to rev up your metabolism and burn more calories. This isn't to say that you have to eat like a bird all day. Breakfast and dinner, in particular, can still be larger in portion size (lunch can be sizeable, as well). But, you don't want to starve yourself in between those meal times. This is where the other small meals come into play. As a result, you won't end up gorging a few Big Macs for dinner because you're level of hunger won't necessitate such indulgence. Instead, you might opt for a small piece of fish or chicken and a side of vegetables.

I'm not a dietitian, nor have I ever played one on TV, so you may want to consult with a professional before making some or all of the above dietary changes. Still, in my personal opinion — and based on years of experience with health and fitness — I can say with confidence that these are healthy and effective ways to help deflate that inner tube of yours.

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