A doctor has highlighted a number of tips he recommends for anyone wanting to lose belly fat. Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist with a following of 475,000 on TikTok (@doctorsethimd), regularly shares his expertise and experiences.
The Harvard University graduate has recently gone viral for shedding light what he recommends for those hoping to shed belly fat. The video was captioned: "3 best tips to lose belly fat with intermittent fasting."
The doctor shared three tips, one of which he claimed is "particularly crucial." Among them is an intermittent fasting schedule, the exact drinks that you should drinking during this, and - most importantly - keeping to a high fibre, high protein diet.
In the clip, Dr Sethi said: "First, start with a 12:12 fasting schedule, which is the mildest option. This approach helps you sleep soundly at night and reduces the likelihood of unhealthy food choices the next day.
“Second, during your fasting window, only drink black coffee, green tea, black tea, water, apple cider vinegar, lemon water, fennel or basil water, chamomile or ginger tea.
“Focus on a high fiber, high protein diet during your eating window. High protein foods like paneer, tofu, chickpeas, chicken, Turkey, fish, and high fiber foods like fruits and veggies. This combination will keep you full and satiated while promoting fat loss.”
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern in which you cycle between periods of eating and periods of fasting. Numerous studies suggest that it can have powerful benefits for your body and brain.
According to Healthline, intermittent fasting helps you eat fewer calories while slightly boosting your metabolism. It also enhances hormone function to promote weight loss. Lower insulin levels, higher HGH levels, and increased levels of norepinephrine all increase the breakdown of body fat and make it easier for your body to use fat for energy.
For this reason, short-term fasting actually improves your metabolism helping you burn even more calories. Healthline says intermittent fasting is a "very effective tool for losing weight and visceral fat", but more studies are needed to investigate the effect of fasting on muscle loss.