If you are trying to understand how to lose belly fat, you will have to exercise and make some key changes to your diet. Belly fat is extremely stubborn, and it won't go quickly. It has to be lost gradually, but you will reap the rewards. You will be healthier and have a lean looking body.

Cutting out junk food is rule number one. 'You are what you eat', so they say, therefore lose the junk if you want to lose the fat. Junk food contains high amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates that play havoc with your blood sugar levels. When these levels rise, you will soon feel hungry again.

Get rid of those cookies, chips and candy. Replace them with healthy snacks such as wheat-free crackers, fruit, seeds, low fat yogurt and nuts. These will satisfy hunger and they won't disrupt your blood sugar. You will soon be enjoying your new snacks once your home is free of junk food.

Carbohydrates are essential for health, but there are good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. Foods that contain refined flour should be avoided. Some examples are pasta, white bread, donuts, biscuits, and cakes. They cause an accumulation of fat, poor digestion, and bloating.

Good carbohydrates are contained in fruit and vegetables. Foods that contain slow-release carbohydrates are also excellent. These include brown rice, oats, sweet potato, and pulses. A diet that derives most of its carbohydrates from foods like these is healthy.

Familiarize yourself with foods that have low sugar content and a low GI (Glycemic Index). Foods with a low GI are broken down more slowly and released gradually into the bloodstream. This simply means that they make you feel full for longer because they don't raise blood sugar levels. Wholegrain bread has a low GI factor.

A healthy plate of food should contain protein the size of a deck of cards and carbohydrates the size of your palm. The rest of the food on the plate should comprise of vegetables or salad.

If you are guilty of late night snacking, this is another habit you are going to have to break. When you eat before sleeping, the body cannot expend enough energy to burn calories. The food will just turn to fat.

Alcohol is another fat accumulating culprit. People who drink too much often gain weight around their waists. The tell-tale sign is a slim body with a fat belly. This is often caused by drinking too much alcohol.

When you have your diet sorted out, you are going to have to confront exercise. Drag yourself off the couch, and get to the gym. Start doing exercises geared for the stomach. You can either buy a book or look on the internet. They must be exercises that are designed to get fat burning.