If you’re belly isn’t looking the way you’d like it to, here are my best tips for you:

1. Are you bloated? If bloating is an issue, look at your diet. Don’t eat foods that cause bloating. Check out an Anti-Vata diet (Ayurveda) or avoiding FODMAP foods. If bloating is caused by water retention, watch your salt intake and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water (aim for 100oz). Get rid of processed foods that cause inflammation. If you have poor digestion, fight constipation with water and fiber. Don’t eat too close to bed time. Manage stress as that affects digestion.

2. Speaking of stress, that can contribute to belly fat. You need to manage stress with yoga, meditation, journaling, reflection, and self-care. And don’t add to your stress with exercise like running and intense bootcamp style workouts, especially if you’re a women over 40 with a stressful life.

3. Exercise! Instead of stressful workouts that can elevate stress levels and contribute to belly fat, prioritize strength training (45-60 minutes max), walking, and yoga. Pilates is also great because it works you core muscles and it improves posture. Just standing up tall can make you look leaner!

4. Diet. This is the most important tip. If you’re eating more calories than you’re burning in a day, the excess will be stored as fat. You can increase the amount of calories you burn all day long by building lean muscle (with strength training). AND you also need to eat to support you fat-loss goals. P.S. skipping meals increases stress!

Stick to these tips consistently and skip fad/crash diets and the latest gimmicks you will see progress.