The 6 ways to burn belly fat and lose weight WITHOUT exercising

EVERYONE is guilty of over indulging sometimes, whether it's that extra biscuit or that workout you skipped to go to the pub.

The NHS recommends that everyone should do some sort of exercise every day.

This could be walking the dog or a nice spot of gardening, or if you like to get a sweat on going for a run is also an option.

But one expert has revealed that there is more to losing weight than exercise and said there are other things you could be focusing on if you want to shed the pounds.

Melbourne-based fitness expert Sam Wood said if you really want to put a dent in your belly fat then there are other things you can focus on.

Speaking to he said: "People do more, more, more when it comes to exercise and they cannot work out why they continuously fall short of their ultimate goal".

Sam shared his six top secrets to help you fight the flab.

1. Banish the booze

Most people have their favourite tipple, whether it's a gin and tonic or a fresh pint.

But Sam says that ditching the booze can also help you ditch the fat.

"Alcohol is the enemy of weight loss and has been shown to increase fat storage.

"This is because your body will choose to use alcohol as fuel instead of tapping into your fat stores.

"If you’re trying to drop weight around your midsection without exercising, you’d want to be eliminating alcohol or limiting yourself to 1-2 glasses per week."

2. Cut refined carbs and processed sugars

Sam said if you're serious about cutting the fat then you need to "kick processed sugars and refined carbs to the curb".

Processed sugars are found in lots of sweet treats and the main culprits are caramel, cane sugar or juice or rice syrup.

Examples of refined carbs include pizza, pasta and white bread.

Sam said these ingredients contribute to poor gut health and are often high in calories.

He said it's important to stick to healthy wholefoods and to balance your diet from different food groups.

3. Focus on gut health

Gut health is related to a whole host of things such as how we store fat, our glucose levels and how we process food.

Sam said you need to look after your gut if you want to get the most out of your weight loss journey.

He said a fibre rich diet as well as probiotic foods such as yogurt and pickles can help.

4. Stress less

People process stress in different ways, but for some being stressed can lead to over eating which ultimately leads to weight gain.

Stress causes our bodies to release adrenaline and cortisol.

Being stressed can also cause us to lose sleep which means we are low on energy and will likely crave foods that are high in sugar.

Sam says that keeping stress levels down is key if you want to lose weight and recommended that people experiment with different types of stress reduction techniques.

5. Go low carb

While you should never completely cut out food groups from your diet, Sam said cutting down on carbs is a great way to lose weight.

He said when you do this your body will get fuel from somewhere else - this he says is usually your fat stores.

He said sticking to wholemeal foods is a good option.

6. Check your calories

Weight loss comes down to being in a calorie deficit.

In other words burning off more calories that you consume.

Sam said that a great way to banish unnecessary calories is to cut down on portions.

He also said that cutting out snacks you don't really need will help.