Michael Mosley's belly fat burning tips come down to two weight loss changes

People can minimise their waistline 'fast' if they follow two key diet tips, according to the diet guru.

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The midsection is a commonly difficult area to slim down, but Michael Mosley says you can do it quickly.

As anyone who's ever tried to lose weight will know, the tummy can be one of the last places to see a difference. But the diet guru previously told the Express how to shed belly fat, adding that "you can lose belly fat, and you can lose it fast".

As the creator of the Fast 800 and 5:2 diet, Michael is a huge proponent of intermittent fasting, in which people fast over set time periods. He says the diet could be just what you need to blast belly fat - especially for people aged 50 and over.

First off, the diet guru recommended cutting out sugars and carbs in your diet.

But even before you change your eating habits, Michael says it's important to understand how the body gains weight. Read on for the presenter's food and exercise advice for dieters looking to shed pounds and belly fat.

As we age, people tend to gain more inches on their waistline - and there's a reason for that. Likewise, women going through the menopause can be hit as changing hormones can lead to slower metabolism.

Michael explained: "You need to understand the basics of how insulin works. Your body makes insulin after a meal in order to keep blood sugar stable.

"On your cell walls, insulin opens up glucose ports to allow sugar through – for burning in muscle, and for storage in fat. In your fat, insulin also curbs the release of fatty acids into your system."

This function can change as we get older, leading to a bigger midsection. And what happens next is a "toxic brew" in your bloodstream, according to the diet guru.

"All well and good – as long as your insulin is working. However, as we age cell-wall insulin receptors become less sensitive."

"As a result, even after a meal, our blood is replete with glucose and fatty acids. This is a toxic brew, driving an array of bad outcomes, including rapidly-expanding belly fat."

Given the above, changing your diet would make a difference, especially for men and women over 50. Namely, Mosley advises limiting or avoiding two food types: sugars and carbs.

He said: "To make a serious impact on your belly fat, cutting out sugar-spikes is key. A surprising number of 'diet' snacks and drinks are high in sugar, and are marketed as diet foods because they happen to be low in fat."

Therefore, Mosley advised eating fewer sugary fruits such as mango, pineapple, sugary smoothies, and juices.

As for carbs, the ex-doctor stressed that "when people cut carbs, their appetite goes down and they lose weight".

Dieters should "replace processed carbs like white bread, chips, and pasta with slow-release energy sources, such as brown rice or quinoa".

Mosley added: "Two things will surprise you: the amount of sugar you were consuming unawares, and the speed at which your belly fat will begin to tame itself."

Intermittent fasting is another way dieters could begin to lose belly fat.

Mosley said: "The idea that fasting 'slows your metabolism' is a myth.

"Under conditions of marked energy deficit – 800 calories per day or less – not only do you simply lose weight by eating fewer calories, but your body responds to the stress of fasting by enhancing hormone function to facilitate weight loss and burn fat for energy.

"Short-term fasting can lead to several changes in the body that make fat burning easier. This includes reduced insulin, increased growth hormone, enhanced epinephrine signalling and a small boost in metabolism."

He added that this is supported by numerous studies, saying: "According to a 2014 review of the scientific literature, intermittent fasting can cause weight loss of three to eight percent over three to 24 weeks.

"Not only this – but people lost four to seven percent of their waist circumference as well – indicating a large loss of the harmful belly fat in the abdominal cavity, strongly linked to chronic disease.

"So, want to shift that weight round your middle? Try intermittent fasting."

The final step to losing belly fat Mosley mentioned was regular exercise.

"Research has shown the extraordinary impact that ultra-short bursts of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can have," he said.

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