Get Rid of Stomach Fat:Avoid the Pitfalls

Over the last few months you have worked hard to get a flat stomach and shed the pounds - and it's paying off. But after a few months or so later– you realize that the closer you are to your goal, you struggle more to lose the weight and becoming discouraged. And at this stage, you will be at your weakest, and prone to throwing all your past efforts away for nothing.

Here's how to avoid those 'nearly there' pitfalls and get rid of stomach fat for good:

1. The Plateau : You will find losing weight easy at first, but there will come a time when you may plateau. If you do — you must stop the negative self talk that says 'I can't do this' or 'It's just too hard'. Best yet, stop looking at the scales for the week, and try different positive goals like eating 1 more piece of fruit for the next 7 days, go to the gym tomorrow or cut out liquid calories for the week. By setting smaller, achievable goals every day it will give yourself a sense of achievement and momentum.

2. Focus on 1 Day at a Time : Think about your eating habits - just stop and think about what you are putting in your mouth. Ask yourself, 'Is the food worth it and will it harm my fat loss goals?' And if you believe it isn't, try to swap this with a helpful habit, like eating a fruit, drink water ot go for walk. With practice, it soon becomes automatic.

3. Reward Yourself : No food. Reward yourself with an incentive in exchange for a weekly or monthly goal. Set yourself a task to visit the gym 3 times a week or just drinking water only for the week (no caffeine, no soda and any liquid calories). And when you do reach that goal, why not add $5 into a 'spoil myself' bank account towards something special like a facial or a weekend getaway. This is a great way to keep your focus on what you need to get done - and celebrate your amazing achievement.

4. Get a Friend : One of the missing ingredients that is often ignored. Invite at least one person, and preferably a lot more people, to encourage you, to keep you in line, motivate you, keep you on track. That way, you will be made accountable for your goals to these people. By doing this, you will have a greater chance of more fat loss success.

5. Variety Is Crucial. If you don't vary your diet or workout, you will get bored and lose motivation fast. Furthermore, our bodies are smart and adapt very quickly to the environment exposed. Repeating the same diet and workout will no longer have the desired impact. Reduce the risk of plateaus, by mixing up the diet and workout on a monthly basis. Changes include, increasing the intensity level or mixing up the meals - which can make a huge difference to your fat loss.

There you have it, follow the 5 above tips to avoid any pitfalls and plateaus, and you'll charge through the barriers that are in your way and get rid of stomach fat for good!