The holidays come and go in quite a rush, and they usually leave you with your pants feeling fitting a little snug. New Years comes with the hope of resolutions, changes, and the desire to improve.  A holiday detox of sorts is in order. You don’t need to drink some special liquid or anything, but you do need to cleanse your diet, so to speak. If you want to know how to lose belly fat, and get rid of that holiday weight that you’ve tacked on this year keep these tips in mind.

1. Nix the sugar from your diet. After far too many holiday sweets, and extra calories it’s time to get serious. Set a goal for yourself to keep track of your sugar intake for a few weeks to get you back on track. It is recommended that don’t consume more than thirty grams of sugar per day. The average American takes in about one hundred and fifty grams of sugar per day. If that is average imagine what the holiday treats did to those numbers?  By getting rid of sugar you will help yourself cut out extra calories.

2. Get back to the basics. Processed foods aren’t going to get your diet in line. Try eating foods closest to their natural form. Getting your diet back to a whole foods approach will help you to lose stomach fat and feel better. For example: Instead of eating a strawberry fruit roll up…which probably doesn’t contain much real strawberries anyways; slice up some fresh strawberries. Instead of processed sugary cereal for breakfast; eat oatmeal.

3. Commit to eating your own prepared food. The holiday season takes you from one party to the next. On top of that, the business of your schedule can often lead you to eat out instead of eating home cooked meals. When you cook at home you know exactly what you are putting into your meals. You can save a lot of unwanted calories and fat by choosing not to eat out.

4. Drink more water. Water is a great way to flush out and cleanse your body. Plus it helps to keep you feeling full so you aren’t reaching for snacks all the time.