James Staring , a London-based personal trainer , says there are four simple ways to banish belly fat . Many of us dream of a flat stomach and washboard abs . But despite dieting and exercising , fat around the middle can be especially hard to shift . Now , personal trainer James Staring , from Fit to Last , a London-based fitness company , claims he has four simple tips which can help anyone achieve an enviable stomach area . From writing a food diary to doing short burst of tough exercise , he reveals the best ways to burn away belly fat ... Avoid white bread and pasta and only eat carbohydrates after exercise . Avoid carbohydrates that are refined i.e . white bread and pasta as these enter your blood stream much faster . They are also absorbed very quickly , and cause an insulin spike followed by a dip in energy . Unprocessed carbohydrates ( i.e . whole grains , legumes , vegetables and fruits ) increase feelings of feeling full and release sugar into the blood stream at a much slower rate . This stabilises blood sugar level , so you don ’ t get peaks and troughs , and your body composition will likewise remain stable . According to Dr. John Berardi from Precision Nutrition , your body is more capable of processing carbohydrates directly after exercise – so this is the best time to eat them . HOW THIS WILL HELP YOU : When you consume excess carbohydrate ( and , by extension , if your carbohydrate consumption isn ’ t paired with activity ) these carbohydrates are stored for future use , often as body fat . Do full body exercises . The more muscle groups you use , the more calories you will burn both during and after exercising . By doing complex movements ( i.e . chin-ups ) as opposed to isolation movements ( i.e . bicep curls ) you are using more of your body at once , therefore requiring more energy . You will burn more calories after exercise due to EPOC ( Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption ) . When you start exercising your body goes from rest to increased metabolic activity , thereby requiring more oxygen . Carrying out full body exercises will speed up metabolism and means a person will burn more calories afterwards . This will assist in losing inches around the middle . Your body ’ s delay in responding to this increased oxygen requirement causes ‘ oxygen debt ’ . When you finish an exercise session your body ‘ pays back ’ this oxygen debt through EPOC . Your body needs to consume more oxygen to replenish energy and nutrients , causing more calories to be burned . HOW THIS WILL HELP YOU : EPOC has the additional benefit of increasing your daily energy expenditure as well as your metabolism , turning your body into a calorie-burning furnace , which will assist in losing those inches around the middle . Do short bursts of high intensity exercise . The most common excuse for not exercising is lack of time . But if you want to lose belly fat , you must exercise , full stop . Doing short bursts of high intensity exercise leads to higher energy demands and more calories burned , which will help shed weight from the stomach . According to a study from Canada ’ s McMaster University , high intensity interval training ( short blasts of exercise followed by short recovery periods ) enables you to achieve the same exercise benefits in less time than slogging countless hours on the treadmill . Therefore , you can actually accomplish more by exercising less . HOW THIS WILL HELP YOU : High intensity interval training will create a positive knock on effect in terms of EPOC , leading to higher energy demands for recovery and more calories burned for longer . Write down what you eat ( including how you feel two hours afterwards ) Writing down how different foods affect feelings can stop a person mindlessly eating , Mr Staring claims . Busy lifestyles often mean that eating has become a required reflex , not a considered decision . To get a sense of what you are consuming and how it is affecting you , try the following for 30 days… . 1 . Try on an outfit that currently doesn ’ t fit – take a selfie wearing this outfit . 2 . Start writing down everything you eat , and the time you eat it , in a dedicated notepad . Be diligent and keep this up for 30 days . 3 . When you finish each meal , set your phone alarm for two hours later , then ask yourself . 4 . Record the results based on the following criteria : . 5 . In 30 days , take the selfie again . HOW THIS WILL HELP YOU : Watching your energy level patterns is an effective way to monitor your blood sugar levels . Keep these levels consistent with carbohydrate timing , add in high intensity exercise , and the belly fat you want to be rid of will be a distant memory sooner than you think .
Personal trainer Mr Staring advises how to achieve a flat stomach . Says eating carbohydrates after exercise will stop them being stored as fat . Exercises that use more muscle groups will help speed up the metabolism . Writing down how a you feel after food stops you eating mindlessly . What is my energy level like ? How full do I feel ? I have a high energy level/I feel satisfied and not hungry . I have a moderate energy level/I feel just a bit peckish . I have no energy/I could easily gnaw off my own arm I ’ m so hungry .