• Livestrong.com aritcle
• Healthtap answers

Step 1: Cut back on the deep-fried foods, fast food and baked goods. Not only are these foods high in fat, but they are also high in sodium. Eat nothing but fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, whole grains and beans. Also give up snacking on doughnuts, pastries, monster muffins and potato chips.

Step 2: Increase your intake of meals, but cut down on your portion sizes. Eat small meals every two to three hours throughout the day and make sure they are balanced with protein and complex carbs. A baked chicken breast with steamed Brussels sprouts and brown rice is a meal example.

Step 3: Stop drinking beer, especially with your meals. Give up all beverages that are high in sugar and calories such as soda pop, slushies, milkshakes, sweetened teas and fruit punch. Drink water as your only liquid beverage. Aim for eight to 10 cups a day.

Step 4: Lift weights to build muscle and boost your metabolism. Do compound exercises that involve more than one muscle and more than one joint. These exercises recruit a maximal amount of muscle fibers, and they also force you to contract your stomach muscles to generate power. Bench presses, shoulder presses, deadlifts, triceps dips, reverse pull-ups and squats are examples. Perform 10 to 12 reps, three to four sets and work out three times a week on alternating days.

Step 5: Run in the form of interval training to burn fat in your belly. Start with a light 5-minute warm-up. Run as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then jog for 60 seconds. Alternate back and forth for 30 minutes and finish with a light 5-minute cool-down. Do your interval training three times a week on the alternating days of your weight training.

Step 6: Execute ab exercises to tighten up your stomach muscles. Perform hanging leg raises, side bends and traditional crunches. Do 15 to 20 reps, three to four sets and work your abs right after your interval training.