Fat around the belly can be difficult to lose and even with diet and exercise, it can often be the last part of the body that slims down.

However, there are many methods that a person can use to both reduce overall fat and tone their stomach

1. Limit your intake of carbs, especially refined carbs

Limiting your carb intake has been shown to have amazing health benefits, especially for losing weight quickly. More specifically, studies show that low-carb diets target the fat that lodges around your organs and makes your waistline expand. Fat around your organs is undoubtedly the most dangerous so anything that blasts it can only be a good thing.

Research also suggests that you can significantly improve your metabolic health and reduce your waistline by simply replacing refined carbs with unprocessed, whole food carbs. People with the highest intake of whole grains are 17% less likely to have extra fat around their stomach area than those who consume diets high in refined carbs.

Cutting out carbohydrates is a relatively easy method of reducing calories, but if you are still eating too much food overall, you will not lose body fat. As body fat is lost, you cannot specifically reduce it just from your stomach. If you reduce your carbohydrate intake, ensure that you are getting enough critical nutrients, limit your calories and get plenty of exercise to drop body fat and slim your waistline. Remember, simply cutting out one food group will not let you magically lose weight but combined with other diet restrictions and regular exercise, you can have the body of your dreams.

2. Do resistance training

Losing muscle mass is a common side effect of dieting and contrary to popular belief, it can be a problem for your metabolism because losing muscle decreases the number of calories you burn on a daily basis. So, what's the solution?

Well, women have been constantly told that lifting weights is bad but in reality, doing resistance exercises regularly may prevent this loss of muscle mass and, in turn, help you maintain or improve your metabolic rate.

Resistance training allows you to burn calories for up to 48 hours after exercising meaning even after you have stopped working out, your body is still working hard to fight fat. Heavy resistance training using compound exercises does not just build muscle, it stimulates the hormones that burn fat, and heavy resistance training also preserves lean muscle tissue.

Furthermore, resistance training may be especially effective at tightening your stomach and reducing your waist size. The combination of resistance training, according to fitness experts, with aerobic exercise is the most effective for slimming your waistline and getting that flat stomach you deserve.

3. Drink protein shakes

Protein shakes appear to be very misunderstood with many people not really understanding what they do and why they're necessary. Do not be put off by labels featuring muscular, bulked-up guys because absolutely anybody can benefit from the belly-flattening power of protein powder.

Make sure you go for a powder containing whey protein over soy however, because according to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, participants whose diets included whey protein for 23 weeks had less body fat and a smaller waist than those who chose soy. In addition, excess soy is can be terrible for women and lead to overproduction of hormones. In order to reveal your abs once and for all, try including a whey protein shake once a day or at least a few times a week.

Protein shakes are an easy way to add extra protein to your diet. Getting enough protein in your diet can boost your metabolism, reduce your appetite and assist with fat loss, especially from your stomach.

So, there you have it. A flat stomach is not as out of reach as it may seem, you just have to make sure you're following the correct advice. Bear in mind that you will not see any results without consistency and dedication.

Now, go get the physique of your dreams!