 Do you know what I would absolutely love? I would love to always be this version of myself. But you know what? That takes a lot of work, a lot of discipline, and a lot of sacrifice. And I'd be lying if I said, that's what I look like right now because it's not. I've got a little bit of extra belly fat, just a little, and you know how hard that can be to get rid of. But I know how to do it because I've done it before. Exhibit A right there. And in this video, I'm going to share my five secrets to losing stubborn belly fat. I'm Brian Sakawa, and you are watching He Spoke Style, where you get the information and inspiration you need to dress well, have more confidence, and unlock your potential. So now that that's out of the way, let's start off with secret number one, and that is to stop drinking alcohol. We all know that there are a lot of calories in alcoholic drinks. A regular beer is about 150 calories. A craft beer with a higher alcohol content could be north of 300 calories. A glass of wine is around 125 calories. Shot of whiskey, about 100. And mixed drinks kind of in the 200 calorie range. So a lot of extra calories you're putting in your body, but beyond those calories, it's what your body does to the alcohol that contributes to you gaining fat. What happens is the alcohol is stored in your body as a triglyceride, which is a fancy name for fat. So the more you drink, the more you store. Plus, alcohol kind of makes you feel bloated. For me, beer is the worst culprit, so that's why I rarely drink beer. So if you cut it out, you also lose that overall bloated feeling and appearance. So when I'm trying to shed that extra layer of fat that is so hard to get rid of, cutting out alcohol completely is the first step that I take. Secret number two to losing stubborn belly fat is to drink more water. So I know this sounds strange, but your body water percentage has a direct correlation to your body fat percentage. So by increasing the amount of water in your body, you're more or less increasing your lean tissue amount and therefore decreasing your body fat percentage. Like I said, I know it sounds weird, but it's true. Back when I raced a bicycle, I stepped on a scale two times a day. Once in the morning, right when I woke up and then again, before going to bed. The scale that I had measured weight, body fat and body water. When I was not as well hydrated as I should have been, my body water percentage was lower and my body fat percentage was higher. And then if I was well hydrated, the numbers flip-flopped. I'm not exactly sure how that works, but I know it to be true and I know that I look and feel leaner when I'm well hydrated. So when it comes to how much water you should drink in a day, you know, most experts say eight, eight ounce glasses. So 64 ounces of water a day. But you have to spread that out throughout the day. You know, you can't not drink anything all day long and then try to make up that 64 ounces right before going to bed. I always start out every morning with a big glass of water and then just kind of sip throughout the day. One of the interesting tips I learned from my coach when I was a cyclist was that he said, if you're thirsty, it's too late. You're already dehydrated. So be sure to drink throughout the day and not just when you have thirst. So for a lot of us, myself included, working to lose fat is something that we do not only to improve our health, but also to improve our appearance and our confidence. And though not related to losing stubborn belly fat, having a good skincare routine is one of those things that is so easy to implement and a great way to also boost your appearance and confidence. We have partnered once again with Tish Hanley, who's sponsoring today's video. And I have to tell you that regardless of whether they were sponsoring this video or not, that I absolutely love this stuff. It's so simple, it works, and I have definitely noticed a change in my skin since I started using it religiously about eight or nine months ago. And hey, when you look your best, you feel your best too, and Tish Hanley has been helping me do both of those things. Personally, I use the Level 3 system, which is their most advanced system. It includes a facial cleanser, a face scrub, a morning moisturizer with SPF 20, an evening moisturizer, an eye cream, and a serum, which is formulated with proven ingredients to slow down the appearance of aging. When you join Tish Hanley, you're gonna get access to a bunch of perks as well, including free US shipping, 25% off the retail price, exclusive access to new products, like their new body wash, and more. Skin care is all about prevention, and it's a habit that I wish I would have implemented earlier in my life. There's no better time than the present to get started, though, and because Tish Hanley is sponsoring today's video, they're offering you guys a great deal. Just click the first link in the description to get the best possible price and a free gift with your first box. You can get started for just $25, which you know is a great price if you've ever done any sort of research into quality skincare products. Okay, secret number three is to not eat crap. No fried foods, no fast food, no chips, no candy, no soda, not a lot of sugar, no ice cream, not a lot of carbs. I told you there were sacrifices that you would have to make. So this tip is so easy, yet it's so hard because you have to exercise that willpower, right? But one of the things that happens is that when you start eating well, your body completely forgets about all that crappy food, and then when you go to eat it, it just kind of feels like you're poisoning yourself. The only other thing I want to say about eating is that I've never tried any of these fad diets before. Keto, Paleo, Atkins, South Beach, never done it. I've always believed that you have to have a well-rounded diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, the last of which, unless you are an elite endurance athlete, you really don't need a lot of. Your body needs all those things and think of your plate in thirds and make sure that you don't overdo any one of them. Secret number four is to exercise. I know, kind of a no-brainer, but in order to lose weight or fat, you have to expend more calories than you take in. There has to be that deficit there. And when it comes to the type of exercise that you do, it should be a combination of things. You need to have a cardio element and you need to have some type of resistance training or weight training. Having and getting into an exercise routine is very similar to eating properly in that once you start doing it, your body really starts to feed off it and honestly crave it. So if you miss a day or a few days, your body's kind of like, what's going on? You know, I need to move. I need this to feel good. In terms of particulars, a little outside of the time and scope we have here with this video, but if you have suggestions for an exercise routine that's worked for you or want to know what my exercise routine is, let me know down in the comments. The final secret to losing stubborn belly fat, secret number five, is to get plenty of sleep. Sleeping is something we do every day, so super easy, but you've got to make sure you're getting the right amount of sleep. Sleep is an important part of this equation because when you're sleeping, your body is repairing itself, specifically by releasing growth hormones. What those hormones do is to stimulate muscle and protein synthesis as well as a process called this that breaks down fat and that I can't pronounce. Growth hormones peak at night, so if you're not sleeping enough, you're basically cutting that process short. In terms of how much to sleep each night to maximize this, experts say that between seven to nine hours is optimal. One thing I want to let you know is that getting into new habits like this can be very difficult to do, especially if it's going to be a big change for you. So to help you get motivated, I put together a playlist which is right over there that includes lots of specific ways to get yourself on the right track. Thanks again to Tish Hanley for sponsoring this video. Reminder to click the link down below in the description to give Tish Hanley a try for yourself and receive a free gift with your first box.