Getting rid of your paunch takes focus, but you can make progress with the right plan. Whether you've held onto adolescent weight longer than most or you've just had a baby, your body has shown you it's capable of change -- and that change can continue.

An easy recipe swap for quick fiber gain is whole wheat flour in place of white, all-purpose flour. Pie crust, bread and delicate baked goods need extra care to make them whole wheat. Other recipes, like certain muffins and cookies, do very well with even complete substitutions of whole wheat flour for white flour.

Eating any foods in excess of daily needs creates fat, but no food creates fat that stores only in the belly. Different types of corn foods create different benefits and risks. Whole-grain corn contains important vitamins, minerals and protein as well as carbohydrates and fiber.

Flabby upper arms may make you feel self-conscious when you bare your arms in summer clothes. Although where you store fat is largely a matter of genetics, some people's bodies, especially women's, use the arms as a stubborn fat depot.

Eighty pounds of weight loss will take a little time, but can be done with the help of a solid plan based on healthy eating and plenty of exercise. Your exercise plan should take into account your level of fitness and your eating plan should consider your body mass index (BMI).

A spare tire around your middle that forms a muffin top above your waistband may make you self-conscious when you’re in and out of clothes. You desperately want to slim this area down, but the way your body gains and loses weight is a set pattern -- you can’t target certain places for loss.

Social pressure can make being overweight even more difficult for teens than it is for adults. For 13 year-old girls just entering high school it can make everyday life downright daunting. If you'd like to lose your belly fat, you have to lose weight all over.

Regardless if you are a vegan, omnivore or vegetarian, one thing always remains the same -- you cannot spot reduce weight in your belly. This simply means that dozens of ab crunches performed daily will have little effect on your belly flab.

Excess fat in your abdomen should not be dismissed as a natural part of aging. The middle-age spread and love handles increase your risk of developing chronic disease more so than other fat in your body.

The accuracy of consumer weight scales varies widely, which makes it challenging to track your progress. This is especially true if you're on a targeted weight loss plan, or you are an athlete in a sport such as wrestling or boxing, where you must reach a certain weight to participate.

The human body bases the order in which it burns the fats, carbohydrates and protein you give it on three factors: How many cells require it, how much effort it takes to convert it to usable energy and how much it can store. Your body burns carbohydrates before fat because they score well in all three categories.

Bloating is often the result of gas that’s trapped somewhere along the digestive tract, particularly within the stomach and intestines. For many people, including men over 40, this can lead to a feeling of fullness or tightness along the abdomen. It may also cause gas and gas pains.