Get the Facts about Belly Fat
Do you carry your weight in your midsection? Dealing with stubborn belly fat can be incredibly frustrating, but if you have the right moves and healthy habits, you can start to shed the unwanted weight around the waistline.
Are you pear-shaped or apple shaped? Fat accumulated in the lower body (pear-shape) is subcutaneous, while fat in the abdominal area (the apple shape) is mainly visceral. You should be aware that subcutaneous fat is located right below the skin, so you can grasp it with your hand. Typically, this kind of fat doesn’t present a health risk, while visceral fat is found deeper in the belly and surrounds your organs. If you have belly fat, you're probably carrying an amount of both. However, visceral fat can lead to metabolic health issues like Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and, in women, breast cancer.
Doctors have agreed that abdominal obesity is directly caused by a poor diet, particularly high in sugar, alcohol, trans fats and insufficient protein. Other contributing factors are lack of exercise, as well as, sleep deprivation and genetics.
5 Easy Tips for reducing belly fat:
Eat plenty of soluble fiber foods (ie. vegetables, avocados, legumes, flax seeds, blackberries, whole oats).
Avoid foods with trans fats. It is helpful to read ingredient labels and stay away from foods that contain partially hydrogenated fats.
Eat high protein diet (ie. Fish, lean meats, chicken, eggs, legumes)
Do regular exercise. Include weight training and cardiovascular exercise to help reduce fat around the body.
Track your food intake. Planning your meals can help you achieve specific goals like increasing your protein consumption at each meal or cutting down on unhealthy carbohydrates in your daily menu.
For a well-rounded program, check out these simple abdominal exercises for only 5 minutes a day to attack your belly fat.
