How to Best Lose Fat to be Healthy

June 3, 2023June 3, 2023

How to Best Lose Fat to be Healthy

Amazingly, according to the Centers for Disease Control nearly 49.1 percent of people aged 20 and over try to lose weight. Furthermore, 56.4 percent of these are women while 41.7 percent are men. Most of all, these people are trying to lose fat. Meanwhile, nearly 62.9 percent of these people exercise to lose weight, while 62.9 percent were eating less, followed by 50.4 percent who ate more fruits, vegetables, and salads. Now, exercising, eating less, eating more fruits, vegetables, and salads are all necessary to lose fat and weight. However, more specific ways to help you lose fat, and especially healthy ways to lose belly fat, are described below.

While the list below is long, it’s best not to jump right in and start using them all at once. Rather, it is better to first start with an easy one until you have made it part of your daily ritual. Next, gradually, add the others in time. Most of all, don’t rush because your body and mind need time to change.

Oatmeal for Breakfast to Lose Fat

First, a cup of oats contains 11 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Also, oatmeal has both the bulky insoluble fiber and the gel-like soluble fiber. Moreover, studies show that this dietary fiber lowers your body weight and regulates your body’s sugar use. Furthermore, the soluble fiber absorbs water in your stomach and becomes like gel. Consequently, it swells up. As a result, it takes the body longer to digest oatmeal. Consequently, eating oatmeal helps you keep satisfied and reduce hunger.

Complex Carbs

Also, one of the healthy ways to lose belly fat is to avoid eating refined carbs. For example, avoid eating white bead, pasta, or sugary baked foods like donuts, cakes, cookies, and others. And, that includes sugary drinks like soda and fruit juices. By the way, sugar increases belly fat while fiber reduces it. In fact, drinking water instead of sugary drinks will drastically reduce your sugar intake.

Furthermore, if you have a sweet tooth, try eating an apple, melon, or fresh berries. Or, you can drink fresh homemade juices using centrifugal juicers, masticating juicers, or smoothie makers from fresh fruits like apples, melons, fresh berries, oranges, pears, and many other fruits.

Meanwhile, eat complex carbs like whole grains such as quinoa or sweet potatoes. And, because they have high fiber content, the body doesn’t store as much water.

Low-Carb Diet

Next, researchers, at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, reported that a low-carb diet resulted in much greater fat loss than a low-fat diet. In fact, over a period of six months, those on a low-carb diet lost ten more pounds than those on a low-fat diet.

Mediterranean Diet to Lose Fat

Now, the Mediterranean diet contains foods rich in monosaturated fatty acids. As a result, this diet may help you lose fat. For example, this diet consists of olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, fish, and Greek yogurt.

Furthermore, first start eating your meal with seasoned vegetables. On the other hand, you could also start with vegetable soup. By the way, vegetables should always be at least half of your meal.

Eat Foods Rich in Potassium

Next, one of the healthy ways to lose belly fat is to eat foods rich in potassium. In fact, potassium helps your body remove excess water, especially around the belly. Consequently, potassium helps you lose fat. Also, potassium is an essential dietary mineral that helps in the following ways.

First, it helps build muscles.
Second, it prevents excess fluid retention and maintain a healthy electrolyte balance.
Third, potassium optimize nerve functions.
Next, it releases energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism.
Also, potassium helps regulate blood pressure.
Finally, potassium helps the heart and kidneys to function properly.

Therefore, eat potassium rich fruits like bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, and grapefruit.

Also, eat some dried fruits like prunes, raisins, and dates.

In addition, eat potassium rich vegetables like cooked spinach, cooked broccoli, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, peas, lentils, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkins, and leafy greens such as spinach.

Furthermore, drink potassium-rich fruit juices like, orange juice, tomato juice, prune juice, apricot juice, and grapefruit juice. However, because they contain sugar, drink these juices in moderation. On the other hand, drinking home made juices directly from the fruits is good for you.

Finally, dairy products like milk and yogurt are also high in potassium.

Cut back on Salt

Meanwhile, salt makes you retain water. So, to lose fat, cut back on salt, fast foods, processed, and packaged foods which is overloaded with salt.

Peppermint Tea

Next, drinking three, eight ounce, cups of peppermint tea while exercising helps you lose fat. Indeed, drinking peppermint tea with catechins enhances exercise-induced loss of abdominal fat. Meanwhile, other ways, peppermint tea helps lose weight, include the following.

First, peppermint tea has a strong scent that reduces appetite and suppresses craving.
Second, scientific studies have shown that peppermint tea helps settle the gastrointestinal tract and promotes healthy bowel movement. Also, the active component of mint, menthol, has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Consequently, peppermint tea improves digestion.
Third, NASA researchers found that the soothing aroma and calming effect of peppermint helps you relax and reduce stress. As a result, the tea helps reduce fat.
In addition, the caffeine and cathechins, in peppermint tea, increase body temperature. As a result, the tea speeds up metabolism.
Furthermore, a study in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition, concluded that peppermint oil facilitated enhanced air ventilation. Also, the tea increased brain oxygen concentration. And, these effects helped increase strength and endurance.
Next, peppermint relaxes your abdominal muscles and increases flow of bile. Consequently, peppermint tea improved fat digestion. And, improving your digestive health helps you burn calories.
Finally, peppermint leaves provide sustenance to digestion and intestinal health, which helps with weight loss.

Apple Cider Vinegar Helps Lose Fat

Now, a 2009 Japanese study had 144 obese Japanese consume one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks. As a result, those who consumed one tablespoon:

First, lost 2.6 pounds.
Second, their body fat percentage dropped by 0.7%.
Finally, their waist circumference decreased by 0.5 inches.

On the other hand, those who consumed two tablespoons:

First, lost 3.7 pounds.
Second, their body fat percentage dropped by 0.9%.
Finally, their waist circumference decreased by 0.75 inches.

By the way, the acetic acid in vinegar produced proteins that, in turn, help you lose fat.

Aerobics

Next, aerobic exercise is one of the healthy ways to lose belly fat. In fact, aerobic exercise burns up belly fat because it reduces levels on insulin. Which, in turn, tells your body to get rid of the fat. Also, aerobics causes the liver to use up fatty acids, especially those in the nearby visceral fat deposits. Moreover, for most people, this means 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobics almost every day.

Indeed, a study in the American Journal of Physiology found that jogging 12 miles a week helps you lose fat. By the way, aerobic exercises burned 67 percent more calories than strength training.

Strength Training

Meanwhile, strength training builds lean muscle mass, which, in turn, burns more calories over 24 hours and helps you lose fat. However, to allow your muscles to grow, strength training must be done gradually over time. On the other hand, over doing it can result in sore muscles. By the way, sore back muscles can be back massagers, while deep tissue muscles can be treated with deep tissue massagers. As a result, you can get back to resuming with your strength training program.

Get up if You Sit Too Much

Next, studies show that, on average, people spend an inordinate amount of time sitting. Regrettably, too much sitting negates all the effort you put into aerobic and strength training. So, if you need to sit, make it a habit to get up as often as you can. Moreover, if you are working, use the lunch hour to go for a brisk walk.

Intermittent Fasting to Lose Fat

Also, a recent study in the New England Journal of medicine reported that intermittent fasting, in which you starve for 16 hours each day helps you in the following ways.

First, intermittent fasting helps you lose fat.
Second, intermittent fasting helps you lose weight.
Third, intermittent fasting improves blood sugar regulation.
Fourth, intermittent fasting suppresses inflammation.
Next, intermittent fasting helps reduce blood pressure.
Also, intermittent fasting helps lower the resting heart rate.
In addition, intermittent fasting reduces blood lipid levels.
Furthermore, intermittent fasting limits tissue damage.
Also, intermittent fasting improves risk factors associated with obesity and diabetes.
Finally, intermittent fasting improves cognitive performance.

Track Your Progress

Next, regularly track your progress by weighing yourself.

Support

Finally, studies show that you are more likely to lose fat, if the people around you also have healthy eating and exercising habits.

How to Increase Your Metabolic Rate to be Healthy

June 3, 2023June 3, 2023

How to Increase Your Metabolic Rate to be Healthy

Most noteworthy, metabolism is a process by which your body burns energy from food. Now, most people believe that raising your metabolism helps you burn more calories and therefore lose weight. But raising your metabolic rate is hard. In fact, to succeed, you need to do the following:

1
First, eat healthy foods.
2
Next, do regular cardio and strength workouts.
3
By the way, reduce your stress levels and try to stay calm.
4
Finally, get good sleep.

Proteins Best for Improved Metabolism

First and foremost, eating proteins causes the largest increase in the thermic effect of food. By the way, this thermic effect represents the extra calories needed to digest, absorb, and process nutrients in food. In fact, a process called thermogenesis, results in your body using about 10% of its calorie intake for digestion. Consequently, because your body digests proteins more slowly than fat or carbs, your body expends more energy absorbing nutrients in a high-protein diet.

Also, proteins increase your metabolic rate by 15 to 30 percent. In addition, proteins make you feel full and prevent you from overeating. And, this is especially true when you have proteins for breakfast. Therefore, eat a low-sugar, high protein breakfast in the morning.

By the way, a recent study, from Purdue University, found that diets high in protein may help preserve lean body mass, which is the best fat-burner of all.

Water

Next, cold water has been shown to increase resting metabolism by ten to thirty percent for up to an hour after drinking it. Furthermore, because the body increases the temperature of the cold water to the body’s temperature, cold water burns up more calories. By the way, you could also drink just plain cold water.

Green Tea

In the meantime, green tea has been shown to increase metabolism by four to five percent. In fact, the tea helps convert some of the fat into free fatty acids. Consequently, the amount of fat burned increases by 10 to 17 percent. Also, new evidence shows that the tea’s active ingredient, catechin, cranks up metabolic rate. Indeed, catechins may improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis.

Therefore, drinking five 8-ounce cups of green tea a day may increase your energy expenditure by 90 calories a day. By the way, that’s about 5 percent if you consume 1,800 calories in a day.

Coffee

Next, drink coffee because the caffeine in the coffee can boost metabolism by 3 to 11 percent and it promotes burning fat. However, coffee doesn’t have a significant effect on long term weight loss.

Vitamin B

Next, get enough vitamin B because it has an important role in the metabolic rate. Particularly, vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine) are important. By the way, these vitamins are found in bananas, baked potatoes, eggs, peanut butter, spinach, whole-grain foods and orange juice, which you can make fresh using a juicer.

Fiber

Because fiber is indigestible, eat a diet rich in high fiber, as it will boosts metabolism. Most of all, soluble fiber uses up water as its digested and helps you feel fuller for longer time. Meanwhile, soluble fiber is found in brown rice, oat bran, and artichokes.

Next, insoluble fiber simply passes through your body. Indeed, in trying to digest and eliminate insoluble fiber, your body uses up more calories than with other foods. Consequently, you expend more calories digesting high-fiber foods than refined carbohydrates. By the way, foods high in insoluble fiber include wheat bran, beans, cauliflower, and apples.

Fatty Acids

Next, eat more omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, herring, and tuna. Most of all, these foods ramp up your metabolism. Also, omega-3s balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and helps to regulate metabolism. In addition, omega-3s reduce resistance to the hormone leptin which is linked to how fast fat is burned. However, if you don’t like fish, use flaxseed oil, walnuts, or eggs fortified with omega-3s. or take omega-3 supplements.

Eat Breakfast To Gear Up Your Metabolism

Most noteworthy, studies show that those who have breakfast lost more weight than those who don’t. Especially relevant, when you are sleeping, your metabolic rate is low. Meanwhile, eating breakfast causes the metabolic rate to increase. But, if you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate continues to stay low and you won’t burn as many calories until you have something to eat, such as around lunchtime.

Muscle Mass

Most noteworthy, while one pound of fat cells burn about two calories per day, one pound of lean muscle at rest burns six calories per day. Now, to gain five pounds, of new lean muscles, takes an average of three to four months of strength training. Consequently, over a year its possible for you to gain about 20 pounds of lean muscle. And, these 20 pounds of lean muscles would consume 120 calories in a day or about 7 percent if you consume 1,800 calories in a day.

Regrettably, most regular exercisers only gain a few pounds of muscle. And, that is not enough to make a big difference in the number of calories you burn. In the meantime, when not in active use, muscles burn very few calories. Therefore, it’s important to regularly lift weights for stronger bones and muscles. So, make it a regular part of your weekly workout.

Also, strength training is good for you because the muscles, protect you from injury, makes your bones denser, and make you look good. In addition, strength training improves the overall shape of your physique.

Moreover, all you need to do to get these benefits, is strength-training for just a couple of times a week. In addition, you’ll reverse fifty percent of the seemingly inevitable metabolism slow-down that comes as you get older.

High Intensity Aerobics Speeds Up Your Metabolic Rate

Next, combining moderate aerobic exercises with strength training helps you keep the fat off that you do lose. Also, aerobic workouts strengthen both bones and muscles. In addition, aerobic workouts maintain your lean muscle mass. Furthermore, aerobic workouts increase your metabolic rate while burning calories.

Meanwhile, high intensity aerobics, that cause you to sweat, result in your metabolic rate staying higher for an extended period. Consequently, you will continue to burn calories even after you end your workout.

By and large, high intensity aerobics don’t have to be difficult to do. For example, just increase your workout intensity for 30 seconds and then return to your normal intensity. Meanwhile, during the high intensity period, your body uses up more oxygen and the mitochondria, in your cells, work harder to burn energy. Also, as you add these high intensity intervals, you increase the number of mitochondria and increase their efficiency as they burn calories throughout the day. As a result, you can exercise for less time.

For example, you can jog or run for five minutes at your normal pace. Then, jog or run as fast as you can for a minute or 30 seconds if a minute is too long. Now, go back to your normal pace for two minutes. And, repeat this sequence three times. Moreover, do this entire workout two or three times a week.

Stress Disrupts Your Metabolism

Now, stress increases levels of the body’s hormone cortisol. Regrettably, this causes people to eat more unhealthy foods, which, in turn, increases weight and disrupts metabolism.

Sleep Won't Boost Your Metabolism

By the way, getting a good night’s sleep won’t boost your metabolic rate. On the other hand, not sleeping well or not getting enough sleep will cause you to eat more calories than needed. Which, in turn, results in you putting on more weight.

Don’t Starve

Most of all, it’s important to never starve yourself to lose weight. Because, eating too few calories causes your metabolic rate to drop in order to conserve energy. Consequently, it becomes even more difficult to lose pounds in the future.

Therefore, eat at regular intervals. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should try to eat 1,320 calories a day to avoid the metabolic rate from falling. Moreover, research shows that these women who eat less than 1,320 calories a day end up having their metabolic rate drop by almost 50 percent.

Finally

Finally, as you work to reduce fat and weight, hormonal changes occur because of the weight loss. And these hormonal changes make it harder to keep the weight off. As a result, more effort is needed to avoid gaining that weight back again. So, think about losing fat as a continuous effort to looking good and staying healthy. Also, to keep your metabolism high while dieting, eat enough calories to match your resting metabolic rate. By the way, the resting metabolic rate is what you’d burn if you stayed in bed all day. That’s about 1,330 calories for a 5’4”, 150 pound, 40-year old woman.

14 Obstacles on the Way to Losing Belly Fat

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

14 Obstacles on the Way to Losing Belly Fat

Losing belly fat is hard. In fact, it requires a lot of perseverance to be successful. Unfortunately, not everyone can easily lose belly fat. In fact, some of the obstacles, you are likely to encounter, are listed below.

Sleep

First, if you are among the 30 percent of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night, it’s hard to lose belly fat or weight. In fact, there is a 16-year study of 70,000 women on sleep and weight. Meanwhile, the study collected sleep hours and weight. And the study reported that women sleeping less than five hours were 30 percent more likely to gain 30 or more pounds than women sleeping seven hours.

How Work is an Obstacle to Losing Belly Fat

Next, work can create obstacles in at least four ways. First, by the stress associated with the work itself. Second, the excessive workload and deadlines may prevent you from getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Third, the excessive workload may also prevent you from getting your cardio and strength workouts. And, fourth by playing havoc with your diet.

Stress

As most people can agree, it’s hard to avoid stress. Regrettably, stress may result in increasing fat around the belly and increasing your weight.

Now, in response to stress, your body produces the hormone, cortisol. Moreover, the increased levels of cortisol results in higher insulin levels. As a result, blood sugar levels fall. Consequently, you end up craving sugary, fatty foods. Which, in turn, increases belly fat. Furthermore, many studies also show cortisol causes an accumulation of fat around the abdominal area. Meanwhile, one of the ways to get relief from the stress is to take a 15 to 20-minute nap.

Diet

Most of all diet plays a very significant role in losing belly fat. Now, since you are trying to lose belly fat, it’s safe to assume you have a healthy diet. So, the issue is having the discipline to stay with the diet. Moreover, it is very difficult to maintain this discipline when it takes such a long time to lose belly fat.

Why Genes are an Obstacle to Losing Belly Fat

Next, genetic disposition gives some people an apple shaped body. Consequently, these people, may likely end up with excess fat around their abdominal area than their hips or thigh.

Getting Older

Now, as you get older, your metabolic rate drops. Because, as you get older, your body needs less calories to function normally, less body fat gets converted to energy. As a result, the percentage of body fat increases. In addition, the distribution of the body fat changes with age. Regrettably, this means more fat around the belly.

Menopause

Next, when women enter menopause their body’s production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down. Also, their testosterone levels start to drop, but at a slower rate. As a result of these changes, women hold on or gain visceral fat around the belly.

Microbiota

By the way, microbiota are microbes or bacteria living in our intestines. In fact, the four dominant bacterial phyla or divisions, in the gut, are Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria.

Now, most of these bacteria are useful because they produce hormones, digest food, extract nutrients, regulate the immune system, control your mood, and manage your appetite. However, according to research published in the journal Nature, the Firmicutes bacteria absorbs calories from the food. And the greater the population of the Firmicutes bacteria, the more calories are absorbed from the food. Consequently, these people tend to put on more weight than others, with smaller population of Firmicutes bacteria.

Furthermore, a study published in the journal Genome looked at 1,300 twins. And, the study concluded that the less diverse your gut bacteria, the more likely you will have belly fat. Consequently, one way to reduce this outcome is to diversity your microbiota.

Why Motivation Helps Losing Belly Fat

Next, it takes discipline and time to lose belly fat. Indeed, for some, it may take several years to lose belly fat. As a result, it’s hard to stay committed for such a long period of time. Therefore, to succeed, the desire to lose belly fat needs to become a lifestyle.

Conscientiousness and Planfulness

Those who are conscientious and are better at making plans are more likely to meet their goals such as the desire to lose belly fat. In fact, a recent study with 282 participants, at the University of Oregon, reported that those with a plan to meet their goals, such as going to the gym, were more successful than those who didn’t. Moreover, the same reasoning also applies to a goal such as desiring to losing belly fat. Because, it takes a long time to lose belly fat, only those having a goal-oriented personality have a better chance of success than those who don’t.

How Over Exercising Hurts Losing Belly Fat

Now, it’s rational to think that the more you exercise the more you will burn calories and lose belly fat. Yes, you will burn calories. However, over exercising or endurance training creates physical stress in the body. And this physical stress causes the body to increase production of the hormone, cortisol. Consequently, the high cortisol levels, results in more belly fat.

Unbalanced Exercising

Next, cardio exercises can result in heavy breathing and sweating. So, it’s logical to think cardio exercises are going to make you lose weight and burn fat. Unfortunately, cardio by itself is not enough. In fact, cardio needs to be balanced with strength training. Because, strength training builds muscles. And, muscles burn fat 24 hours. As a result, muscles burn more calories and belly fat than cardio. On the other hand, cardio burns calories mostly from glucose in blood and only during the workout.

Why Alcohol is Bad for Losing Belly Fat

Meanwhile, if you are used to having a drink regularly, it’s hard to give that up. Moreover, when alcohol reaches the digestive system, it gets absorbed by the circulatory system to become part of the blood flowing through the body. And, when the blood reaches the liver, the alcohol in the blood is metabolized into acetate. Next, acetate is broken down into carbon dioxide and water mainly in tissue other than the liver.

Now, the brain utilizes the acetate in the blood, partially replacing glucose consumption. Furthermore, acetate is ultimately used by cells for the synthesis of fatty acids which makes up fat. Consequently, the amount of fat increases.

In addition, research shows that high alcohol use increases cortisol levels. Also, alcohol decreases your testosterone levels. As a result, it becomes difficult to build lean muscle and burn fat as fuel.

Testosterone

For many men, low testosterone results in not having enough energy. Consequently, their athletic performance falls. Also, they have greater difficulty building muscles and losing belly fat. As a result, fat increases and the men lose muscle mass.

Meanwhile, symptoms of low testosterone in males includes decreased motivation, decreased libido, more belly fat, trouble sleeping, and fatigue.

Finally, men with low testosterone can suffer from osteoporosis, obesity, and loss of muscle mass.

Meanwhile, women with high testosterone levels have difficultly losing weight and have bigger muscle mass. By the way, high levels of testosterone can occur in women with Polycystic Ovarian syndrome.

Takeaway

All things considered these obstacles are not insurmountable. However, these obstacles just make it harder to lose belly fat and weight.

How to Lose Belly Fat after 65

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

How to Lose Belly Fat after 65

It is hard to lose belly fat at any age, but it is incredibly more difficult after 65. This is because belly fat releases hormones that can impact your ability to lose weight, especially in the waist and abdominal areas. So, this post will discuss how to lose bely fat after 65. In general, there are few ways to lose belly fat.

Working out
Diet

Other ways include reducing stress in your life and getting good sleep. While these are impediments, they may resolve themselves if you work out on a regular basis.

Working Out

Of the four ways to reduce belly fat, the most significant ones are working out and changing your diet. To really burn belly fat, your daily regimen must include spurts of intense workouts. Intense workouts are those where you are forced to breathe hard. Because it is only these intense workouts that force the body to burn fat from the abdominal area.

Now, when you are younger, your body can generate high level of intensity. In fact, the younger you are the more intensity you can generate. But past 65 many find It hard to generate or sustain those intensity levels long enough for belly fat to get burned.

So, going to a fitness club and doing cardio workouts with an intensity you are capable of as a senior, unfortunately won’t be enough to burn belly fat. But it may be enough to reduce stress and get good sleep.

As a result, the only realistic option is to include diet in the equation. So, you consume just enough foods to meet your body needs. And combine that with workouts at an intensity you can put out without over doing it.

Walking

Now, there are workouts that seniors can do to burn calories. The easiest one is walking. However, walking burns calories at a slow rate. So, if you want to burn the needed calories, go for longer walks.

Walk as fast as you can while being safe to avoid tripping. Or you can walk slowly but go for much longer walks. By the way, if this is the first time, then walk slowly and go for shorter walks. And, as you get comfortable and stronger, increase the distance and the pace.

A 30-minute walk is a good start. And, as you get comfortable go for one hour walks at a pace that makes you breath hard. Remember, if your breathing doesn’t get hard you are not burning enough calories.

Fitness clubs

If you can go to a gym or a fitness club, elliptical machines provide a way to burn calories with minimal impact on joints.

Fitness clubs also have equipment to help you build muscles. The great thing about this equipment is you can start with small weights and gradually build up to using heavier weights. By the way, building muscles helps you burn more calories because muscles burn calories even when you are not working out.

For those seniors who feel comfortable using weights, workouts that require dumbbells and kettlebells are a great way to get the heart rate up and burn off the excess calories.

Diet

Diet is one of the most effective ways for seniors to lose belly fat. In fact, you can significantly reduce your weight, lose belly fat, and improve your health with a good diet and nutrition plan. For example, eat whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. However, avoid foods high in saturated fats and trans fats.

In addition, there are dietary supplements that may be able to help you reduce calories ingested while still getting all the nutrients you need. However, consult with a doctor or nutritionist before you begin making changes to your eating habits.

Remember, the most important thing is the relationship between calories you ingest and calories you burn. So, if you can’t do activities to burn calories you ought to cut back on calories you ingest. But, if you want to eat and ingest more calories, then you must put in the time to exercise and burn off those excess calories.

However, if working out is not an option for you, then the only way to lose excess belly fat is to cut back on calories you eat and drink plenty of water. Eating low calorie foods is a good way to cut back. However, you also need to cut back on portion size. And, if you must munch, munch on carrots, low-calorie vegetables, or fruits.

Tracking

Finally, it is important to track your progress. There are several ways to track the effects of your workouts. So choose one that's convenient to you.

How to Turn the Tables on Age and Genetic Effects

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

How to Turn the Tables on Age and Genetic Effects

Recent research shows the genetic effects of age on fat and weight as people get older.

Genetic Effects of Age on Fat and Weight

First and foremost, research has shown that adults tend to gain an average of 1.1 to 2.2 pounds every year they get older. Furthermore, in-spite of their best efforts to eat right and get some exercise, many people tend to put on weight. It may not be obvious at first. In fact, it may take several years before they realize that. In the meantime, they may get frustrated that despite their best efforts to watch their diet and manage their weight, the weight just keeps inching up.

Now, new research in fat cells, at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, shows why. Researchers studied fat cells from 54 men and women over a 13-year period. And, they found that those who ate the same or more calories gained an average of 20 percent more weight as they got older.

Moreover, researchers found that the rate at which triglycerides, in fat cells, were converted to energy fell as the participants got older. At the same time, the rate at which triglycerides were stored in fat cells increased. By the way, this process is referred to as lipid turnover.

Fat Storage

Especially relevant, fat cells are stored in two types of tissue: White Adipose Tissue and Brown Adipose Tissue. First, the white adipose tissue contains fat cells, known as adipocytes, that are made up of large number of triglycerides. Indeed, these triglycerides contain fatty acids and store energy. Also, the white adipose tissue provides thermal insulation and pads the internal organs. However, excess white fat is not good for you.

Also, in terms of quantity, the white adipose tissue is far greater than brown adipose tissue.

Lipid Turnover

Next, the balance between triglyceride removal and storage is known as lipid turnover. In other words, Lipid turnover = triglyceride removal / triglyceride storage.

Therefore, low lipid turnover means that fewer triglycerides are removed from fat cells to be converted into energy, while more triglycerides are stored in fat cells. Consequently, there is weight gain. Also, this results in a low metabolic rate.

On the other hand, high lipid turnover means more triglycerides are removed from fat cells to be converted into energy, while fewer triglycerides are stored in fat cells. Consequently, there is weight loss. Also, this results in a high metabolic rate.

Genetics Effects Lipid Turnover

The research results indicate, for the first time, that processes in the fat tissue regulate changes in body weight during aging. Most of all, a normal process of aging is characterized by lower lipid turnover or effectively a slower metabolic rate. Consequently, the body uses less energy to function, and as a result there is less 'lipolysis,' or breakdown of fatty acids (which make up triglycerides) into energy.

How to Lose Weight

Most of all, weight loss is driven by our metabolism, microbiome, hormones, nutrient intake, genes, muscle composition, exercise and environmental factors.

Previous research has shown that one way to speed up lipid turnover in fat tissue is to boost the amount of exercise you get. This new research supports that theory. The good news is that you may not be able to control your age and the natural processes that go with it. However, being physically active with high muscle mass, enables you to break down fat and manage your weight.

Genetic Effects

While decreasing lipid turnover results in weight gain as you get older, genes also have a significant say in whether you have wide hips (a pear-shaped body) or an apple shaped body. In fact, research has shown there are hundreds of genes that affect your weight. For example, some genes:

1
First, affect where fat is distributed in your body
2
Second, impact metabolism and the metabolic rate
3
Third, affect craving for unhealthy food
4
Even control whether you reach for food to cope with stress.
5
Also, influence whether you are overweight by as little as 25% or as much as 80%.

Furthermore, signs that genes could be connected to your natural weight include:

1
Having one or both overweight parents
2
Having a hard time losing weight even with strict dieting and exercise.

For example, starving yourself puts your body into starvation mode. As a result, the body slows down its metabolic rate and weight loss even more. Moreover, starving can leave you feeling fatigued, cranky from a lack of food, and frustrated about your physical appearance.

However, you are not completely at the mercy of your genes. So, instead of going on a crash diet, focus on:

1
First, increase the nutrition quality of the foods you eat.
2
Next, take steps to increase the duration and intensity of your workout regimen.
3
Also, take steps to reduce your stress
4
In addition, get enough sleep
5
Lastly, instead of being obsessed with cutting calories, try cutting out (or at least cutting down on) refined foods and foods with empty calories like many packaged foods.

Takeaway

In conclusion, don’t blame your genes for being overweight. Instead, be proactive and practice a lifestyle consisting of a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, managing your stress, and most of all regular exercise.

Excess Belly Fat Removal: Ways for Overfat Adults to Be Healthy

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

Excess Belly Fat Removal: Ways for Overfat Adults to be Healthy

It has been reported that 91 percent of American adults are overfat. Overfat has been defined as having excess body fat that is sufficient to impair cardiometabolic or physical health. This problem mostly occurs in overweight and obese adults. In addition, the overfat condition is often due to excess abdominal fat. This excess abdominal fat called visceral fat, is the most dangerous kind because it can wrap around major organs, including your liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Consequently, these adults need to become familiar with excess belly fat removal methods to regain their health.

There are basically four areas overfat adults need to focus on for excess belly fat removal. They include:

Exercise
Diet
Sleep
Stress

Exercise for Excess Belly Fat Removal

This one method not only helps you burn visceral belly fat, but also helps with your sleep, and your stress.

In fact, 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week is a good start. For example, walking briskly enough to work up a sweat and harder breathing will cause your heart to beat faster than usual. But, if you want to speed up your workout, do 20 minutes of vigorous exercise like jogging or brisk walking 4 days a week.

Moreover, if you can’t jog you can walk on an inclining treadmill. Or you can do vigorous workouts on stationary bikes, ellipticals, or rowing machines.

Furthermore, you don’t have to walk or run to burn visceral fat. In fact, even raking leaves, walking, gardening, going to Zumba are all helpful.

Now, if time is an issue, instead of focusing on workouts like crunches, think of ways you can get in a workout during your daily activities. For example, using a staircase instead of a going up or down in an elevator.

Incidentally, moderate activities that raise your heart rate for 30 minutes at least three times a week, slow down how much visceral fat you gain. But to burn visceral fat, your workouts need to be stepped up in intensity.

In fact, research shows that a few quick bursts of high-intensity exercise — such as a 30-second sprint or intense pullup set — may be more effective, and easier to fit into your schedule. Incidentally, you can add bursts of higher intensity to any workout. Just speed up or work harder for a brief time, then drop back to a more mellow pace, and repeat.

Strength Training and Cardio

In one study, healthy middle-aged men who did 20 minutes of daily weight training gained less abdominal fat than men who spent the same time doing aerobic exercises, such as biking. Strength training is also good for women. You still need to do some cardio, but make sure to include strength training in your workouts.

Finally, remember to keep moving and stay active.

Diet for Excess Belly Fat Removal

Eat Soluble Fiber

In fact, Hairston’s research showed that people who eat 10 grams of soluble fiber per day build up less visceral fat than those who didn’t. For example, eat two small apples or a cup of green peas or half a cup of pinto beans.

More examples of soluble fiber include:

fruits
vegetables
legumes
oats
barley

Eat high protein foods like:

meat
fish
eggs
dairy
whey protein
beans

Eat fatty fish

Also, try to eat 2–3 servings of fatty fish per week. Fatty fish like:

salmon
herring
sardines
mackerel
anchovies

Avoid sugary foods and drinks

soda
punch
sweet tea
alcohol mixers containing sugar

Also avoid refined sugar that can lead to belly fat gain. Even natural sugars, such as real honey, should be used in moderation.

Instead, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, and beans are all good for keeping away the visceral fat that stays deep in your belly.

In addition, limit the “saturated” kind of fats that’s in animal foods, coconut and palm oils, as well as full-fat dairy. Instead, look for fats that are better for you, like those from plant foods or fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel that are rich in omega-3s.

Finally, cut back on carbs and alcohol.

Sleep

Studies show that getting 6 to 7 hours of sleep per night you gain less visceral fat over 5 years than those who slept 5 or fewer hours per night or 8 or more hours per night. This is because if you don’t get enough sleep, molecular changes occur at the tissue level. In particular, the adipose tissue attempts to increase its capacity to store fat. Which, in turn, results in weight gain.

Stress

When you are under stress your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. As a result, you tend to eat more sugary and fatty foods. Which, in turn, adds to belly fat.

Also, stress can make to sleep less, exercise less, and drink more alcohol. Regrettably, these activities increase belly fat.

So, to avoid these consequences, use stress relief methods like meditation, working out, listening to soothing music, among others.

Home Workout Mistakes: Don’t Make these to Lose Belly Fat

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

Home Workout Mistakes: Don’t Make these to Lose Belly Fat

Working out is a great way to lose belly fat. However, to ensure you lose belly fat don’t make home workout mistakes such as those described in this post.

Doing easy workouts

To burn belly fat, your workouts should make you breathe hard. And the only way to do that is to do your workouts with high intensity. In fact, a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, reported that people who completed a high-intensity workout regimen lost more belly fat than those with a low-intensity regimen. In fact, the low-intensity exercisers experienced no significant changes at all. Incidentally, high intensity workouts mean you’re going all out for as long as you can to burn more calories in less time.

Working out excessively

As much as exercise is good for you, going overboard and doing too much is detrimental to your body.

For example, too much exercise can increase stress on the central nervous system. Which, in turn, causes cortisol levels to rise. And this results in weight gain, mostly around your waist.

That’s why it’s important to take adequate rest time and mix up your workouts.

Sticking to the same workout

One of the home workout mistakes is sticking to the same workout. While sticking to the same workout might be easier for you, it may hinder your goal of losing belly fat. This is because even though you are getting your workout in, the workout may not helping you lose belly fat. And you can find out by measuring your weight and belly fat.

Not taking the time to rest

A typical mistake is not taking the time to rest and recover. This is because rest is essential for muscle growth.

Strength training creates microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. Cells called fibroblasts repair these tears. This helps the tissue heal and grow, resulting in stronger muscles. But your body can only do this when its resting.

Next, moderate- to high-intensity workouts rely on the glycolysis energy pathway, which uses carbohydrates to fuel muscle activity. Feeling sluggish or drained at the end of a workout means your glycogen levels are depleted. If they get too low, your body could catabolize protein for fuel instead of using it to repair muscle tissue. Resting helps your body replace energy stores in your muscle cells.

Doing the wrong workouts

You may think jogging, running or even spinning 4 or 5 times a week is going to help you get rid of belly fat. While, they are good for your heart, cardio workouts like running or spinning won’t do much to your belly fat.

To make any progress on your belly fat, its best to combine cardio workouts like spinning with weight and strength training.

In fact, strength training increases muscle mass. And the more muscle mass you develop the more fat your body burns even when you are not working out. This is because muscles burn more calories than fat. Also, muscles burn more calories throughout the day and not just when you are working out.

However, using just light weights, even if with high reps, isn’t enough to burn belly fat. Use heavier weights with sufficient reps and add speed into the equation. That is, instead of just doing 20 reps with any weight, do those 20 reps with high intensity by doing them as quickly as you can. In fact, the quicker the better for reducing your belly fat.

In general, to really burn belly fat, do high-intensity workouts for short periods of time. By the way, you can do burst of high-intensity workouts while jogging, spinning, or even strength training.

Furthermore, trainers recommend doing functional exercises that use muscles in your core — abdominals, back, pelvic, obliques — as well as other parts of your body. These exercises use more muscles, so there is a higher rate of calorie burn while you are doing them.

Finally, planks are great because they activate not just your core muscles but also your arm, leg and butt muscles.

Having unrealistic expectations

A frequent problem is for a newcomer to have unrealistic expectations on how fast they can see results. This is especially if you are younger and if this is the first time you are on this path. The reality is it take time for your body to lose belly fat. So, once you accept that fact, you are more likely to succeed in achieving your goal.

Not moving enough

If you are serious about reducing belly fat, just working out once a day is, unfortunately, not enough. This is especially true if you have a sedentary lifestyle. To really want to make a dent at reducing belly fat, requires you to stay active throughout the day. So, if you have a job that requires you to sit, you should get up as often as you can or able to. For example, if you have to use an elevator, use the stairs instead. Or, instead of parking your car near the entrance, park it as far away as possible and walk to the entrance. Be creative and see what things you can do that requires you to get up for short periods of time throughout the day.

Incidentally, if you are sitting or slouching for significant periods of time during a day, you are likely to accumulate fat in the abdominal area.

Not getting enough sleep

Next, one of the last home workout mistakes is not getting enough sleep. This lack of sleep causes your cortisol levels to go up. As a result, blood sugar levels go up. Which, in turn, adds to belly fat.

In fact, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (‌PNAS)‌, insufficient sleep alone increases risk of obesity. Sacrificing sleep (even for the sake of a workout) impairs glucose metabolism, which can lead to higher blood sugar levels — a major contributor to belly fat.

Not to mention, lack of sleep also affects the hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin which drive sugar and carb cravings. So, in combination with the impaired glucose metabolism, you get a vicious cycle that feeds belly fat accumulation.

Not monitoring your workouts

Finally, if you are working out at home, it is important to track their effects on your body. There are several ways to track the effects of your workouts. So choose one that's convenient to you.

Hormonal Belly Fat: Why its Hard to Lose

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

Hormonal Belly Fat: Why its Hard to Lose

Are you trying to lose belly fat? But, find yourself not making much progress? Well, there may be reasons that make your goal, of losing belly fat, difficult to achieve. One such reason is that you may have a hormonal belly fat. This post provides insight into how your hormones may be making your goal of losing belly fat a challenge.

Hormones

So, what exactly are hormones? Well, hormones are chemical messengers. In fact, they travel in your bloodstream to your organs and tissues. However, they work slowly over time to affect processes like:

Growth and development
Metabolism – which is how the body gets energy from food
Sexual functions
Reproduction
Mood

Now, while some fatty tissue in the body simply lies dormant, belly fat is an “active” fat. In fact, belly fat releases hormones that impact your health. For instance, belly fat releases a hormone called Leptin. And Leptin targets nerve cells in the brain, specifically the hypothalamus, to trigger a feeling of fullness. By the way, studies show that Leptin levels in the body correlate to the amount of fat stored in the body. As a result, belly fat is hard to lose, especially for someone over 40. Indeed, your hormones and belly fat affect each other.

Incidentally, everyone has hormones. However, if your hormones are out of balance, they could lead to excess stomach fat, which in this case is known as hormonal belly fat.

Adrenal Glands

Adrenal glands produce hormones that help the body regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to stress, as well as other essential functions. However, poorly functioning or overworked adrenal glands can cause fatigue, poor stress response, and poor mood regulation.

Specifically, any kind of stress causes the hypothalamus to produce corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Which, in turn, stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH). ACTH then stimulates the adrenal glands to make and release cortisol hormones into the blood.

Regrettably, cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugar (glucose) levels in the bloodstream. However, if you have high blood sugar there is a good chance that you have a hard time removing the fat around the waist, also known as, hormonal belly fat.

Genetics

Meanwhile some of us are genetically inclined to have more belly fat. So, no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to help reduce belly fat.

Now, everyone has two types of fat cells. One type of fat cell is known as alpha and the other type is known as beta. However, these fat cells react differently to lipolysis. For example, alpha fat cells respond better and accelerate the process to lose fat. On the other hand, beta fat cells don’t respond as well, thereby making it harder to lose fat.

Furthermore, different parts of the body have different amounts of alpha and beta fat cells. So, some parts of the body have larger amounts of alpha fat cells than the beta fat cells. While other parts of the body have larger amounts of beta fat cells than alpha fat cells. Consequently, areas of the body with more beta fat cells have difficulty shedding excess fat.

So, when you are trying to lose fat, you may see the results easily in your legs, face, and arms because these areas of your body have more alpha fat cells. Meanwhile, your hips, thighs, and belly with more beta fat cells, have a harder time losing excess fat.

Body Shape

Studies suggest that your genes may determine up to 80 percent of your weight and body shape. There are, in general, five main body type shapes: rectangle, inverted triangle, hourglass, apple, and pear.

If you tend to pack the pounds around your middle rather than your hips and thighs, then you have an apple shaped body. People who are 'apple-shaped' carry more weight around their vital organs than those with pear-shaped body. On the other hand, people with pear-shaped body carry weight around their hips and thighs. And this genetic predisposition means ridding yourself of belly fat is harder for people with apple-shaped body.

By the way, a study conducted at North Carolina State University in 2005 showed a little more than 20 percent of women had a pear-shaped body, while 14% had an apple-shaped body.

Incidentally, previous observational studies showed a correlation between having an apple-shaped body and a higher risk of heart problems.

In addition, numerous research studies have found that greater fat distribution around the midsection — an apple-shaped body type — may be linked with a higher risk of chronic disease and poor health outcomes.

Metabolic Rate

In general, women have a lower metabolic rate than men. As a result, women use fewer calories to fuel normal body functions, and store the leftover calories as fat.

So, if you have a slow metabolism and want to lose belly fat, the first priority is cut back on calorie consumption.

Here are some common signs of a slow metabolism:

You may feel exhausted all the time even after a good night's sleep.
You may get continuous headaches.
Weight gain.

Slow metabolism burns fewer calories, which means more get stored as fat in the body. This is one reason why some people have difficulty losing weight. On the other hand, a fast metabolism burns calories at a quicker rate, which explains why some people can eat a lot and not gain extra pounds.

How to Know You have Hormonal Belly Fat

Women in menopause, with low estrogen hormone levels are susceptible to obesity.
For men, if your testosterone hormone levels go up, leptin levels fall. Now leptin targets the hypothalamus to trigger a feeling of fullness. So, when leptin levels fall it makes you feel you are not full and so you end up eating more. Which can lead to obesity.
If you are constantly under stress, your cortisol levels stay high for extended periods of time. But, these high levels mean high blood sugar levels, which over time leads to belly fat.
If you aren’t getting enough sleep for long periods of time, your cortisol levels stay high. Also, this lack of sleep has a negative impact on leptin (which tells your brain to stop eating) and ghrelin (which increases your appetite). Consequently, you are likely to get obese.
Finally, you are constantly craving for sugar. This may be because you have developed leptin resistance, where your brain ignores “belly full” messages being sent by leptin. Which also leads to belly fat.

Middle Aged Belly Fat: Why its Hard to Lose

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

Middle Aged Belly Fat: Why its Hard to Lose

If you are 40 to 60 years old, you are considered, to be middle aged. Being middle aged brings about its own set of challenges. Challenges such as being overweight or having middle aged belly fat. Meanwhile, 45 to 55 years old women are faced with menopausal belly fat. This post describes some of the reasons for these conditions. And being due to natural biological causes, they require dedicated effort to deal with them.

Effects of Hormonal Changes to Middle Aged Belly Fat

Insulin Resistance Effects on Belly Fat

Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. This hormone helps glucose in your blood enter cells in your muscles, fat, and liver. Once glucose enters these cells it is used as a source of energy.

However, as you get older, your body becomes more insulin resistant. As a result, cells in your muscles, fat, and liver can’t easily absorb glucose from your blood. Consequently, you are more prone to store the unabsorbed glucose as belly fat.

Leptin

In addition, studies show the hormone leptin - which signals to your brain that you are full and don’t need to eat more - decreases as you age. And the decreasing leptin levels tells your brain you are hungrier, more frequently. Which causes you to eat more calories than you're burning, or need. As a result, your belly fat accumulates faster than fat in other parts of your body.

Oestrogen

Also, as women age, they find it much harder to lose belly fat than men. This is mainly due to a decrease in the hormone Oestrogen. In fact, a rapid drop in Oestrogen, as occurs at menopause, has been shown to impact fat distribution. As a result, fat is more likely to accumulate around the belly area than the hips and thighs.

Testosterone

Meanwhile, as you age, testosterone levels also start to drop, but at a slower rate. As a result, women start to hold on to weight in their bellies.

Incidentally, testosterone levels in men begins to drop around age 40. As a result, men experience loss of lean muscle mass, lower bone mass, increased fat mass around the abdominal area, along with other consequence.

Effects of Other Changes to Middle Aged Belly Fat

Metabolic Rate

As you get older, your body changes how it gains and loses weight. Both men and women experience a declining metabolic rate, or the number of calories the body needs to function normally. As a result, you burn fewer calories, which means more get stored as fat in the body and you start putting on weight. In addition, if you tend to store fat around your belly, you will end up having excess belly fat.

Menopause

Lastly, women aged 45 to 55 have to deal with menopause. If women gain weight after menopause, it’s more likely to be in their bellies. In menopause, their ovaries production of the hormone estrogen slows down and eventually stops completely. As a result, there is a redistribution of where their body fat is stored. For example, more of the extra body fat gets stored around their abdomen and waist (sometimes known as menopausal belly fat) , instead of being stored in their hips and thighs.

Lose Belly Fat in Two Weeks

May 14, 2023May 14, 2023

Lose Belly Fat in Two Weeks

Let’s face a hard fact. It is probably impractical to lose belly fat in 2 weeks. It’s quite disappointing but before you leave the page to find the same information on some other, let me tell you a few important things. You cannot lose belly fat in two weeks DOES NOT mean you cannot lose it.

Following a diet is really hard. Isn’t it? The weight you lose will come back again once you stop.

Instead of following an impractical diet plan or crunching your bones in the gym, why not adopt a healthy lifestyle. This article is still focused on how to lose belly fat. You can make considerable changes in your diet and avoid a few things to achieve your desired goal. You can use LumaSlim to lose weight perfectly.

Keep reading!

Abs are built in the kitchen. How much we weigh, very much depends on what we eat.

Proteins

Human body burns more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs and fat. That’s why diets high in protein work great at burning your belly fat. You can add lean meat, fish, poultry and nuts such as almonds in your daily routine to take the whole benefit of this important nutrient to lose weight.

Vegetables and Fruits

Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and nutrients. They make us feel fuller and reduce our food cravings. They help a lot in bowel movements. Try to eat vegetables and fruits unprocessed most of the time. Canned food can have additives in them which can cause weight gain unknowingly.

Fats

Stay away from trans-fatty fats present in products like margarine. You can adopt olive oil or fish oil which is lot lighter and healthier. You can go for low fat versions of dairy products such as skimmed milk and cottage cheese to reduce extra fat from your body.

Carbs

Avoid potatoes, pasta, white bread, and rice. You can always adopt their unprocessed healthier versions such brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa. This way you can not only reduce fat but also keep fat at a distance in the future too.

Water

No article on weight loss would be complete without water being mentioned. Water helps to take away the toxins from the body. It increases the metabolism rate of your body which boosts fat loss from belly and other parts as well. Drink as much as you can as it contains zero calories.

Avoid Alcohol

Avoid using alcohol and smoking. Beer drinkers always have belly fat. Alcohol also stresses your liver which has to overwork to clear the toxins. This can get in the way of building muscles and reducing fat content from the body.

Avoid Junk Food

Exclude all junk food from your list of eatables. Pizzas, burgers, ice creams, cold drinks, they can be eaten for a change of taste but stop living on them. If you are able to do so, you can reduce thousands of extra calories from your diet that was to make you fat.

Avoid Sluggishness

Instead of couching and dreaming about getting slimmer, start walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling. Exercise increases your metabolic rate and burns extra fat. It should be an essential NOT TO BE MISSED point if you seriously want to lose belly fat or reduce weight overall.

Finally

You may not be able to reduce belly fat in TWO WEEKS but you can really jump start the process in this duration. Last, but not the least, stay motivated. Believe me it works by supporting all the other weight loss endeavors you are using.