Are you tired of the battle of the bulge?
You try all the “fad” diets, lose a few pounds, but the belly fat seems to be hanging on for dear life.
Maybe that doesn’t describe you; but that was my life a few years ago. No matter how hard I tried, the belly fat and the thigh fat had taken up permanent residence.
Frustration overwhelmed me and all I wanted to do was to sit down with a bag of chips and homemade salsa.
I know that our weight doesn’t define who we are, but we tend to have this weird relationship with our weight. We buy the new fancy digital scale and weigh ourselves to see how much weight we’ve lost this week.
To be honest, I believe man created the scale just to cause us emotional grief. I know our weight is important, but the scale can become an addiction.
My advice – ditch the scale. Please, do it today.
I have been free from scale addiction for the past few years and it’s liberating.
When meeting with busy overwhelmed women to discuss their health goals, it becomes evident how scale addiction is driving their mindset. Breaking this addiction can be challenging, but just like these women, you can do it.
Rather than focus on how much you weigh, focus on the size of your waist.
Size matters and the size of your waist will indicate how toxic your body is.
How do I know?
Because your liver stores excess toxins in your waist.
So, let’s look at your waist and find out if you’re toxic and what you can do about it.
The Belly Fat Syndrome
Shape matters.
Your body will store fat in various ways, but most people will either be shaped like an “Apple” or a “Pear”.
I was always pear shaped. Rounder around the hips and thighs. In fact, my nickname was “thunder thighs” – not a name to be proud of.
An apple shape is rounder in the middle – the belly that overhangs your waistband shape.
Either shape screams “belly fat” and health problems.
Are you struggling with sleep apnea, blood sugar issues (e.g. insulin resistance and diabetes) and/or heart issues (high blood pressure, blood fat, and arterial diseases)?
Then you’re probably shaped like an apple.
The reason you may be struggling with those health issues is due to the fat inside the abdomen covering the liver, intestines and other organs.
This internal fat is called “visceral fat” and that’s where a lot of health problems come from.
The reason the visceral fat can be a health issue is because it releases fatty acids, inflammatory compounds, and hormones that can negatively affect your blood fats, blood sugars, and blood pressure.
Apple-shaped people tend to have a lot more of this hidden visceral fat than the pear-shaped people do.
So, as you can see, where your fat is stored is more important than how much you weigh.
Are You an apple or a pear?
It’s pretty simple to find out if you’re in the higher risk category or not. The easiest way is to just measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape. You can do it right now.
Women, if your waist is 35” or more you could be considered to have “abdominal obesity” and be in the higher risk category. Pregnant ladies are exempt, of course.
For men the number is 40”.
Of course this isn’t a diagnostic tool. There are lots of risk factors for chronic diseases. Waist circumference is just one of them.
If you have concerns definitely see your doctor.
Your goal is to work toward a healthier waist size. I know, you’ve tried more diets than you can name without permanent results. There’s a reason for stubborn belly fat and this is where I help clients find success. Contact me today to start conquering your belly fat.
In the meantime, here’s some tips for helping you to reduce your belly fat….
Eat More Fiber
Fiber can help reduce belly fat in a few ways.
First of all it helps you feel full and also helps to reduce the amount of calories you absorb from your food. Some examples of high-fiber foods are Brussels sprouts, flax and Chia seeds, avocado, and blackberries.
Add More Protein to Your Day
Protein reduces your appetite and makes you feel fuller longer. It also has a high TEF (thermic effect of food) compared with fats and carbs and ensures you have enough of the amino acid building blocks for your muscles.
Nix Added Sugars
This means ditch the processed sweetened foods especially those sweet drinks (even 100% pure juice).
Move More
Get some aerobic exercise. Lift some weights. Walk and take the stairs. It all adds up.
Stress Less
Seriously!
Elevated levels in the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase appetite and drive abdominal fat.
Get More Sleep
Try making this a priority and seeing how much better you feel (and look).
Let’s attack the battle of the bulge with some high fiber nutritious food. Brussels Sprouts are high in fiber and easy to prepare. Here’s a delicious recipe to try this week.
Garlic Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts (washed, ends removed, halved)
- 2 - 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Dash salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- In a bowl toss sprouts with garlic, oil, and lemon juice. Spread on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for about 15 minutes; then shake pan to toss Brussels Sprouts.
- Bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy
- Tip: Brussels sprouts contain the fat-soluble bone-loving vitamin K. You may want to eat them more often.
References:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/research-abdominal-fat-and-risk
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/visceral-fat-location
http://www.drsharma.ca/inspiring-my-interest-in-visceral-fat
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-definition/abdominal-obesity/
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/qa-qr-pub-eng.php#a4
https://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-ways-to-lose-belly-fat/
https://authoritynutrition.com/20-tips-to-lose-belly-fat/
Cover Photo by patricia serna on Unsplash
Recipe Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash