What foods reduce belly fat?

 

  Foods and belly fat

 

• In part it is due to your genetics. However, it can be helped. Eliminate or cut right down on refined carbohydrates. Eat an appropriate amount of calories for weight loss, watch what you eat and exercise to burn calories. Tone, tighten and strengthen the muscles of the stomach only after you have lost the belly fat.

 

• Eating a diet like the South Beach Diet that is lower fat, lower carbohydrate and monitoring calories plus aerobic exercise can help get rid of belly fat.

 

• Refined (processed) carbohydrate is a major cause of fat accumulating around the abdomen (and insulin resistance in general). For more information about how to deal with it, see the page link, further down this page, listed under "Related Questions."

Can I lose belly fat or have a flat belly by starving and not exercising?

 

No, you cannot get a flat stomach by starving yourself. Semi-fasting long term can mess up your metabolism and cause all sorts of health issues. The longer you go, the more problems, sometimes not reversible, will occur. Your belly is likely to balloon out in the final stages of starvation and the internal organs start to shut down.

A well balance diet and sensible exercise will do it. However, you must remember, you did not gain that weight in a day, or a week or even a month. It can take as long to lose it as it did to gain it. Think long-term health, not short term looks.

Instead of starving yourself start eating healthier. Eat smaller meals, eat more meals a day, eat more vegetables and fruit, drink more water, less sugars and empty calories (less soft drinks, cakes, cookies). Switch to whole-wheat versions of your bread and pasta, brown rice instead of white rice.

Losing or maintaining an ideal weight is not a difficult task if you follow a healthy lifestyle including low GI eating, regular aerobic exercise and suitable supplements. Whatever you do, do not starve yourself. Talk to a doctor or a family member. You need to lose body fat if your BMI is over 25. Excess body fat, or obesity, will affect not only your appearance but also your health and can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and more.

Nutrition is important. In the pursuit of a flatter stomach, many people diet or starve themselves. Little do they know that by starving themselves, they are slowing down their metabolism and forcing their body to go into starvation mode as a defence mechanism.

How to get rid of belly fat?

 

• Many people believe that exercises that target your abs will help you to get rid of belly fat. However, most experts and fitness trainers agree that there is no way to lose fat from one area of your body. Ab exercises will make the muscles under your fat stronger, but not get rid of the fat. Then you will look worse because you will be left with bigger muscles under layers of fat. You first need to get rid of the fat first before doing exercises.

 

• You can lose body fat and build firm muscles through cardio and weight training. However, there is no short cut to losing body fat; you must exercise and you must change your eating habits. Cardio, weight training, and a low carbohydrate diet, will speed up metabolism and enable you to lose body fat and keep it off.

 

• Practicing Yoga may be of benefit in losing weight in the abdominal region and there are specified poses that aim to remove the superfluous weight from the stomach region. Linked to a customized healthy diet, individuals attempting loss of weight in the abdominal area are likely to get solutions by practicing yoga. Sun salutations are a coordinated sequence of positions that precedes the actual asanas or a fully fledged yoga session. Due to the nature of the Sun salutation movements you are likely to notice a noticeable loss of weight after daily performance in a few days. Sun salutations also help to tone and build abdominal muscles. Other forms of yoga exercises useful in shedding weight from the stomach include the bow pose, the peacock pose and abdominal lifts. Do not attempt to do any of these poses if you happen to be under any form of ailment; also check with your doctor if you can go ahead with the exercises.

Guide To Body Fat (Adipose Tissue)

 

Body Fat Explained

What Is The Purpose Of Storing Body Fat?

Storage of fat on the body is a critical defence mechanism. Remember, the human body has not changed essentially since the Stone Age. At that time starvation and famine were ever-present dangers to survival, while over-consumption and obesity were unheard of. To enable Stone Age humans to survive periods of food scarcity, the human body was designed to store energy which could then be drawn upon in times of famine. Thus for example, people could overeat during the hunting season, or when food was plentiful, and the surplus would be stored as fat tissue (adipose tissue). And when food was short, the body would burn the deposite fat as energy. Of course Stone Age life and body chemistry was/is much more complicated than this simple explanation suggests, but it suffices to explain why we have a built-in fat storage facility.

How Are Carbs, Protein And Fat Absorbed And Stored?

The human body needs energy to power muscles and to fuel the millions of chemical and biological reactions which take place throughout our system every day. This energy comes from the food we consume in our diet. Food consists mainly of water and three types of nutrient – protein, dietary fats and carbohydrate – which are found in varying proportions in most foods. These nutrients are broken down, digested and absorbed by the body in the gastrointestinal tract, running from the mouth to the anus. Each of these macronutrients is processed and absorbed by the digestive system in different ways.

How Are Surplus Carbs Used And Stored?

Carbohydrate is the major source of energy for the body. This is because, of all nutrients, it converts most readily to glucose which is the body’s preferred fuel. When we eat carbohydrate, it is converted to glucose in the digestive tract and distributed via the liver to cells throughout the body for use as energy. Once our immediate energy needs are satisfied, the remaining carb glucose is handled in one of two ways. Either it is converted to liquid glycogen (a temporary source of readily available energy) and stored in the liver or muscles. Or, it is converted into fatty acids by the liver and stored in adipose cells (fat-cells) around the body.

How Is Surplus Protein Used And Stored?

Protein is broken down into amino acids in the stomach and small intestine, then distributed via the liver to cells throughout the body for a variety of uses included cell formation and repair. Some surplus protein amino acids are kept circulating in the bloodstream, the remainder is either converted into a type of simple sugar and used as energy, or (like carbohydrate) is converted to fatty acid and stored in adipose cells.

How Is Surplus Dietary Fat Used And Stored?

Dietary fat is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol by the stomach and small intestine. It is then distributed (in the form of triglycerides) via the lymphatic system and bloodstream to the cells for a variety of specialized uses or, in the absence of sufficient carbs, for energy. However, since dietary fat cannot be converted into protein and only about 5 percent (the glycerol part) is convertible into glucose, and because dietary fat is not the body’s preferred choice of fuel, a significant amount ends up being stored as body fat in the adipose tissue.

Conversion Of Body Fat To Energy

If energy is required suddenly, the body first uses up its glycogen reserves. After this, it converts the body fat in the adipose cells into energy by a catabolic process called lipolysis. During lipolysis, triglycerides within the adipose cells are acted upon by a complex enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). This converts the triglyceride into fatty acids and glycerol. The fatty acids are then transported via the bloodstream to tissues for use as energy, or (along with the glycerol) taken to the liver for further processing.

Adipose Tissue

Adipose cells which make up adipose tissue are specialized cells which contain and can synthesize globules of fat. This fat either comes from the dietary fat we eat or is made by the body from surplus carbohydrate or protein in our diet. Adipose tissue is mainly located just under the skin, although adipose deposits are also found between the muscles, in the abdomen, and around the heart and other organs. The location of fat deposits is largely determined by genetic inheritance. Thus it is not possible to affect where we store fat. Nor is it possible to influence from which area the body burns fat for energy purposes.

Why Do We Get Fat?

Most of us develop body fat because we eat more calories than we burn in exercise. Given a culture which emphasises "value for money food portions" and "super-sizing", along with an steady increase in serving size, an upsurge of new tasty high-calorie foods and energy drinks, such over-consumption is perhaps only to be expected. Lack of exercise is also a major contributory factor. However, overeating and lack of fitness is not the whole story.

Why Are So Many People Obese?

The prevalence and incidence of obesity (the disease of excess body fat) has risen considerably over the past 25 years, both in the developed and undeveloped world. Why is this? We don’t know for sure. Despite extensive research into the causes and predictors of obesity, they remain unquantified. In other words, although we know that (eg) excessive calorie intake, lack of exercise, metabolic disorders and genetic inheritance all impact on the incidence and symptoms of obesity, experts still don’t know the relative contribution of these causal factors. The only thing that most experts agree on, is that the recent upsurge in obesity cannot be attributed in any major way to the influence of genes, since genetic changes typically take millennia to appear, not two decades. Even so, the connections between type 2 diabetes, raised blood fats, obesity and insulin insensitivity – a cluster of symptoms which form the condition known as insulin resistance syndrome – is evidence of a progressive deterioration in the body’s metabolic efficiency, which may be a growing underlying factor in the development of excess body fat among many people.

How Do You Reduce A Fat Belly?

 

Is a Fat Stomach Unhealthy?

Yes. For people with a BMI of 34 or less, a fat belly is regarded as an additional health risk. Fatty tissue which is stored around the stomach and abdomen (sometimes called intra-abdominal, or visceral fat) carries a greater health risk than fat located in the lower body around the butt and thighs. Some health studies show that abdominal fat leads to raised blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome X) and heart disease. Because of this, some experts believe that waist circumference and fat-distribution is more important than your actual weight in predicting future health risks.

 

What Causes a Fat Belly?

Where we store fat (surplus calories) is largely a combination of gender, age and genetic inheritance. Men tend to store fat around their middle (apple shape), whereas women typically store fat around the pelvic region, hips, butt and thighs (pear shape). However, women are prone to develop an apple shape in mid-life, after menopause. This is because the female hormones are present in smaller amounts and so their shape tends to become more ‘male’.

NOTE: To understand how surplus food calories from carbohydrate, fat or protein are converted to body fat and stored in adipose tissue cells, see How We Gain Body Fat (Adipose Tissue)

Stress and Stomach Fat

Some health studies show that abdominal fat can develop as a result of stress. This is because the hormone cortisol is released during stress, and a high level of cortisol in the body appears to stimulate the storage of fat around the belly and abdomen. Researchers at Yale University studied 60 women and found that the more stress they were under, the more fat they stored around their stomachs. So it appears that a fat belly is most likely to develop in stressed men of any age, and older stressed women.

How to Prevent a Fat Belly?

If you are prone to store fat around your middle, the healthiest solution is to maintain a normal weight. By matching your calorie intake to your calorie needs and prevent weight gain, you will prevent the development of any excess fat.

How to Reduce a Fat Stomach?

However, if you already have a fat belly, the best option is to follow a healthy weight loss diet, combined with fitness exercises such as aerobics (to burn extra calories) and a stomach-toning workout to help tighten and strengthen abdominal muscles. That said, reducing a fat stomach takes time – especially if you are an apple-shape. Despite what commercials say, there is no diet-plan or type of exercise that can "target" your fat stomach. So please don’t get impatient. Your fat belly will disappear, I promise.

Creatine Supplement

Creatine is an amino acid. It is normally produced in the body from arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine plays a vital role in cellular energy production as creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine) in regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in skeletal muscle. Without ATP, muscle contraction is not possible. Oral administration of creatine increases muscle stores and may increase muscle strength and improve exercise performance. In the diet, creatine is found in meat and fish – although cooking destroys most of it.

Claims:

1. Increased energy

2. Enhances muscle size and strength

3. Increased power output

Theory:

Most of the creatine in the diet comes from meat (an 8-ounce steak might have a gram), but about half of the body’s supply is manufactured in the liver and kidneys. On average, your muscles require about 2 grams of creatine a day (somewhat more for muscular people, a bit less for skinny folks), but more or less depending on your activity level and degree of muscle mass.

Creatine is stored in muscle cells as phosphocreatine and is used to help generate cellular energy for muscle contractions. It also may increase the amount of water that each muscle cell holds – thus increasing the size of the muscle (and possibly its function as well). Creatine is used in the body to produce creatine phosphate or CP, which can be thought of as a storage form of quick energy. The function of CP is to regenerate the primary supply of cellular energy – which comes from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP supplies energy for all cells in your body. Upon giving up some of its energy, ATP becomes ADP (diphosphate) and needs to be regenerated back to ATP to do it all over again. CP performs this crucial ATP regeneration step by donating a phosphate group to ADP.

Under conditions where rapid resynthesis of ATP is important – such as during repeated bouts of high intensity exercise – a higher muscle concentration of CP may serve as a reservoir of stored energy and, therefore, enhance performance. Although it has not been studied extensively, there may also be a role for creatine in maintaining muscle mass and preventing the muscle wasting that occurs as a result of old age and in chronic conditions such as AIDS and heart failure.

Safety:

Because of its effects on muscle strength and size, creatine is often confused with anabolic steroids. Steroids, which mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone, can result in a wide variety of adverse side effects such as acne, hair loss, testicular shrinkage and psychological problems. Although the long-term effects of prolonged creatine use has not been examined, no obvious adverse effects have been linked to use of creatine as a dietary supplement. Side effects reported anecdotally include gastrointestinal distress, nausea, dehydration and muscle cramping – but none of these effects have been documented in scientific studies. Although no serious side effects have been scientifically verified in subjects using relatively brief (less than 4 weeks) creatine regimens, there are anecdotal reports of muscle cramping associated with the creatine supplements. Some athletes have reported muscle cramps, muscle tears and dehydration. A cautionary note is also advised, for people with kidney disorders and for those at risk for dehydration (such as exercise in extreme heat or during cutting weight for wrestling or lightweight crew).

Detox Diet

 

A detox diet is a type of diet in which the eating habits of an individual are changed in order to detoxify the body. This is done by getting rid excess of bacteria and germs. Proponents of this diet claim that it can improve your health, immune system, and it is also believed to play an important role in weight loss.

There are a variety of different methods which are used to detoxify the body. Some people fast for certain periods of time. This may include juice fasting or water fasting. Others choose to increase their consumption of fish, especially salmon. Some people choose to restrict the amount of calories they take in on a daily basis.

When using a detox diet, it is recommended that vegetables and fruts constitute the majority of food eaten by the patient on a daily basis. Processed foods are usually rejected, and only natural foods are eaten. Reducing the amount of alcohol consumed or not drinking it at all is highly encouraged. It is also encouraged that the person using this diet drinks large amounts of water, as this will help keep their appetite under control.

Many people who choose to use a detox diet see it as being a way of life, and incorporate the practices of this diet in their everyday eating habits. This diet has gathered a large following, as many people are tired of fast foods and foods which are processed. Many feel that processed foods play an important role in the obesity and heart disease seen in society.

At the same time, there are some criticisms to the detox diet. Critics have stated that the liver, lungs, and other parts of the body are designed to remove toxins from the body, and because of this following a detox diet is unnecessary. In fact, it has been suggested that fruits may have more natural toxins than fish or meat, and this could add toxins to the body instead of reducing them. Some also mention that some forms of fish are rich in mercury, and this could be dangerous to people on a detox diet.

Some feel that using a detox diet for weight loss could be dangerous because it could lead to a decline in nutrients within the body, and this is especially true for those who choose to use water fasting to detoxify their bodies. Though testimonials have been made promoting the benefits of a detox diet, these people may have started the diet after completing an undesirable diet rich in sugar. These testimonials may only show that the detox diet is better than average diets, and may have its own health side effects.

South Beach Diet

 

In the first phase of the South Beach diet, which lasts two weeks, you eat normal-sized helpings of lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and shellfish. Vegetables are also allowed, as are nuts, cheese, and eggs. A salad with real olive oil dressing is fine. Coffee and tea are OK, and lots and lots of water is required.

Forbidden in those first 14 days, however, are fruit, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, or baked goods. No sugar, ice cream, cookies, or cake. And no alcoholic drinks of any kind (wine, fruit and whole-grain breads may be added back to the diet in subsequent phases).

A typical South Beach diet breakfast is two eggs and lean bacon. Lunch is salad greens with grilled chicken. A small amount of dry-roasted nuts makes up an afternoon snack. Dinner is lean meat again with fiber-rich vegetables. Cheese and low-fat yogurt are allowed, as is sugar-free gelatin for dessert.

According to Agatston, at the end of two weeks, most South Beach dieters are eight to 14 pounds lighter. He says the weight loss doesn’t happen because you’re eating less, but rather because eliminating simple carbohydrates has broken a bad eating cycle. As a result, you’ll continue to lose weight after the initial two-week period ends.

It’s a well-established fact that rapid weight loss can be achieved when your body does not have carbohydrates to digest. This state is called ketosis.

The second phase is similar to the first phase, but you’ll start to \reintroduce some of the banned foods. You can start eating high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole-grain breads, which raise your insulin levels in a much milder way that do simple, starchy carbs.

"We don’t want prolonged, severe weight loss," says Agatston. "You stay on the second phase only until you reach your goal weight."

The South Beach Diet is not low-carb. Nor is it low-fat. Instead, it teaches you to rely on the right carbs and the right fats–the good ones–so you lose weight, lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and get rid of cravings without feeling hungry.

In one 12-week study of 40 overweight people, those who followed the South Beach Diet lost an average of 13.6 lb, almost double the 7.5 lb lost by those on the strict "Step II" American Heart Association (AHA) diet. And the South Beach group showed greater decreases in waist-to-hip ratio (belly fat) and triglycerides, and their good to bad cholesterol ratio improved more. Plus, only one person dropped out compared with five in the AHA group.

By choosing the right carbs and the right fats, you simply won’t be hungry all the time, and portion sizes will take care of themselves.

Caution: If you have kidney problems, talk to your doctor before starting the South Beach diet. If you have diabetes, get tested to make sure that your kidneys are not impaired before starting this diet.

Heatlh Diet

 

Why should I try to have a healthy diet?

Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. Along with physical activity, your diet is the key factor that affects your weight. Having a healthy weight for your height is important. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.

You can find out if you’re overweight or obese by figuring out your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, whereas women with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. All adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability from being overweight or obese. These health risks increase as the BMI rises. Your health care provider can help you figure out your body mass.

Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to eat less healthy foods because they might be easier to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn’t hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lifestyle, and maybe you can have some fun in the process!

 

What are the most important steps to a healthy diet?

The basic steps to good nutrition come from a diet that:

1. Helps you either lose weight or keep your BMI in the "healthy" range.

2. Is balanced overall, with foods from all food groups, with lots of delicious fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

3. Is low in saturated fat,trans fat, and cholesterol. Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

4. Includes a variety of grains daily, especially whole-grains, a good source of fiber.

5. Includes a variety of fruits and vegetables (two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a 2,000 calorie diet).

6. Have a small number of calories from added sugars (like in candy, cookies, and cakes).

7. Has foods prepared with less sodium or salt (aim for no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, or about one teaspoon of salt per day).

8. Does not include more than one drink per day (two drinks per day for men) if you drink alcoholic beverages.

 

How can I follow a healthy diet if I eat out a lot?

1. Ask the server to make substitutions, like having steamed vegetables instead of fries.

2. Pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken.

3. Make sure your entrée is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of fried.

4. Ask for baked, boiled, or roasted potatoes instead of fried.

5. Order lots of vegetable side dishes and ask that any sauces or butter be left off.

6. Ask for low-calorie salad dressing or a lemon to squeeze on your salad instead of dressing.

7. Order fresh fruit or fruit sorbet in place of cake, pie, or ice cream desserts.

Dr. Atkins Diet

 

Phase 1:

14-Day "Maximum fat-Burning" Dr. Atkins Approved Ketone-Inducing Foods

The first 14 days of the Dr. Atkins New Personalized "Weight Loss For Life" System is a corrective diet to counterbalance your unbalanced metabolism.

 

During the first 14 days you will

1. Switch your body from a carbohydrate-burning to a fat-burning metabolism!

2. Stabilize your blood sugar (and stop associated symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, and weak spells).

3. Stop your cravings through not eating those "addictive" foods.

4. Break addictive eating habits to chocolate, wheat or corn derivatives, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, grain gluten, and other "allergic" or "addictive" foods.

5. Feel your metabolic advantage for yourself.

6. Be amazed by how much fat you can burn off while still eating the foods you love.

The induction diet and 14-Day "Maximum Fat-Burning" foods will also help serve you as part of your long-term Dr. Atkins diet program. If at any time you have broken your Dr. Atkins diet program, for any reason, you will simply return to the "Maximum Fat-Burning" phase for a quick "jump start" to your long-term health program.

The Rules of the "Maximum Fat-Burning" phase / 14-Day Rapid Fat Loss Foods:

1. 20 Grams of Carbs a day is your limit. With this intake of carbs, you can go into ketosis and begin burning your fat!

2. Eat until you are full, not stuffed. When you are not hungry, eat nothing or a small protein snack.

3. Stay only with approved foods. This is essential to your success! Don’t cheat with just a little sugar or chocolate, or any of the other "addictive" foods.

4. Stick with pure proteins, pure fats (butter, olive oil, mayonnaise, etc.), and combinations of protein and fat. No protein and carbs or fat and carbs!

5. Use a carbohydrate gram counter to make certain what the carb content is of the foods you are eating.

Breakfast Ideas

1. Ham, cheese and mushroom omelet

2. Bacon and scrambled eggs

3. Smoked fish with cream cheese

4. Poached eggs and trout

5. Salmon omelet

6. Fried eggs and sausage

7. Soft-boiled eggs with bacon

8. Deviled eggs with sardines

9. Shrimp omelet

10. Scrambled eggs with ham

11. Crabmeat omelet

12. Fried eggs with bacon

13. Medium-boiled eggs with sausages

Lunch Ideas

1. Chef salad with hard-boiled eggs

2. Bacon cheeseburger (no bun)

3. Half a chicken with salad

4. Sole with bed of greens

5. Tuna salad with bacon

6. Chicken salad with radicchio and arugula

7. Turkey breast with cucumber salad

8. Hamburger (no bun)

9. Chefs salad with sliced duck, chicken and turkey

10. Seafood salad on Romaine

11. Stir-fry with beef, celery, mushrooms and peppers

12. Lobster salad

13. Cottage cheese with tuna

Dinner Ideas

1. Rack of lamb

2. Poached salmon

3. Roast chicken

4. Filet mignon

5. Lobster tails

6. Seafood skewers

7. Lamb shish kabob

8. Shrimp cocktail

9. Steamed mussels

10. Roast beef

11. Grilled Tuna

12. Pork tenderloin

13. Venison burgers

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