Belly fat Is a bad type of fat because it contributes to diabetes and heart disease. It is found underneath the abdominal muscles and surrounds the liver, kidneys, spleen and pancreas. 

Sometimes it is referred to as visceral fat. It is different to the fat that is found under your skin, which is called subcutaneous fat.

Subcutaneous fat is released into the circulation whereby belly fat is released into the liver.  The liver releases high levels of triglycerides into the blood stream. 

This results in making the body resistant to insulin, and the onset of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

How To Get Rid Of Belly Fat

The best exercise most people think is to start jogging on a tread mill or lifting weights. 

There is something that is much more FASTER and time effective and that is interval training! There are many types of interval training that can be done. From circuit type exercises using your own body weight to sprinting on a track or up a hill. All will benefit belly fat loss in different amounts. 

One of the best things to do to burn belly fat and increase leg and abdomen muscle is cycling. There is less stress to the body as a whole and is the ideal exercise to start with. 

The use of an exercise bike is all you need. Once you are at a higher fitness level you may want to incorporate your exercise bike workouts with other varied types of interval as well.

Comparing interval training on a exercise bike to jogging you would need to run around 30 miles per week to burn belly fat and to keep it off. This in time is around 4 to 5 hours per week, depending on your pace. Compared to 90 minutes total time per week with interval training.

How Much Time Do You Need To Workout?

The great news is that you only need to work out for 3 times per week for 30 minutes.  This includes a 5 minutes warm up and 5 minutes cool down. So you really only need 30 minutes to do circuit exercises.  The great news it places less stress on your body and therefore there is less likely to be injured.  Many interval type exercises can be killer workouts and are not suitable if you are just starting to lose weight. 

Belly Fat and Health

Belly fat actually causes inflammation because it releases chemicals that can inflame the liver. They release fat to the liver, which becomes overloaded, and in turn the liver releases cholesterol and triglycerides to the blood stream. 

This can cause type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and heart disease. Belly fat has been linked to high blood pressure; sleep apnoea, bowel cancer, dementia, pancreatic cancer, gall bladder complaints, breast cancer, endometriosis, dementia, high cholesterol levels and colorectal cancer.

Causes Of Belly Fat

Diet is the first influence on belly fat. Processed food high in sugar and fat are a big factor. The other factors are not enough exercise, menopause, alcohol, hereditary influences, age, stress and lack of sleep. 

Ageing plays a part in belly fat. Becoming older sees a decrease in testosterone and oestogen. The metabolism slows as well, muscle mass and subcutaneous fat decreases with age. Muscles are a big burner of fat. Therefore the belly fat increases are due to a decrease in hormones and slowing of the metabolism.

Alcohol consumption, wine drinkers who had moderate amounts daily had less belly fat the those who drank spirits. Those who drank now and again but in high amounts had the highest belly fat deposits. 

Cigarette smoking increases belly fat as well. It is thought because the hormone cortisol is released into the blood stream shortly after smoking. 

Does Dieting Work TO REDUCE BELLY FAT?

Generally dieting does not work as most people put weight back on, around 90%, within a short time. Diet results in muscle loss and water loss. Muscles are needed to burn fat.  Dieting causes binges of sugary food as well. The best diet is high in vegetables, fruit and some meat, fish, nuts, good oils like virgin coconut and olive oil. 

High plant based foods are great. Eliminate processed food as much as possible. Eliminate vegetable oils and added sugar in food and all processed food. Deep fried food should be avoided.

Fat Burning Food

Fish, nuts,  cold pressed virgin coconut oil, macadamia oil, olive oil, seeds are high in omega 3, oil can help with fat loss because it stimulates fat burning enzymes inside cells.

It also helps to reduce appetite by improving the leptin signalling.

Herb teas have been beneficial in aiding fat loss due to the specific herbs action on metabolism. 

Under active thyroid functioning influences metabolism. Foods rich in iodine such as kelp increases thyroid functioning and seafood will help in increasing iodine levels.  Foods that reduce thyroid functioning are raw foods, cabbage, spinach and broccoli. They contain a chemical called goitrogen which suppresses the thyroid glands ability to absorb iodine. 

All soy products contain this chemical and should be avoided. This includes food that includes soy products like margarines, all processed food.

Processed food Inhibits fat burning. All processed food should be avoided. Soy  products, sodas, biscuits, deep fried food, candies, pies, margarine, processed meat, white rice and white bread. 

It is thought that they burn up less calories. To increase fat burning eat wholesome unprocessed food. 

Another mineral that is needed to burn fat is iron. It is a good idea to get your thyroid functioning and iron levels checked out by your medical professional before starting to lose weight. Especially if you feel tired and you have always had a weight problem.

Sleep

People who sleep less have a greater degree of body fat. The amount of sleep seems to effect metabolism. This is so because different hormones are secreted. There is more of the hormone ghrelin  secreted when having less sleep and a decrease in leptin. This will result in increased hunger.  

Ghrelin is secreted from the lining of the gut and causes hunger feelings. On the other hand leptin is secreted by fat cells and messages the brain to say we are full. Therefore sleeping 8 hours will balance the hormones out but sleeping 5 or 6 hours will result in more belly fat build up over a period of time. 

Also older people who slept badly had higher type 2 diabetes. The general wellbeing of an individual is linked to sleeping as the metabolic process is put into turmoil.

Stress

Stress is part of our lives. However too much stress from different quarters can vastly affect our hormone levels. The stress hormones stimulate the brain to release cortisol and catecholamine. 

Cortisol is the main hormone that can influence belly fat. High cortisol levels cause the liver to release sugar into the blood and the pancreas releases more insulin, therefore more belly fat is deposited. High levels of cortisol result in increased hunger as well. 

As you can now see being fat is NOT your fault. There are hidden underlying causes that need to be recognised and you can act on them once you know how to exercise and what foods not to eat.

You DO NOT need to spend hours working out at the gym. You can short cut the time-spent training and short cut the fat loss as well. Especially when working to a plan to burn fat for good.

__________________________________________________________________

7 Ways To Lose Belly Fat

There are 2 types of belly fat: subcutaneous fat, the surface fat just under your skin, and the more dangerous visceral fat or belly fat, which is stored around your liver spleen and pancreas.

Visceral fat cells appear to be larger and more insulin-resistant than other lower body fat cells. The association between insulin resistance and obesity is strong, and both are major risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes.

A firm, taut mid-section is the reasons why many people embark on a weight loss program. Their reason might be to improve their shape, but losing weight from the abdomen is also a matter of good health.  The more belly fat you have the higher the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

1. Diet

Eat whole foods and eliminate white refined products. Go easy on dairy products. Do not eat fast foods and fries, soda. Fresh is best and start preparing more nutritious meals at home.

2. Cardio Exercise Is The Next Most Effective Fat Buster

Intensity is important for weight loss. Interval type exercises are much more efficient to lose weight! You should certainly have a hard two sessions per week.

There is a certain type of exercise suitable for burning belly fat. However all interval exercises are great to burn the fat faster.

3. Build and Tone Muscles With Exercises That Strengthen Your Entire Body

You need a whole body workout. DO NOT focus on the abdomen area. You need to get totally toned in other area and the result will be a trim and toned waist line without the focus initially.

 Abdominal exercises are the final step.

There are many muscles in your trunk, and sit-ups only work one area. You need to mix it up with exercises to work all your abdominals. 

This is the fastest way to burn belly fat. You need short burst of exercise for 10 seconds, then recover and repeat 10 to 20 times. 

 4. Eat Regular Meals

Eating a balanced diet is important. Protein should be eaten with carbohydrates so the spike in blood sugar is not as pronounced and energy is released slowly.

It is important to eat every 4 hours to boost your metabolism and balance blood sugar.

Having a snack in the afternoon, such a hand full of nuts and a apple or pear. This also helps prevent overeating later on in the day and eating processed snack foods that are often full of sugar, fat and salt.

5.  Sleep Eight Hours

When you’re tired you produce more ghrelin, which triggers hunger. It is secreted from the lining of the stomach. Lack of sleep can also alter your hormone production, stimulating the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which encourages the body to store fat.

Less sleep adds to your waistline. Les than 6 hours per night will add at least 4 to 5 kg of fat over time to your waistline.

6. Drink Fluids

Not drinking enough water slows metabolism. You need to drink at least 2 litres per day of water.  When you drink around two glasses of water your metabolism increases up to 30%.

 7. Add Supplements

It has been know the kelp, lecithin and vitamin B6 aid in weight loss. Cider vinegar can be added to salads and as a drink 15ml to water with a little honey. Lecithin can be sprinkled on cereal and a good B complex tablet will help with energy production.

Kelp is dried seaweed and made into a tablet or powder it is high in iodine. Many people have a thyroid gland that is under active and kelp being high in natural iodine will normalised the function of the thyroid. The thyroid is important for the metabolism to work normally.

These are basic steps to help you on the way to FAST BELLY FAT BURN. 

There are many ways to burn belly fat and tone your body. Find a way that works for you and that you enjoy. Make it part of your life style and enjoy the process and make a difference to your health and the quality of your life.

Remember, we care about your weight loss and fitness success.

Join Shrunkit’s Newsletter To Get  Free Tips!

Tony.