Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Burning Belly Fat is Not Impossible!

By Ricardo d Argence

This time of year everyone's resolution is to lose weight, especially those who have amassed a great deal of it around their waist. Many people struggle with fat in the belly area. Before you can burn belly fat you need to understand what it is and to have an strategy.

The body can store fat in any area of the body, and for some people the first area seems to be the belly. Belly fat is the accumulation of visceral fat around the midsection. People with this problem are commonly referred to as having an "apple" shape.

The problem with belly fat when opposed to other types is that it accumulates around the vital organs of the torso. Whereas other types are merely under the skin or interspersed between skeletal muscles.

Belly fat is not only unappealing, but it has also been linked to major health risks. These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and insulin resistance. So, it's very important to rake belly fat as a serious problem.

There are many causes of belly fat accumulation. Check out the list below to see where you fall:

Menopause- Women tend to go through many changes during this period of their life. Weight gain is one of them and unfortunately, the belly tends to be its favorite place to store. Stress- This is a big contributor to belly fat. When you are stressed there is a hormone released called cortisol. Cortisol increases your energy by boosting glucose production, which in turn stimulates appetite increasing your caloric intake and this is converted to stored fat. Generally around the midsection so that it is readily available for the body to burn.

Junk food must, of course, be avoided. The best weight gainer is a rich in calories food with less nutritional quantity. Some other foods you should avoid are:

Candy bars, brownies, and soda. They have a high caloric value and little or no nutritional value.

Instead of all the sugar and carbohydrates, you will want to focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and proteins. For example instead of a bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast, you could consider this sample breakfast:

Whole grain toast, two poached eggs or bowl of oatmeal, small glass of orange juice, fruit of your choice.

No discussion on weight loss would be complete without stressing the importance of regular exercise. Even 15 minutes a day walking at a brisk pace will show dramatic results.

Introducing pills or other weight loss drugs is the last thing you should do to your body. These are usually ineffective, and those that are somewhat helpful are made with harsh chemicals that can have dangerous side effects. There's nothing like a balanced diet and simple exercise. - 16083

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