No matter what you weigh, tightening your middle could mean a healthier you. You may not be overweight but you may still have a "muffin top" that's driving you crazy. If you find yourself with extra weight around the middle, there's more to think about than the way your jeans fit. Recent studies show that where you store body fat can play a role in your health, and belly fat carries the highest risk. Women with love handles are more susceptible to conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol; and a study by Harvard researchers shows that these women are even more likely to die early from heart disease and cancer - even if their weights are normal.
Luckily, there's alot you can do to stay out of the danger zone. Follow these seven simple strategies to blast fat, tighten your midsection and be your healthiest at any weight.
1). Be sugar savvy. If you want to rid yourself of belly fat, you need to pay attention to food labels. That's because simple sugars can make you fat. Study participants who consumed fuctose-and glucose-sweetened beverages packed on pounds and the fructose group saw a significantly higher volume of belly fat. Many processed foods contain added sugars, so stick with a clean diet.
2). Vary your training. Rather than trying to crunch away all of your belly fat, take a whole-body approach to training. Plus, "you can't spot reduce, so doing cruches alone won't do the trick!" Mix sessions of high-intensity interval cardio with slow-steady cardio and sessions of weight training each week.
3). Make friends with fat (the right kinds of fat). Those who eat diets rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are less likley to store fat in their bellies. Kick saturated fats and junk to the wayside!
4). Fill up on Fiber. Eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains can help you lose belly fat without feelindg deprived. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who fill up on fiber have lower waist circumferences. Remember that you can include fresh, frozen, canned, pureed or juiced servings!
5). East smaller portions, more often. To help speed your fat burn, eat five to six small meals a day instead of two or three larger ones. When we eat more than our body needs, the excess is sent to the liver to be turned into fat and sent nearby to the abdominal areas for storage. Each of your small meals should consist of at least one portion of protein, one portion of carbohydrates and a small portion of fat. Eat breakfast within on hour of wake,g, and then eat about every three to four hours after that, stopping at least three (or within two) hours before bed.
6). Go Green. Consider switching some frappuchino to green tea. A recent Journal of Nutrition study found that consuming a beverage containing green tea catechins might help promote abdominal fat loss. To get the same results, drink approximately five cups of green tea a day - that's one with each of your daily meals & snacks.
7). Rethink that drink. Alcohol may increase abdominal fat and fat stores in general. That's because it contains seven calories per gram - more than protein and carbs, which both contain four calories per gram.
