Thursday, January 29, 2009

Burning Belly Fat is Not Impossible!

By Ricardo d Argence

This time of year, everyone is resolving to lose weight especially those who have amassed a great deal of it around their waist. Belly fat is the bane of many a person's existence, it is stubborn and unsightly and seems like it will take an act of congress to remove it. The first step to take when wanting to burn belly fat is to understand what it is and why it is there, think of it as a know your enemy strategy.

Although the body stores fat in many places, for lots of us, it goes right to the belly. The accumulation of visceral fat around the midsection is Belly fat. 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:

Genetics- Look around at the people in your family that are overweight. Where do they tend to store the most fat? If it is around the midsection, you could have a genetic predisposition to belly fat. Habits- Poor eating habits are another common cause of belly fat. 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.

Getting rid of the junk food makes sense. Prime suspects in weight gain, are high calorie foods that have little, if any, nutritional values. 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. - 16463

About the Author: