1 Tip To Lose Belly Fat

Too much belly fat is the number one gripe I hear from moms and I’m going to share with you one tip that will help you start flattening your tummy today!

*****Eat Meals Every 4-6 hours*****

No More Grazing All Day Long!

The most common recommendation out there right now is to eat every 2-3 hours and that is just too often! Come on, are you really hungry after 2 hours? If you are, then you are not eating enough or enough of the proper foods. Your meals should be satisfying enough that you can easily make it 4-6 hours without even a little nudge from your tummy.

Here’s the reason eating every 2-3 hours and grazing causes belly fat. Belly fat is not necessarily because you are eating too many calories, it’s because every time you eat carbohydrates your insulin level raises. It has to. Insulin is the hormone that helps glucose (which is blood sugar from the breakdown of carbohydrates) get into your cells to be used for energy. The more often you eat starchy, sugary, processed carbohydrates throughout the day, the more often and bigger the insulin spike you get. This constant surge of insulin causes fat to be stored, particularly in the belly region, rather than be used for energy. Think about it this way. If there is insulin always present, your body thinks that there is always food/energy readily available and there is no need to burn stored energy supplies (fat).

*****More Specifically….*****

Gary Taubes, in his book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, says “Obesity… is caused by a hormonal phenomenon, specifically by the consumption of refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars, all of which prompt (sooner or later) excessive insulin secretion. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels are elevated, fat accumulates in our body tissue; when they fall, fat is released and we use it for fuel. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbohydrates make us fat; by driving us to accumulate fat, they increase hunger and decrease the energy we expend in metabolism and physical activity.”

Avoid Eating Refined Carbohydrates,
Starches and Sugars All Day Long!

Be careful because we’re not talking all carbohydrates, after all, vegetables are carbohydrates, too, but they don’t cause the insulin surge that cereal, bread, pasta, cakes and cookies do. Vegetables also have fiber which helps reduce the insulin surge, slows down digestion and helps you feel fuller for longer. Aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily. If you don’t get much fiber now, slowly build up the to the recommended amount to avoid G-I distress.

Try This Exercise…

In addition to cutting the starchy, sugary carbohydrates from your diet (remember that the word diet means what you eat, not just food restriction for the sake of weight loss) here is a fun exercise to strengthen and firm the abdominal and low back muscles:

KNEE TUCK