6 ways to burn your belly fat fast - forbes
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O P /ED | 3/27/2012 @ 3:42PM | 1,079,315 views
6 Ways to Burn Your Belly FatFast
One of the most common questions I get is how to lose belly fat. Belly fat is
actually the most dangerous type of fat – besides aesthetics, large waist lines
are indicators of –disease-disease-disease.
It takes more than just crunches! We start to gain weight in our midsection
when our cortisol levels spike. Stress is one of the primary culprits for high
levels of cortisol secretion. When this happens cortisol breaks downs lean
muscle (the type of tissue that burns calories most efficiently) and also holds
on to fat storage in the abdominal region. That stress can even get WORSE
with bad dieting; studies show that the stress caused by dieting can increase
cortisol levels, making no change in belly fat even with calorie restriction. So
how do you shape up? Incorporate these 6 things below and you will be on
your way to a flatter belly in no time flat!
1. Sleep
If you want to work late at night, think again. When your biorhythms are off,
you end up eating more. When you’re tired you produce more ghrelin, which
triggers cravings for sugar and other fat-building foods. Losing sleep can also
alter your hormone production, affecting your cortisol levels that cause
insulin sensitivity, prime reasons for belly fat! Getting about 7 hours of sleep a
night is one of the best things you can do for your body shaping goals.
2. Short bursts of exercises
1000 crunches a night may get you strong abdominal muscles, but with a full
layer of fat on top, you will not get the results you really want. Instead of all
those crunches, do exercises that engage multiple muscle groups and work
your cardiovascular system. Try planking, where you hold yourself in a push-
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Jennifer Cohen, Contributor
I help executives & entrepreneurs boost productivity through wellness.
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up position, resting your forearms on the ground. Try 3 or 4 sets of holding for
30 seconds each. Getting up and moving throughout the day by going for
walks will also help.
3. Sugar is your Enemy
Fighting belly fat is 80% healthy diet. Reduce calories by filling yourself up
with protein, vegetables, whole grains, and replacing bad habit snacks with
good ones. For example, if you have a sugar craving, replace your calorie laden
latte with a Muscle Milk lite, one of my favorites, because it has zero sugar and
a ton of protein that will satiate while also torching my sugar craving! Another
great trick is a sprinkle of cinnamon in your morning coffee or oatmeal- the
spice has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar. It also slows the rate at
which food exits the stomach, which helps you feel fuller longer.
4. Vitamin C
When you’re under extreme stress, you secret more cortisol hormone.
Vitamin C helps balance the cortisol spikes that happen to you under this
stress. Besides being a good way to counteract a cold, Vitamin C is also
essential for making carnitine, a compound used by the body to turn fat into
fuel, making this vitamin your fat burning friend.
If you’re going through an emotional crisis, stress from work, or a bad eating
splurge, increase your vitamin C – it’ll help counteract the negative side
effects. Try bell peppers, kale or kiwi fruits. These have even more Vitamin C
than the famous Orange!
5. Eat Fat
Yup, you heard me! It takes fat to burn fat. Like I said above, it’s sugar that
gets you fat, not fat. Good fats include foods rich in Omega 3′s, like salmon,
avocados & walnuts. These foods are full of nutrients that help keep you
satiated throughout the day.
6. Slowing down your breath
This is a very simple method that you can use even when you’re in the midst
of doing something else. Whenever you notice you’re feeling tense and
uptight check and see how you’re breathing. Most people under stress either
alternate holding their breath with short breaths, or take rapid shallow
breaths. After you become aware of your own breathing, consciously relax
your belly and slow down the breathing. This works best if you focus on
slowing down the exhalation rather than your inhalation. With each
exhalation you can say to yourself “slow down”. That is all there is to it-
Simple but surprisingly effective!!!
Want more tips from Jennifer? Like her on
Facebook.com/therealJenniferCohen and follow her on twitter
@therealJenCohen.
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Jennifer Cohen
Contributor
Follow (52)
I go bey ond training with a straight-talking
approach to wellness that focuses on an overall
healthy lifesty le. For y ears I’ve educated
celebrities and top corporate executives on how
to effectively incorporate fitness and nutrition
into their busy every day lives. I’ve appeared on
Extra, The Doctors, Good Morning America and
The Today Show.I was also featured trainer on
The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, and am
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56 comments, 1 called-out + Comment now
Comments
Thanks for this post, Jennifer! Nice points to remember (especially the last one — it’s so
easy to mistake feeling stressed or worn out for hunger). Thanks again.
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