Tag Belly fat

Here’s How to Measure Belly Fat

Measuring belly fat starts by wrapping a tape measure around your waist at the point that is just above your hipbone. For many people this is also where their belly button is located.

When you measure belly fat, or any fat for that matter, be sure not to pull the tape tight. You want it to be snug, but not pressing into your skin. Also exhale just before taking your measurement, so that you are not holding in your stomach. Holding in your stomach, pulling the tape too tight, etc. are all little “tricks” people use to make their initial measurement smaller, but they are only kidding themselves?

Yes, their initial number will be smaller, but they won’t see as much of a loss on the tape when the belly fat starts coming off. Get a true measurement in the beginning and then enjoy seeing the measurement shrink instead of lying to yourself in the beginning with a false number. A healthy waist measurement for women is 35 or less; 40 or less for men.

Measure Belly Fat But Don’t Forget Your Butt

Because of body composition, people store body fat in different areas, so to get an even more accurate picture, also take your hip measurement. The measurement is taken using the same “rules” however, have the tape around the widest part of your buttocks instead of your waist.

Once you have those two numbers, divide your waist number by your hip number to get your waist-to-hip ratio. A healthy ratio is 0.8 or less for women and 0.95 or less for men.

The Effects of an Excessive Belly Fat Measurement

So why are we concerned about our waist circumference or the above ratio? Excessive belly fat, called visceral fat, is worse than fat located in other areas as it can lead to many serious diseases, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and liver disease, just to name a few. People with a high waist-to-hip ratio are particularly susceptible to diabetes and heart disease.

Visceral fat settles deep in the abdominal cavity taking up the spaces between internal organs. However once you start burning off fat, it is also one of the first places you will see results.

How to Reduce Your Belly Fat Measurement

Healthy eating and exercise are the best ways to get rid of body fat and to keep from gaining it back. Some of the fat you lose will be from the belly area. Your diet should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, all of which are high in fiber, but low in fat and carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates such as sugar.

Exercise should focus on cardio as those are the preferred routines that burn the most calories for the time invested. Start out at a moderate or even low intensity; as you get more fit, ramp up the intensity.

It is never too late to start and anything you can do to become healthier is better than what you were doing before. Invest in your health by reducing your belly fat measurement!

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.

Don’t rely on Sit-ups Alone for Reducing that Belly Fat

While many “diet and exercise programs” would lead you to believe you can, the cold hard truth is no, you can’t reduce belly fat by doing sit-ups. Reducing fat in just the abdominal area is touted as spot reducing, but the body does not work that way. The only way to lose belly fat is to reduce the fat from your entire body. In the process, a certain amount of fat lost will come from your abdominal area.

Body fat is your body’s “rainy day account”. During the good times when food is plentiful, we store fat so we have an excess supply to use as energy during the lean times. Unfortunately in many people, the belly is one of the first places fat gets stored.

The Value of Abdominal Exercises to Reduce Belly Fat

As noted, doing sit-ups does no good as far as losing belly fat, but they (and their close cousin crunches) are beneficial at strengthening your abdominal core muscles. And a strong core means better posture and less potential for back problems. A strength training routine performed a couple times a week will greatly improve your abs. You want your “six-pack” to shine through once you lose your belly fat.

We know that to lose a pound of weight per week, you have to burn more calories than you consume – 3,500 to be exact. We also know there are two ways to have a calorie deficit, working out and eating foods lower in calories (or a combination of both which actually works the best).

Working Out to Reduce Belly Fat

To burn the maximum amount of fat, two things have to happen. One, you have to increase your heart rate by performing a warm-up routine so your muscles are getting the maximum amount of oxygen. Two, you have to exercise your body as hard as possible (while monitoring your target heart rate) by doing intense workouts, such as cardio exercises, going on long runs or bicycling a long way.

Eating Fewer Calories to Reduce Belly Fat

Not all calories are created equal. Your focus should be on eating food low in saturated fat and carbohydrates, but high in fiber and protein. Such broad choices include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, seafood, beans and lean meats to name a few. And don’t forget to add in some of the good fats – the poly and monounsaturated fats. These come from olive oil, fatty fish such as tuna and salmon, nuts and avocados.

By lowering your overall body fat percentage, some of your loss will be belly fat. To accomplish the loss, eat healthy and exercise as defined in this article.

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.

Smoothies for Weight Loss and a Flat Belly

Flat belly smoothie recipes which help you lose weight should also make you feel full. This promotes fat burning and overall fitness, and keeps your stomach full of healthy foods instead of making you crave unhealthy snacks.

A peanut butter and banana smoothie blended with nonfat milk, chocolate whey protein powder and a few ice cubes is surprisingly great for weight loss, and tastes outstanding as well.

Keeping with the chocolate theme, you can create a yummy mocha smoothie that is a healthy alternative to sugary and fatty snacks. When you get that sweet tooth craving, combine a few ice cubes with a half cup of low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, one shot of espresso and a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder. Blend until smooth, and allow this high-energy chocolatey smoothie to contribute to your weight loss by replacing baked goods, candies and other unhealthy, fat producing snacks.

Good and Simple Smoothies for Weight Loss

Watermelon is extremely low in both fat and calories. And when you combine it with lemon sherbet or low-fat vanilla yogurt and some ice cubes, you have an incredibly simple smoothie that fills you up while promoting weight and fat reduction.

For an equally simple weight-loss smoothie, cut up a banana, add a few strawberries and an orange, and slip in some low-fat yogurt or milk. Then blend with a few ice cubes for a unique and flavorful combination that will help you trim your waistline while also quenching any hunger cravings you may have.

Blueberries are commonly referred to by leaders in the health and nutrition industries as the perfect food. Super high in wonderful antioxidants which aid in losing weight, when combined with flaxseed oil, a large banana and apple juice or honey, blueberries form the basis for a great tasting weight-loss smoothie that might become your new favorite breakfast drink.

Combine one half of a large banana with 1/2 tablespoon of flaxseed oil, 1/2 tablespoon of apple juice concentrate or honey, and 1 teaspoon of psyllium seed husks. At 8 ounces of water, 1/3 cup of soy protein and 1/4 cup of frozen blueberries to blend together this healthy, fat burning smoothie.

And from the respected Doctor Oz comes a breakfast drink that the good doctor enjoys himself. Very high in fiber, low in calories and heavy on the vitamins, this green drink powers up your energy and your taste buds while promoting fat and weight loss.

Add 2 cups of spinach with one half a cucumber, one half of a bunch of parsley, and one quarter head of celery. Add 3 carrots and 2 apples, as well as one quarter orange, one quarter lime, one quarter lemon and one quarter pineapple. Blend well for 28 to 30 ounces of a delicious weight-loss smoothie that you can use to start your day in a healthy way.

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.

Tone Your Belly with Crunches, Planks and Your Bicycle

Once you have lost your belly fat, it is time to start working on toning muscles around your middle. While there are numerous different exercises that target the belly area, these three are the tried, true and get results:

• Crunches
• Planks
• The Bicycle

The nice thing about these exercises is that none of them require any equipment. However, you can use a yoga or exercise mat to make you more comfortable.

Tone Your Belly with Crunches

Crunches are similar to sit-ups, but not as stressful on the back and neck. To start, lie on your back on the floor (or a mat if you have one) with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor shoulder width apart. Keep your hands across your chest or locked behind your head.

Inhale and lift your head and shoulders by tightening your abs so that your shoulder blades are just off of the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, exhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. Do as many crunches as you can right now with an eventual goal of two sets of 10 to 20 crunches per set.

Tone Your Belly with Planks

There are several variations of the plank; the one explained here is the full plank. Start by lying on the floor face down; your forearms, elbows, hands and stomach should touch the floor. Tighten your abs and lift your body off the floor. Only your forearms, elbows and feet should now touch the floor.

While in this position, your body should be in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet; avoid the tendency to raise your buttocks or to arch your back. This defeats the purpose of doing planks.

Hold this pose for 10 to 30 seconds. Relax and slowly drop to the starting position. Work up to the point where you can hold the pose for a full minute. Do as many repetitions as you can.

Tone Your Belly with Your Bicycle

The starting position is to lie on your back with your fingers locked behind your head and legs bent at the knees. Now lift your left shoulder blade off of the floor, twist slightly and bring your right knee up toward your left elbow. At the same time, straighten your left leg. Now switch sides by straightening your right leg, bending your left leg, and bringing the right elbow up to the left knee. Keep alternate sides in a pedaling (bicycling) motion. Strive to complete 8 to 12 repetitions.

While there are several more exercises that target the abdominal muscles, these three will get you well on your way to having 6-pack abs and looking great. Start working your abs today so you’ll be ready to show them off in a bikini or short top this summer.

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.

Most of us have belly fat to some extent or another. However, when it gets excessive, it can begin to cause health issues; some can be serious or even deadly. So to keep from getting too much belly fat, you have to know what causes it. Here are three main causes of excess belly fat:

Bad Genes Can Cause Excess Belly Fat

I listed genetics first because it is the hardest to control. If you are pre-disposed to accumulate belly fat based on your DNA structure, all you can do is try to control it the best you can through healthy eating and vigorous exercising. It will mean you’ll have to work a little harder than other people to see the same results, but it can be done through diligence and dedication.

Poor Diet Can Cause Excess Belly Fat

Today, most people do not eat properly by choice. We rely too heavily on processed and fast food, both of which are not good for us.

Instead, we should focus on a high protein/low carb diet by mainly eating these foods:

• fresh fruits – berries, apples, melons and peaches
• fresh vegetables – asparagus, cauliflower, cucumbers and cabbage
• whole grains – whole wheat, oats, brown rice and quinoa
• lean protein – chicken, turkey, tuna, fish, eggs and lean cuts of meat

The type of food we eat is not the only reason we get fat; how much we eat (i.e. portion control) is also important. One trick many people use is to put food on a smaller plate. It tricks your mind into thinking you ate more than you did. Remember these four simple “rules of thumb” when it comes to portion control size:

• 3 ounces of lean meat = deck of cards
• 1/2 cup of fresh fruit = 1/2 baseball
• 1 cup of salad = 1 baseball
• 1 cup of cereal flakes = a fist

Lack of Exercise Can Cause Excess Belly Fat

Not only is a poor diet the cause of us gaining excess belly fat; a sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor also. When combined with a diet that relies heavily on processed and fast food – both high in saturated fat and calories – your body will store the extra calories it doesn’t need as fat. In many people that fat gets stored as belly fat – the worst kind of fat.

Fortunately, belly fat is one of the first fats to burn off once you start exercising. Just 30 minutes a day of vigorous activity, such as walking, running or swimming (and eating healthy) will start burning off excess belly fat. Done diligently, you should start to see results in two weeks.

Because excess belly fat is so dangerous, it is imperative that you start eating healthy and exercising. As in other types of weight loss, it comes down to burning more calories than you take in over a period of time; burn 3,500 more calories per week than you eat, you’ll lose a pound. Eventually healthy eating and exercising will become part of your lifestyle and you won’t think twice about it.

You can find more “Belly Fat Success Tips” in our weight loss category found at http://myfitnessnut.com and while you’re they, be sure to subscribe to our monthly fitness newsletter and be kept up to date on the latest developments in the world of health and fitness.