Tag health

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.

A Quick Education on “Weight Loss Water”

Water is the basic component of all life, and is important for you to achieve your maximum health levels.

Human beings today have at their fingertips a wealth of information, and regarding fitness, health and weight loss, we are probably more informed than at any time in history.

It’s a good time to be alive but you have to pay attention to the new research and developments for living a healthy lifestyle.

But did you know these important statistics about water and the human body?

Important Statistic About Water and You

• The average adult human body is composed of 60 to 70% water.
• Your internal water levels help control your body’s temperature.
• A healthy adult needs 9 cups (women) to 13 cups (men) of water daily.
• Nearly every food or drink item you put in your body provides water.
• Blood is 92% water, and human muscles are 75% water.

Water is Important for Life and Weight Loss

It is easy to see that water is incredibly important to human life, and ingesting the right water levels is also extremely important for proper and healthy weight loss. The human body unfortunately can not differentiate very well between hunger and thirst. This is why so many individuals grab a snack or something else to eat, when the body is actually just asking for more water.

Then after eating, the body is still thirsty, so that individual believes he or she is still hungry. They eat more, they gain weight and fat, and their bodies are still unhealthy because they desire more water.

Research and Weight Loss Water

As an associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech University, Dr. Brenda Davy showed that when her research participants drank two glasses of water from 20 to 30 minutes before each meal, they not only lost weight more quickly initially, but they also lost a greater deal of weight than the test subjects that did not drink water before meals.

In another obesity study linked to water which Doctor Davy had published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people drinking water just before a meal ate 75 fewer calories each meal on average. If would drink water before just lunch and dinner for one year, this could amount to as many as 14.5 pounds of weight loss!

And since when the human body is only 1% dehydrated it instantly decreases metabolism, weight gain immediately follows.

Get Those Liquids in You One Way or Another

Do not forget, as mentioned above, water is found in basically all foods and liquids that human beings eat and drink. So if you simply cannot stomach the thought of drinking several glasses of water each and every day, incorporate soups, vegetables and low-fat dairy products into your diet. These foods are very high in water content, and they assist water in losing weight because they lower the overall calorie density in your meals. This means that you cut calories, add much needed water, and lose weight all at once.

Cellulite is fat that has received a bad reputation. It is not a sign of an unhealthy body. There are many misconceptions about it and some websites will even state that it’s caused by poor circulation and drainage in the body.

They also state that it is fat that has been damaged. To add credibility to their statements, they’ll also state that even female athletes show signs of cellulite.

All this is just confusing and makes women hate their bodies. This article aims to keep things simple. Cellulite is fat. That’s it. Fat that is stored in a unique way that it results in its dimpled and not so pleasant appearance.

That’s it. Just like all fat in your body, it can be burnt off and you can reduce the amount of it in your body.

To a certain extent, it can be hereditary also. Women with thinner skin will show more signs of it since the fats will be more visible beneath the skin. Some women are also more predisposed to gaining fat and that’s exactly what makes up those lumpy dimples.

Within Reason, Fat or Cellulite Gain is Not Unhealthy

That does not mean they are unhealthy. Just like any fat gain, they’re consuming more calories than they are expending. Reversing this state will result in fat loss and the reduction of cellulite.

Cellulite looks different from normal fat only because of the structure of the tissues that connect the skin to the underlying muscles. These bands are perpendicular in women and have pockets of fat storage. Once those pockets are filled and then continue to fill with fat the excess fat starts pushing upwards and becomes visible because the skin is thin.

Yet, it is still just fat.

No, Toxins Do Not Cause Cellulite to Appear or Disappear

Some people may say that it’s caused by toxin buildup. This to a certain extent is true because fat in the body tends to bind toxins so that you do not become sick. However, toxins do not cause it. Fat buildup does.

Eliminate the fats and you eliminate the cellulite.

Another common fallacy is assuming that only overweight women have it. Many slim women have it too. So, if fat causes it to appear, why do these women still have it?

Because, it is not a matter of weight. The all-important number is your body fat percentage. There are many women who see slim, yet they have low muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat. In the fitness industry, this is known as “skinny fat”. So, even if you are slim but have a high body fat percentage, that fat is going to spill out of the spaces between your tissues and pop out as cellulite.

Cellulite is Not a Sign of Poor Health

If you eat a sensible diet, exercise regularly, consume collagen supplements and keep your skin supple and healthy, you’ll do more to banish cellulite than any cream or detox cleanse ever could.

Your health is affected by having fatty internal organs, poor stamina and other problems caused by a lack of exercise and a diet that is not wholesome. Cellulite is a symptom of an underlying problem. It is not an issue in itself. Maintain discipline with your diet and exercise and the cellulite will slowly but surely disappear and become less visible.