June Newsletter: Belly Fat

It might as well be a 4-letter word. It's something that many people, mostly women, struggle with. Belly Fat, and how to lose it is a widely discussed topic, but how can you really lose it?  

There are two types of fat in your middle that contribute to a larger waistline, subcutaneous fat and visceral. Subcutaneous is the soft, noticeable fat just below the skin. Visceral is the fat between organs and muscle. The desire to reduce the amount of both kinds of fat isn't just for appearance's sake. High amounts of these fats have been linked to many health problems, including sleep apnea, high blood sugar, and heart disease, amongst others. 

Making smarter food choices will certainly help to impact the amount of belly fat you have, as well as your overall health. Various sources (see below), have stated that shifting away from processed foods to whole foods will have a positive impact on your health. Foods high in sugar and refined carbs are some of the worst offenders. Basic rule of thumb when checking ingredients, if there is something that you don't know what it is, how it got there, or what it does, maybe think twice about putting it in your body. 

Exercise is also an important part of improving your health. Focus on 30 minutes of cardio or weight lifting a couple of days a week. It's sometimes hard to stay motivated, but switch up your activity and do things you actually like to do. I refer to them as "Dreadmills," so they are pretty low on my list of activities. But running outside is one of my favorites. It also doesn't have to be "exercise." Thirty minutes of pulling weeds in the garden, walking briskly with your dog, or chasing after your super-active toddler also counts. Just get your heart rate up, it doesn't matter how. I will also add a caveat that exercise is going to have a positive impact on your health, but it won't help you lose weight if you don't balance your diet. If your diet sucks, it doesn't matter how much you work out. 

There are some other strategies for reducing belly fat. Stress reduction is a good one. As the body gets stressed, cortisol is created which can make you hungrier and cause your body to store more body fat. This one is easier said than done though. We all live stressful lives, so it's important to reframe that stress or find healthy ways to cope with it. Another strategy is to focus on gut health. Ensuring you are consuming probiotics and prebiotics, especially those from the Lactobacillus family, has been shown to reduce belly fat. Always speak to your doctor before adding supplements to your diet. When searching for a probiotic supplement, look for one in a glass bottle that is stored in a refrigerator. It should also state that it has "live, active cultures." 

If you are interested in how to create custom strategies to help you reduce belly fat, fill out my change readiness survey below. Or, reach out to schedule a free consultation! 

Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-tips-to-lose-belly-fat
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045809
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@karolina-grabowska/