It’s okay to have a little bit of weight around your midsection, but most Americans don’t know that their weight gain has gone past, “just a little” to obese. There are some serious medical reasons out there that should encourage you to try to get your belly fat down to healthy levels. The problem with belly fat is that it allows toxins, because it is deeper in your body than other fats, to soak into your organs. So, your own belly fat can be very harmful to you and can increase your risk for disease.
Let’s Take a Look at Your Belly
The fact that belly fat is not very great for you is not a new thing. Studies that were conducted in the 1940s uncovered the truth behind belly fat. If patients held more weight around the middle, they were more likely to have abnormalities that lead to disease, and they were almost always men. There have been many studies to back up this information and to confirm that your belly fat is much more dangerous than the other fat in your body. There are multiple things that your belly fat lets out into your body. These include:
- Free fatty acids. When these go to your liver, it makes it harder to break down insulin. This can lead to diabetes.
- Cortisone. Cortisone is a stress hormone that, when in high levels, is often associated with heart disease and diabetes.
- PAI-1. This can increase your risk of stroke and heart attacks.
- CRP. This protein can make it easier for your arteries to clog. It inflames blood vessels, which makes it easier for plaque to build up.
A large amount of belly fat can be the cause of these substances being in your body. Research has shown that these substances are not hereditary, they are caused by the access belly fat. These substances can cause more than just diabetes, heart disease, and cancers. There are almost 40 diseases that can be attributed to obesity cause by your abdominal fat. If you want to cut down on your belly fat, don’t worry, if you follow the following advice, you will be on your way to cutting down on that dangerous belly fat.
What Your Diet Should Include
Diets are not something that everyone can successfully do, so this is a list of things that you should be adding to your diet, instead of a restrictive diet that leaves you feeling empty. There are three simple rules that will help you to lose some of your belly fat.
Protein is good
You need to get enough protein in your diet if you want to lose body fat. Your protein intake should be about 30 percent of your daily calories intake. Protein can help you to feel full and can help build muscles, i.e. not fat. High protein diets are one of the trendiest diets because they actually work.
There is good fat
Believe it or not, when it comes to food, there are good fats out there. Healthy fats help you to feel fuller when you are between meals. It also helps to provide fatty acids, which you need for your health. When you cut out all fats, it can feel like you aren’t getting enough food, so it is essential that you keep good fats so that you don’t fail your diet.
Count your carbs
Protein and fat is great, but you should be paying attention to carbs. If you are eating healthy foods, you won’t need to be too worried about you carb count. Now, if you are eating unhealthy foods, like junk foods, your carb count will go up quickly daily. If you are paying attention to your carb intake, you will be less likely to sit down and eat that whole bag of chips, and more likely to save your carbs for your dinner meal.
Try to keep your diet between 2,400 and 2,800 calories daily and watch the belly fat come off.
Now the Exercise
If you want to lose belly fat, a better diet is not the only thing that you need to do. When it comes to losing weight, exercise and a healthy diet are the only way to get it done successfully. Once you start living a healthier lifestyle, which should come after you get into the routine of a healthy diet and exercise, you will find that your belly fat loss is permanent.
So what type of exercise helps you to lose your gut? Honestly, any type of exercise will help you to lose weight. Studies have suggested that for men, weight lifting may be the fastest and most effective way to lose weight. By doing about twenties minutes of weight lifting daily, you will see results faster than any other type of exercise, but keep in mind to make progress it will take some time. Be consistent in the gym, and you will see results over time.
You shouldn’t only be focusing on weight training. You should also throw in some cardio. Cardio, although everyone hates it, is an effective fat burner. No matter what type of cardio exercise that you want to do, it will help you. Some of the best types of cardio include HIIT workouts and interval training. You should do these exercises about every other day, and you will see results, especially if you are also weight lifting.
Make sure to get tested yearly by your doctor so that the two of you can stay on top of any conditions or diseases that you may be susceptible to. Even if you have lost weight, you need to get a yearly check up from your doctor because you may still be suffering from side effects from your weight. Getting rid of the fat around your belly will be the best health steps that you ever take, it reduces your chance for all 40 of the conditions and diseases that you may suffer from.