Are you looking for specific exercises to lose belly fat? Truth is, belly fat does not burn off from doing only sit-ups, crunches or any additional type of spot decreasing exercises aimed at burning belly fat. Those are all great for shrinking the belly by tightening muscle but they will not actually take the fat off from around your belly. For that, you have to do a little more. The most effective exercises to lose belly fat are those workouts that cause all over fat burning.

Cardiovascular Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

To burn fat off your body you have to burn additionally calories than you take in. Long, brisk walks, jogging, stepping, jumping rope, aerobics classes and spinning are all great fat burners. The best way to shrink your belly fast is to incorporate a combination of cardiovascular exercise and toning either in one workout or two separate workouts. If you are not sure where to begin, there are programs online as well as offline that can teach you ways to lose fat and tone up your abdominal muscles.

For Optimal Belly Shrinking, Add Some Toning

While crunches and sit ups do not burn belly fat if done in exclusivity, they do help tone your muscles and as of this, they can significantly reduce inches around your waist and belly. Exercises to lose belly fat must include ab exercises as they can cause a big change in the way your belly looks. Not only will your belly be smaller because of losing fat based on cardiovascular exercise and dietary changes, but it can be firmer, too.

If you are suffering “issues” with a chubby belly, the finest way to fix the problem is with a good weight loss program. There are no miracle fixes that will make your belly disappear but there are programs that work! All exercises that burn calories are exercises to lose belly fat and one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get up and get moving!

We know that being overweight or obese can contribute to heart disease and heart attacks, but does extra weight around your belly increase your risk of stroke?

A new study says that may be the case.

Led by Yaroslav Winter, MD, researchers from the University of Heidelberg looked at whether people who were obese or overweight had a greater stroke risk than those who were normal weight. Researchers zoned in specifically on expanding waistlines. (more…)

Abdominal obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. A potbelly indicates that the risk of a heart attack is more even if the rest of the body is skinny as a beanpole.

This new study suggests that the key predictor of risk is the relationship of waist size to the hips, an elevated waist-to-hip ratio predicts an increased risk of heart attack. The study implies that even people who would otherwise be considered safe going by their body-mass index, are found to be at risk using waist-to-hip ratio. (more…)

A new study appearing in online edition of Gut, a journal of British Society of Gastroenterology says that belly fat may raise the risk of gallstones in older women.

The findings of the study were that abdominal circumference and waist-to- hip ratio were associated with an increased risk of gallstones and gall bladder removal or cholecystectomy in women. (more…)

Are you hungry because you’re fat, or are you fat because you’re hungry? This is no chicken-or-the-egg question. To some degree, at least, you are hungry because you’re fat. You have more body area and that means greater surface to radiate heat and call for calories.

That being the case, foods which satisfy your hunger fastest will help you to cut down comfortably on your calories. Nutritionists call the hunger-satisfying properties of foods “satiety value.” Satisfying foods are those that remain longest in the stomach and small intestine, demanding the most vigorous attention from the digestive machinery.

Meat is the most satisfying of all foods, containing extractives that stimulate the stomach to highest activity. Milk ranks next to meat in satiety value; whole milk is more satisfying than skim milk. Fish is slightly less satisfying than meat because usually it contains less fat. Eggs vary according to preparation. Raw eggs pass quickly from the stomach; hard-boiled eggs have greater satiety value than soft-boiled, and about the same as fried. Green vegetables and bread are low in satiety value. Oddly, bread becomes even less satisfying when toasted.

Fats are high in satiety value; hence moderate reducing diets often allow more fats than carbohydrates as a kindness to the appetite. Aside from the satisfying effects of food, there are other ways of putting a check rein on your appetite. Here are ten ways of cracking down and letting your appetite know who’s boss:

1. Stop eating while you’re still a little hungry - For reasons that are not fully understood, persons who tend to put on weight do not receive the “full up” signal from their meals as promptly as they should. Consequently they go on eating after hunger is satisfied. Stop eating just a little earlier than you usually do and you will be surprised, within a few minutes, to discover that appetite has really been appeased.

2. Revise your mental habits - A lot of people put on weight because, having few things that interest them, they turn to nibbling as a socially entertaining way of killing time. Keep busy at something else and watch your yen for eating fall within normal limits.

3. Use foods that demand vigorous chewing - The first organs of digestion are the teeth. Food that is bolted (except by carnivores) makes things tougher for your stomach and deprives you of the full savor of the things you eat consequently you want more to satisfy your taste. Meat, crisp celery, raw carrots all of these call for vigorous maxillary action that helps satisfy your appetite.

4. Don’t wash food down with water - The only valid objection to drinking water with meals is that you may wash down lumpy masses of half-chewed food and thus unconsciously step up your intake.

5. Don’t be tricked by fancy foods - An ice cream sundae topped off by nuts and whipped cream can tempt anybody’s appetite. If you keep out of the way of such temptations, however, you will find that your appetite is just as happy as a baby who has never heard about lollipops.

6. Keep count on calories - A rough idea of calorie values is all you need to tone down a rambunctious appetite considerably. It’s a lot easier to say “I’ll take an orange” when you know there are 450 calories in a husky slab of mince pie.

7. Scuttle your alibis - If you blame your overweight on heredity or glands, have your doctor check you up dare you! If you feel that you can’t say “no” to the hostess who urges a second helping on you, for risk of hurting her feelings, remember that she probably is insistent because of a high sense of hospitality, and secretly may be thinking how nice it would be to have some leftover comestibles for tomorrow’s pick-up dinner.

8. Put a fruit bowl on the coffee table not a box of chocolates - Eating between meals isn’t bad; it’s good provided you choose a piece of fruit or a glass of milk instead of concentrated candies and pastries, and don’t exceed your calorie limits.

9. Don’t satisfy your appetite with alcohol - If you drink, remember that the appetite stirred up by alcohol is spurious. It isn’t the real McCoy. It’s another trick to make you feel hungry when you aren’t.

10. Don’t go without breakfast - Lots of us kid ourselves that we’re reducing because we’re rushed or sleepy in the morning and coast along on a cup of coffee. This is necessary in short-term reducing diets, but appetite is controlled better through the day when we give it a respectful breakfast nod.

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Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. The Belly Fat Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control. For more information, click Diet Preview

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Belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, which in turn is linked to
our eating and exercise habits. Insulin is released when we eat; it
moves digested sugars from our blood into our cells. Belly fat is one
of the easiest to gain - one big dinner before going to bed is enough
to gain belly fat. If after the big dinner you spend some days on your
normal diet and don’t eat excessive quantities of food, the negative
effects of the big dinner will not stay for long. Belly fat is the most
difficult fat to lose. Abdominal exercises alone will only build muscle
under the belly fat.

Belly fat is bad for everyone but, it can have dire consequences
especially for men. The amount of abdominal fat one carries is a sure
indicator of heart disease risk. Belly fat is a common problem in
overweight people. Not only people look unattractive, visceral or
belly fat also invites a lot of acute diseases like diabetes, heart
diseases etc. Belly fat is worse for your health than fat in your butt
or thighs. Yes, belly fat tends to trigger your liver to release its
stored fatty acids — raising your cholesterol levels.

Belly Fat is very common these days. The truth is, the reason most
people have belly fat is due to three main things. Belly fat is stored
energy. To get rid of the layer of fat you need to burn more energy
(calories) than you eat. Belly fat is the most frequently asked
question by women, and of course they want the fastest and quickest way
to lose it. There are many articles and diets out there that claim they
can help you lose unwanted belly fat but it can be very overwhelming.

Belly fat is resting on top of the abdominal muscles of course. I see
many articles claiming that you can lose belly fat by exercising, but
this can’t be true. Belly fat is basically stored energy therefore in
order to lose belly fat you need to burn more calories than you
actually consume. Therefore in order to get the best results and lose
that belly fat fast you need to do sit up’s as this is the single most
effective exercise which works on almost all body types.

While many Americans believe that the lower the fat in your diet, the better the results that will be achieved, a new study has found that a low-carbohydrate or Mediterranean-type diet may actually be more effective and just as safe.

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston conducted a study of 322 moderately obese employees of a research center in Israel, 86 percent of whom were men, and found that the low-carb and Mediterranean diets were more effective that the low-fat diet in both weight loss and health benefits. The new study can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Study participants were randomly assigning to three diet groups and were provided with encouragement and instruction over a two-year period. The three diet regimens included a low-carb diet, a low-fat diet and a Mediterranean diet. Those on the low-carb diet lost an average of 12 pounds in two years while those on the Mediterranean diet lost about 10 pounds. However, participants on the low-fat diet lost only 6.4 pounds after two years.

Researchers also found that those participants on the Mediterranean diet showed the most improvement in blood sugar levels, noting that this diet would provide the most health benefits for those at risk for diabetes, with the low carb diet being the best choice for people with cholesterol problems as it showed the most improvement in cholesterol levels. Both the low-carb and the Mediterranean diets promoted better cardiovascular health with the low-fat diet offering the least health benefits of any of the diets.

Dr. Meir Stampfer, co-chair of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Channing Laboratory, and lead study investigator said the study provides hard evidence that a low-fat diet is not necessarily the best diet. The main findings are that low-carb and Mediterranean diets are good (as long as the protein and fat sources are healthful), and even preferential diets for weight loss, as well as the fact that they are safe. Stampfer concludes, “The take-home message should be that we should abandon the idea that low fat diets are the number one way for people to lose weight - it wasn’t the best diet. It can be helpful for some people, but overall I think the first choice should be the Mediterranean or the low carb.”

Study participants met with dietitians periodically throughout the two years and usually ate lunch at the same cafeteria, where foods were color-coded with labels that corresponded to the diet type. The low-fat group participants were directed to eat low-fat grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes, and to avoid sweets. The low-carb group participants were advised to eat vegetarian sources of fat and protein and to limit intake of carbohydrates. It was recommended that the Mediterranean diet group eat a diet high in fish, poultry, olive oil and nuts. Calories were not limited for the low-carb diet, but for the two other diets, women were expected to eat a maximum of 1,500 calories daily with men consuming a maximum of 1,800 daily.

One of the great strengths of the study was that 95 percent of participants were still following the diet after one year, with 85 percent staying on it after 2 years which suggests that diets connected to the workplace may be particularly effective. Some businesses are now taking steps to write caloric limits or nutritional guidelines into their contracts with food service providers. Stampfer said “It’d be nice if employers institute this kind of thing more broadly. It’s really in the employer’s interest in having healthy employees and a modest investment in nutrition and support would benefit everyone.”
(By: Drucilla Dyess healthnews)

Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. The Belly Fat Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control. For more information, click Diet Preview

Belly fat is the most frequently asked question by women, and of course they want the fastest and quickest way to lose it. There are many articles and diets out there that claim they can help you lose unwanted belly fat but it can be very overwhelming.

Belly Fat is very common these days. The truth is, the reason most people have belly fat is due to three main things. Belly fat is stored energy. To get rid of the layer of fat you need to burn more energy (calories) than you eat.

Belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, which in turn is linked to our eating and exercise habits. Insulin is released when we eat; it moves digested sugars from our blood into our cells. Belly fat is worse for your health than fat in your butt or thighs. Yes, belly fat tends to trigger your liver to release its stored fatty acids — raising your cholesterol levels. Belly fat is one of the easiest to gain - one big dinner before going to bed is enough to gain belly fat. If after the big dinner you spend some days on your normal diet and don’t eat excessive quantities of food, the negative effects of the big dinner will not stay for long.

Belly fat is bad for everyone but, it can have dire consequences especially for men. The amount of abdominal fat one carries is a sure indicator of heart disease risk.

Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. The Belly Fat Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control. For more information, click Diet Preview

Is a Fat Stomach Unhealthy?

Yes. For people with a BMI of 34 or less, a fat belly is regarded as an additional health risk. Fatty tissue which is stored around the stomach and abdomen (sometimes called intra-abdominal, or visceral fat) carries a greater health risk than fat located in the lower body around the butt and thighs.

Some health studies show that abdominal fat leads to raised blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome X) and heart disease. Because of this, some experts believe that waist circumference and fat-distribution is more important than your actual weight in predicting future health risks.

What Causes a Fat Belly?

Where we store fat (surplus calories) is largely a combination of gender, age and genetic inheritance. Men tend to store fat around their middle (apple shape), whereas women typically store fat around the pelvic region, hips, butt and thighs (pear shape). However, women are prone to develop an apple shape in mid-life, after menopause. This is because the female hormones are present in smaller amounts and so their shape tends to become more ‘male’.

NOTE: To understand how surplus food calories from carbohydrate, fat or protein are converted to body fat and stored in adipose tissue cells, see How to Get Rid of Your Belly Fat.

Stress and Stomach Fat

Some health studies show that abdominal fat can develop as a result of stress. This is because the hormone cortisol is released during stress, and a high level of cortisol in the body appears to stimulate the storage of fat around the belly and abdomen. Researchers at Yale University studied 60 women and found that the more stress they were under, the more fat they stored around their stomachs. So it appears that a fat belly is most likely to develop in stressed men of any age, and older stressed women.
How to Prevent a Fat Belly?

If you are prone to store fat around your middle, the healthiest solution is to maintain a normal weight. By matching your calorie intake to your calorie needs and prevent weight gain, you will prevent the development of any excess fat.
How to Reduce a Fat Stomach?

However, if you already have a fat belly, the best option is to follow a healthy weight loss diet, combined with fitness exercises such as aerobics (to burn extra calories) and a stomach-toning workout to help tighten and strengthen abdominal muscles. That said, reducing a fat stomach takes time - especially if you are an apple-shape. Despite what commercials say, there is no diet-plan or type of exercise that can “target” your fat stomach. So please don’t get impatient. Your fat belly will disappear, I promise.

Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. The Idiot Proof Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control. For more information, click Diet Preview

In a recent AOL poll, we asked our readers to tell us what their least favorite body parts were. The overwhelming answer? “My belly!”
But the concern over a flabby belly is more serious than simply not looking good in a bathing suit. Researchers are finding that abdominal fat leads to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancers.

We’re all aware that lack of exercise and a diet of burgers and fries will cause our bellies to expand, but who knew that those late nights at the office, the stress of that big project or the hidden trans fats in our favorite vending machine snacks were adding dangerous inches to our midsections?

In a society where workaholics reign, Americans are more sleep-deprived, stress-ridden and crunched for time than ever before. We want the quickest solutions, the fastest foods (usually supersized), and, despite the caffeine running through our veins, we just can?’t seem to find the time to work out.

Are our waistlines growing out of our control?

Three ways to blast the belly fat:

1. Avoid Trans Fats
2. Get More Sleep
3. Manage Your Stress

Waist-to-Hip Ratio, BMI and Belly Fat: What It All Means
Until recently, BMI or body mass index (a measurement of weight in relation to height), was used as a key factor in determining the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers. Now, researchers around the world are discovering that BMI is the wrong number to rely on and dangerously misleading.

Typically, a BMI of 20 to 25 is considered normal, the range between 25 to 30 is overweight and more than 30, obese. The problems arise when certain factors, such as muscle mass and fat deposition, are not taken into consideration. Because muscle is much denser than fat and takes up less space, two individuals of the same height and weight could have the same BMI, even though one may have a significantly higher percentage of body fat than the other.

Researchers now know that if most of your fat is in the tummy area, your health risks are greater than if it resides in, say, the hips, thighs or rear (sometimes referred to as the apple versus pear theory.

Dr. Tobias Pischon, lead author of a recent study that focused on the correlation between abdominal fat and colon cancer, stated in a Reuters Health report that this type of fat is more alarming. Belly fat is “metabolically active” and could possibly increase colon cancer risk by raising levels of certain hormones that affect cell growth, including the growth of cancer cells.

Consequently, waist-to-hip ratio (a measurement of waist size divided by hip size) is a more reliable gauge of your risk factors for certain diseases, such as heart attacks. A ratio of above 0.85 for women and above 0.90 for men is higher than average and typically indicates greater risk.

And when it comes to a disease such as colon cancer, women have the highest risk. Female participants of the study with the most abdominal fat had a 48 percent greater chance of developing colon cancer, with men at a slightly lower chance of 39 percent.  By Natalie Vavricka

Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. The Idiot Proof Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control. For more information, click Diet Preview