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Losing belly fat naturally is something that everyone desires but just don’t know how to because of all the hype and influential infomercials that promise you instant results. Although stomach fat is the most difficult body fat to lose, it is not impossible to lose it permanently and get six pack abs. The great news is that you don’t have to starve yourself, take countless supplements, and undergo dangerous surgery or do millions of sit-ups. Here are some natural but surefire ways to lose that belly fat once and for all.

Weight Training

Weight lifting will help boost fat loss, build muscle and prevent muscle loss. Performing resistance training exercises that focus on large muscle groups will burn the most calories.

Eat More Calories

Not eating enough calories will slow down your body’s metabolism and you will retain more fat than if you were to eat the right amount of calories. Eating too few calories will also cause you to lose muscle, not fat, for energy, making you skinny and fat. Always remember that calories are energy and not eating enough will reduce your energy stores, which means having a hard time getting through the day or getting a good workout in.

Do Cardio and Stop Doing Crunches

Performing 15 to 45 minutes of physical activity or intense cardio workouts three times a week will help you decrease overall body fat and burn more calories. Doing tons of crunches or other types of ab exercises will build abdominal muscles, but it won’t help burn belly fat. Sadly, you can’t reduce the amount of fat in one particular area of your body. You have to lose fat overall through you whole body to reduce your waistline through cardio.

Eat Healthy

Working out hard will strengthen your abs, but if you don’t eat right, you will always have a layer of belly fat on top of those muscles. Eliminate processed foods from your diet plan and start eating whole foods such as protein, veggies, fruits, healthy fats and carbs. Make sure you eat breakfast each morning and eat small meals every three hours to keep your metabolism going. It’s helpful to eat carbs right after your workouts and drink two cups of water with every meal.

Eat More Protein

Your body burns off more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs or fat. If you wish to burn fat you must take in protein. You should always get your protein from a quality source such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cottage cheese and whey protein; not a burger from McDonalds or a sausage pizza from Pizza Hut.

Self-Motivation

Developing a clear-cut plan and tracking your weight loss progress is about the best way to stay motivated. I understand it can be difficult when you don’t see drastic results right away but success doesn’t happen overnight. You must stay dedicated and work hard each day to achieve great results. You can start off by jogging or walking with a partner and making small changes to your diet. Make sure you track your body measurements and check the scales to see if your plan is effective. Since boxing is my favorite sport and provides me with a great workout I get the best of both worlds. Find a cardio activity you love to do and have fun while doing it to stay motivated. It may take some time to get the results you desire but the outcome will be permanent if you continue to work at it and stay committed. Start today on your belly fat loss efforts and gain the six pack abs you always dreamed of!




Source: http://blogs.phillymag.com/bewellphilly/2012/11/09/gimmicks-10-steps-losing-belly-fat-good/


 
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We all are aware that belly fat is related to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. But a new study has demonstrated that belly fat can be helpful in repairing tissue and improving your immune system.

There is a fatty membrane, known as the omentum that lingers from the stomach, which is located in all animals and was recently perceived to be useless in humans. This membrane aligns the organs located in the abdomen and plays the role as storage for fat. I understand that belly fat may seem unnecessary for most of us because of the harmful effects and unattractiveness but there is a reason why the belly fat is there after all.

This study that revealed the benefits of belly fat was headed by Makio Iwashima, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The omentum cells of mice were studied by researchers to see if the cells had any effects on the response of the immune system. I speculate that the omentum cells of mice and humans are similar so that’s why the mice were used in this particular study.

Researchers were looking to determine if the omentum cells had any effect on the T-lymphocyte cells. T-cells are a very vital part of the immune system response, which usually play as the first defense to harmful bacteria. When T-cells discover bacteria or an infection, the cells will multiply to fight off the foreign body to protect your immune system. When the omentum cells where paired up with active and producing T-cells, the T-lymphocyte cells died rather than multiply. Unfortunately the omentum cells had no effect on T-cells that were inactive.

According to researchers, omentum cells are utilized to regulate the body’s response to harmful bacteria and contribute to suppressing the immune system response. Possibly, in the future, omentum cells may be an asset to develop new drugs that would suppress the immune system but with lesser side effects than the immune-suppressing drugs that are currently available.  

The other intriguing aspect of belly fat was its important role in repairing damaged tissue. Researchers found mesenchymal stem cells, which are used by the body to regenerate damaged tissue. The stem cells will journey to the area of the injury to repair damaged tissue which is essential to wound healing.

Rather than being a problem, belly fat could be very useful to human survival. It has been discovered by researchers to repair damaged tissue, help regulate the immune system and heal wounds which are amazing. In the coming years, belly fat may be a selection for new medical treatments for auto-immune diseases and organ transplants. With that being said, it is still important to eat healthy and exercise on a daily basis. Even if it’s a quick walk through the park it’s better than doing nothing at all and a great start. Remember to consult with your physician before you make any major diet or exercise changes to make sure it is healthy for you.

Source: Medical Daily


 
Lose stomach fat or reduce belly fat faster by jogging instead of weight lifting researchers say. Apparently, aerobic exercise is better than resistance training according to a recent study. An eight month study compared the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (jogging), resistance training (weight lifting) and a combination of both in 196 overweight, sedentary adults from ages 18-70.

The individuals in the aerobic group did the equivalent of 12 miles of jogging per week at an 80 percent heart rate, while the resistance group did three sets of eight to 12 repetitions three times a week.

The Duke University Medical Center researchers examined how these types of exercises reduced the fat that’s deep within the abdomen and fills the spaces between internal organs. This type of fat, called visceral and liver fat, is associated with increased risk of disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers.



Aerobic exercises greatly reduced stomach fat (visceral fat) and improved risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, such as insulin resistance, liver enzymes and triglyceride levels. However, resistance training didn’t influence these benefits. Aerobic exercises combined with resistance training achieved results similar to aerobic exercise alone, the investigators discovered.

According to lead author and exercise physiologist Chris Slentz who spoke in a Duke news release, “resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass.” “But if you are overweight, which 2/3 of the population is, and you want to lose belly fat or stomach fat, aerobic exercise is the better alternative because it burns more calories.” You will lose even more calories if you maintain a healthy diet and keep your metabolism going with foods such as whole grains and fish that boost your metabolism. If you are new to weight loss and want to lose stomach fat you can start of by walking then advance to jogging when you get the energy. My favorite cardio exercises are running and boxing since they seem to burn the most calories and boxing is my favorite sport. Boxing builds endurance, speed, agility and stamina which make it one of the best sports for cardio.

This study was published in the August 25 issue of the American Journal of Physiology.

Make it your next to goal to start your aerobic exercise routine today to lose stomach fat and improve your health today. Don’t forget to consult with your doctor before beginning any weight loss plan to make sure it is safe plus get more tips on how to lose stomach fat.

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