ADIOS BELLY FAT, ALL ABOUT LOSING BELLY FAT (2)

Now we know what causes belly fat and the health risks, it is time to explore ways to lose belly fat and keep it off. We'll divide this into Diet and Exercise, so today we'll explore the types of foods that can help remove/reduce belly fat. So join me as we find out:

HOW TO LOSE BELLY FAT:

I've seen many people, especially women, make the mistake of thinking they can lose belly fat without losing body fat. Ok, as scary as the health risks of belly fat are, the cosmetic aspect of having well toned and muscular abs is equally enough motivation to make even the most laid back, unassuming person lose belly fat.

(6packs for men) and flat tummy (for women).

The good news is that though visceral fat surrounds your vital organs and cannot be touched, it is metabolically active and easier to lose than most fats in the body, however, same cannot be said for lower abdominal fat which is often subcutaneous fat (under the skin fat) which is tougher to lose.

To lose belly fat, there are no short cuts, magic pills, potions and quick formula. All you need are the 4Ds of DietChic - DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DISCIPLINE, DEDICATION. If you have the desire to lose it, get determined to do it, be disciplined and keep to the dos and donts and stay dedicated to it, you will be amazed at how the abdominal muscles underneath the fat will gradually but steadily appear and how clean your bill of healthy will become.

EMBARK ON A CALORIE CONTROLLED DIET:

There is no significant, sustainable weight loss without an individually tailored and calorie structured diet plan. Always bear in mind that food greatly affects the size of your stomach, this is why we cannot over emphasise the fact that you can lose belly fat with diet alone but can NEVER do same with exercise alone.

AVOID SIMPLE CARBS:

If you cannot afford the professional services of a nutritionist/dietitian just yet, start by cutting out certain things totally from your diet. If you do not eat and/or drink anything that is in a bottle, can, pack, tin, sachet, carton (these include but are not restricted to, juices, alcohol, biscuits/cookies, sweets, corn beef, chocolates, sardine, baked beans, bread, soda, etc) for six weeks only, you will find us and personally thank us.

INCREASE YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE:

Protein foods are not only very filling, they are also low in calories and are very good for burning fat and for building the muscles. Some great lean proteins include, Chicken breast, Egg whites, Salmon, Loin of beef, Tuna in water, home made fat free yoghurt (iGet mine from Flavour Factory, contact Mrs @uzunmaanyianuka on twitter), Unsweetened soya milk or 0% fat free milk, Kidney beans, Low fat cottage cheese, Lentils, Raw nuts, Chickpeas, and other lean protein. More than the other two macronutrients, protein digestion boosts your metabolism which translates to speedy and more effective weight loss.

CONVERT FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX CARBS:

Complex carbs are those carbohydrates that contain an upward of 3sugars linked together, some have up to 10000 sugars linked together, but let us forget about the technicalities and explore why complex carbohydrates are better than the simple ones. Simple carbs like cakes which contain a lot of sugar can spike your blood sugar and that can be hazardous to your health, however, complex carbs usually take longer to be broken down into glucose in your blood, that way they provide prolonged energy and stabilize your blood sugar rather than spike it up like simple carbohydrates do. Complex carbs are also more nutritious and are mostly higher in fibre, vitamins, minerals, etc. Some examples of complex carbs include, but are not limited to (Broccoli, Carrots, Asparagus, Spinach, and other green Vegetables, Fibrous roots like sweet potatoes, "real" whole wheat **i buy mine from the local market and grind at a local mill**, Oranges, Brown rice, Whole wheat oat, etc).

GO NUTS:

Raw nuts are excellent for weight loss and are definitely helpful in burning belly fat because of their high content in monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats also counter spikes in blood sugar as they keep blood sugar levels steady and this way prevent belly fat accumulation. Some great nuts to eat for weight loss are, but not restricted to (Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamias, pecans and even sesame seeds and sun flower seeds) these nuts do not only aid your belly fat loss efforts and control blood sugar, they also control your appetite and cravings as well and most importantly, they also help maintain proper levels of fat burning hormones. These nuts are healthy and contain around 75 to 90 percent healthy fat. However, do not eat these nuts indiscriminately as they are usually high in calories. A serving size for each of these nuts are about 14 walnut halves, 24 almonds, 35 peanuts, 15 pecan halves, etc, each.

SEE FAT, EAT FAT, LOSE FAT:

Eat fat to lose fat sounds ridiculous right? Yea, ridiculous but it's the truth. Research shows that monounsaturated fats aid in banishing belly fat but that is not the same with saturated and trans-fats which are usually unhealthy and often found in processed foods. The great thing about monounsaturated fats is that they taste really good and can keep you full for a long time. Some great sources of monounsaturated fats are (Avocado, Olive oil, Oily fish like -Salmon, Mackerel, Sardine, Tuna-, Nuts (as listed above), etc). Like with the nuts, be careful of calories from fat.

WALK OUT, WORK OUT & EXERCISE:

Yea, you got that right, iSaid "walk-out and work out" because on the spot exercises do not do much for belly fat. 5000 sit ups, leg lifts and tummy crunches daily will not remove or even significantly reduce belly fat.
To lose and/or reduce belly fat you need to engage in moderate to high intensity exercises as research shows that cardiovascular exercises actually target belly fat especially the no-good visceral fat which is deep within the belly. So, to lose belly fat, concentrate on exercises that are intense and when you have done that you can then start doing the crunches and sit ups to tighten the stomach muscles. Ensure you exercise at least 30 minutes 4 to 6 times a week and start slowly and gently till you work up your strength, resistance and stamina.

If you are the typical couch potato start slowly with moderate exercises 30 minutes, 4-6 times weekly and work it up gradually to 45 mins, then an hour and also intensify your work out routine. If you are a more active person, try exercise/workout routines that are relatively short but pretty intense, these type of routines may last only 20-30 minutes but they are sure to blast belly fat in no time and also preserves muscle mass better than more prolonged activities.

**Losing belly fat is a combination of diet and exercise and though you can lose belly fat by dieting alone, you can NEVER lose belly fat by exercise alone.*** (just had to repeat it). However, you CAN NEVER tighten stomach muscles by diet, you MUST exercise to get that done.

Tomorrow, we'll spend some time discussing and describing the perfect exercises that target belly fat.

I love you for reading

#DIETCHIC

DEAR MEN, WEIGHT LOSS TIPS FOR YOU (1)

Dear Men, Dudes, Blokes, Guys, Chairmen, Ogas, Bros...whatever your choice title, this is for you. For the benefit of those who keep mailing to ask if there's nothing in particular for them.

Darlings, this is for you and the smart woman/women in your life *wink* who can take note of these tips and help you achieve them.

Let me begin by pointing out that although most of you think and actually believe you can eat and/or drink what you like, when you like, how you like and lose great remarkable weight just by going to the gym, you are abso-total-utely wrong.
That's a big ding!!! on the #dietchic buzzer because you can never burn as much calories as you consume even if you worked out 8days a week. However, that does not mean workouts/exercises are unimportant.

My dear men, weight loss is not about killing yourself in the gym and lifting the heaviest weights. It's about watching what you eat, how you eat it and when you eat it. #fact

To lose weight especially around the midriff, I challenge you to apply the #DIETCHIC top 10 weight loss tips for men, just for one month and let's keep talking as we go on


DONT SKIP BREAKFAST:

When you sleep, your body swings into rest mode, so does your metabolism and after you wake up, your metabolism stays down waiting to be told what to do. Food in says we're good start working. No food says, we're in danger of starvation conserve what we have and thus your body stores fat so you need breakfast to jump-start your metabolism. Skipping breakfast equates fasting so your body stops producing enzymes needed to metabolize fat to enable you lose weight.


WORK-OUT/EXERCISE:

Every man I know wants a great body and the moment they hit the gym they walk straight to the weights and start lifting but that's the wrongest place to begin your work-out, that "bellee" (tummy) ain't going like that. Hey, I'm not saying don't lift weights but be sure to get professional fitness advise or instructions. The way a balanced diet is important, a balanced work-out routine is equally important. In as much as I advice you don't go crazy and/or wild with it, the one Saturday/Sunday morning mini football tournament with your friends does not qualify as enough work-out for the week or even month as the case may be *wink*

FRUITS AND VEGGIES:

Eat them daily, eat them fresh and if you so crave juice, use your blender. No cans, no bottles, no packets. It says Sugar free? Pure juice? Real juice? Natural juice? No additives?... I say, DON'T TOUCH IT! Canning, bottling, packing destroys nutrients and many manufacturers are dishonest about real contents. In subsequent posts we will discuss that in details, just keep reminding me. You need about 2servings of fruit and veggies in your daily diet. Remind me to teach you what that means later.


SNACK WISELY:

Contrary to general thought, most of you men are sweet toothed and love to snack. Cookies, cakes, chocolate, chicken wings, biscuits, groundnuts, etc. If that midriff must 'be gone' then you have to become a Solomon in your snacking. Most snacks are nutritionally useless so switch to healthy alternatives -raw nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower, dried raisins, etc), fruits, veggies, fat free yoghurt, etc.

SWEAR BY PROTEIN, LIVE BY PROTEIN:

Like I stated earlier, most of you men, like a great body and would love some muscle mass, so let me introduce you to your new best nutrient friend -Protein! Protein is the main "muscle building nutrient". It is totally the best source for most of your daily calories. It helps you feel fuller for longer, helps speed up your metabolism, keeps your appetite in check and is essential for work-out and exercise. Subsequently, I'll give you a list of protein rich foods.

CHECK IN TOMORROW FOR PART 2 OF THIS POST.

#DIETCHIC