Here are 7 lifestyle issues that could be having an impact on your ability to lose belly fat with more ease. by Jeanne Peters RD
1) Include lean quality protein every time you eat.
This is key to maintain a higher metabolic rate and to fuel your brain and body for several hours. Good sources include no hormone added, grass fed meats such as New Zealand lamb, Bison, buffalo, free range eggs, fresh turkey and chicken, whey protein. Aim to include some non-meat sources such as beans, lentils, and hemp seed also. Aim to eat at least half of your ideal body weight in grams of protein every day. For example: 150lb person would consume about 75 grams of protein/day in divided doses throughout the day.
2) Get an Oil Change! At least 35-40% of your diet ought to come from quality fatsources to improve cell membranes – the actual “brain” of your cell. This will help improve insulin and hormone sensitivity. Your saturated fat should come from your animal products and a little butter or coconut oil for cooking. Your monounsaturated fats should come from avocado, walnuts, olives/olive oil. And your polyunsaturated fat sources include fish oil and seeds like flax, hemp and chia. Aim to get a serving at every mealfor increased satiety and fullness.
3) Make Your Carbohydrates Count. At every meal and snack, aim for a delicious selection of colorful veggies, fruit and smaller amounts of high fiber, starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, yams, artichokes for sustained energy. After a good workout, reward your body with a generous serving of carb’s within 1-2 hours of exercise to replete your muscles for your next workout, you might also want to research something like a hgh supplement to increase your natural growth hormone. Research indicates that 1 out of 3 people may be sensitive togluten – a protein found it wheat, rye and barley. Substitute non-gluten grains such as oats,quinoa and brown rice instead. Want to decrease cravings? Interested in the fast track tofat loss? Remember, insulin is a fat storage hormone. The lower your insulin levels – the more you burn fat for energy. The more processed carbs are consumed the higher insulin levels lead to stored belly fat.
4) Heal Your Hormones: Keeping hormone levels in optimal, not just normal range, is key to healthy fat loss, improved sense of well-being, better energy and libido. Youmust be tested to know where you stand. Stress Hormones: These include cortisol and DHEA which must be in balance forefficient fat loss and increased muscle mass. To regulate, get 7-8 hours of slee,particularly between 11 and 1 am when adrenal hormones are restored. Researchindicates getting less than 6 hours of sleep raises Grehlin (which increases appetite)15% and lowers Leptin (which decreases appetite). It also elevates cortisol (the fight/flight hormone) and decreases serotonin (the neurotransmitter responsible forwell-being). Thyroid Hormones: These regulate metabolism, fat burning, and bodytemperature. To know if your thyroid hormones are out of balance, test for TSH, T3and T4. We use Labrix for testing key salivary hormones. Ask us about their test kits.
5) Heal Your Gut to Lose Your Gut: Research estimates say as much as 60% of the population may have a hidden food sensitivity –particularly to gluten, soy, wheat, and other common healthy foods you enjoy and crave daily.Not sure? Ditch the wheat for 10 days and see how you look and feel or Get Tested!
6) Your Beverages? Make them Matter. Ditch the calorie containing drinks like fruit juice, soda or that extra glass of wine. Your absolute best choices are mineral or filtered water, green and herbal teas with lemon. Aim to cut down or eliminate artificially sweetened drinks- the research shows they feed the “fat bugs” in our gut. How much fluids is ideal? Aim to drink half your ideal body weight in water or herb tea each day or about 7-8 cups/day.
7) Optimize Your Exercise: Aim for the metabolic effect of resistance and strength training along with some high intensity cardio to increase metabolism and re-shape your body. Adding high intensity, short duration interval training can improve your ability to burn fat for up to 24 hours without raising your cortisol levels. It will naturally increase Human Growth Hormone which is associated with healthy aging and longer telomeres.