Fighting Fat Belly - Health - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Health / Fighting Fat Belly (1050 Views)
4 Ways To Loose Fat Belly Fast / ATTENTION: Do You Have UGLY FAT Belly And Want To Get Rid Of It ? / ATTENTION: Do You Have UGLY FAT Belly And Want To Get Rid Of It ? (2) (3) (4)
| Fighting Fat Belly by smartigo: 2:32pm On Apr 06, 2015 |
One thing everyone should know is that losing belly fat shouldn’t just be done to to look better. Those “love handles” aren’t just unattractive, carrying that extra weight around the abdomen is really bad for your health. It is so much worse to carry weight on your middle rather than carrying weight on your hips or thighs, and it is a key indicator of a hormonal imbalance. If you have struggled to lose weight or keep it off, your hormones are could very likley be the problem. Your hormones play a part in every aspect of weight loss including your metabolism, where you store your fat, your appetite and even your cravings. Any form of hormonal imbalance will sabotage weight loss efforts, regardless of your diet and exercise habits. Hormones That Trigger Belly Fat Abdominal fat also sets the stage for aging, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. A program to get rid of this stubborn fat must include proper diet, exercise, sleep and motivation, as all of these components work well to boost fat loss. First lets break down each of the hormonal players in this process, and list the suggestions for that will help get you back on track. Extra belly fat can indicate one or more of the following hormonal imbalances: High Insulin High Estrogen Low Testosterone High Cortisol Low DHEA Low Growth Hormone Controlling Insulin Levels Insulin is an essential substance that helps process sugar in the bloodstream and carry it to cells where it is used as fuel, or stored as fat. Having high blood insulin levels is a risk factor for developing belly fat as well as, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The primary cause if high insulin levels is excess intake of sugar or refined carbohydrates typical of many diets today. This includes nutrient-poor items such as processed foods, sugary drinks and sodas, packaged low-fat foods, along with insufficient protein & fiber intake and inadequate “good” fat consumption. Insulin resistance can also be attributed to a lack of exercise, overindulging in alcohol, too much stress, a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and excess body fat, especially around the abdomen. Chronically high levels of insulin can lead to a pre-diabetic condition called metabolic syndrome, otherwise known as insulin resistance which only furthers weight gain. It is currently estimated that 1 out of every 4 North Americans has insulin resistance. Foods To Help A study published in Diabetes Care (March 2002) found a higher-protein diet helps to shed stubborn belly fat, as researchers compared a high-protein diet with a low-protein diet in 54 obese men and women with type 2 diabetes. Those on the high-protein diet had significantly greater reductions in total and abdominal fat mass and a greater reduction in LDL cholesterol. By trying to get about 20 to 25 grams per meal and about 15 to 20 grams per snack for women, and an extra 10 g of protein per meal and 5 g per snack for men, is a good place to start depending on your body size and workout schedule. Higher protein intake keeps blood sugar balanced and insulin levels low which is a must for appetite control and fat loss. Protein also packs a hormonal punch because it stimulates the fat-burning and appetite-controlling hormones when we consume it in the right amounts. Your best protein options are lean, organic forms like chicken, turkey, low-fat cheese, such as ricotta or cottage cheese, omega-3 eggs and shellfish, such as scallops that are 100% protein. Eating more dark green vegetables and fiber-rich, whole-grain foods, while consuming less alcohol and foods containing trans fats and added sugars is also super helpful in controlling insulin levels. Controlling Estrogen Levels Estrogen dominance occurs when estrogen levels in the body are at a much higher level than other sex hormones, mainly progesterone. Symptoms of estrogen dominance are obesity, with fat accumulating in the mid-section, fibrocystic breasts and ovaries, menstrual irregularity, headaches and often breast cancer. Abdominal fat in men increases the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. As estrogen levels increase, so does the tendency to accumulate more abdominal fat, as does the risk of prostate cancer. A premenopausal woman with high levels of estrogen will likely have PMS, too much body fat around the hips and difficulty losing weight. Men ans well as menopausal women can experience low libido, memory loss, poor motivation, depression, loss of muscle mass, and increased belly fat. Foods To Help One easy way to help control the level of estrogen in the body is through your diet. Plant foods contain natural chemicals called phytonutrients or phytochemicals. These chemicals help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats, but have also been studied for their estrogen-like activity. Two nutrients known as isoflavonoids (genistein and daidzien, from soybeans) and lignans (from nuts and flax seeds) are converted by the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract into compounds that have estrogen-like properties. To derive the most benefit from these phytonutrients the flora of the intestinal tract must be in a healthy balance. Unfortunately, the intestinal flora is killed off by many drugs that women commonly use, especially antibiotics. Phytoestrogen content varies in different foods, and may vary significantly within the same group of foods. Some food richest in phytoestrogen content are nuts, seeds, soy products, and legumes. Flaxseed and other oilseeds contained the highest total phytoestrogen content, followed by soybean, soy milk, tempeh and tofu. But you can also find them in sesame seeds, wheat, berries, oats, barley, dried beans, lentils, yams, rice, alfalfa, mung beans, apples, carrots, pomegranates, wheat germ, rice bran, ginseng, fennel and anise. Raising Testosterone Levels Testosterone is a male sex hormone that affects more than just sex drive. This hormone is also responsible for bone and muscle health, sperm production, and hair growth. Testosterone levels tend to taper off as we age, but also if we become obese or too stressed. Testosterone levels are caused to decrease as abdominal fat converts it to estrogen, and also with increasing stress. While you are under stress, your body will tend to make more stress hormone (cortisol) than testosterone. Today men are experiencing testosterone decline much earlier in life, which is quite an alarming finding, considering low testosterone has been linked to depression, obesity, osteoporosis, heart disease and even death. Researchers from the University of Washington found that men with low testosterone are more likely to develop a pot belly and other body fat. They also found that testosterone may prompt the loss of body fat when deficient levels are replaced. Other signs that you may have low testosterone levels include a loss of muscle tissue, and decreased strength, stamina, drive and motivation. Low testosterone or low T, is often medically treated to prevent future health problems, but you can also consume more testosterone-boosting foods as a natural complement to low T treatments. Foods That Help Oysters: These contain zinc, which in addition to increasing testosterone, increases muscle growth, physical endurance, and sperm production. Broccoli Garlic Bananas Brazil nuts Eggs Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium, but it’s also important for bone health, the immune system, and many other body functions. Vitamin D is also linked to longer life and testosterone production. A study from Hormone and Metabolic Research found that healthy, overweight men who were involved in a weight reduction program experienced higher testosterone levels after receiving vitamin D every day for a year. Source: http://thescienceofeating.com/2015/03/25/reset-hormones-to-blast-belly-fat/ |
| Re: Fighting Fat Belly by fckmn24seg(m): 2:55pm On Apr 06, 2015 |
Nice but I could not read to end |
| Re: Fighting Fat Belly by smartigo: 1:18pm On Apr 08, 2015 |
^^ Believe me,this is educative and informative as well. Focus on your area of interest and utilise it for your own good. I learned and felt it was good sharing for the benefit of others. Peace! |
| Re: Fighting Fat Belly by mimilogistics: 1:08pm On Oct 10, 2021 |
highly informative |
(1) (Reply)
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE- Major Cause Of Infertility In Women / Staphylococcus Is Killing Me Slowly / Avoid Eating These Types Of Food Before Bedtime
(Go Up)
| Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 34 |