Here are some results from a search around the web for easy ways to
shed a toxic buddha belly: balance yourself, drink milk, take DHEA,
or exercise. I also made a great find, this blog has info from all
over about everything: http://www.fitfaq.com
Make sure you are in balance
The Flat Abs Diet: Lose belly fat fast! (From Shape Magazine, Fall 2004)
Just can't get rid of your flabby belly, even though you do sit-ups
and crunches until you're ready to drop? Maybe you're so mortified by
the condition of your abs that you've relegated your bikini and
low-rise jeans to the dark recesses of your closet.
Before you dump on (or just plain dump) your workout for not giving
you killer abs, you should know the real culprit may be your diet — or
even your high-stress lifestyle.
If you want to go from fat to fab abs, new research shows that what
you eat is just as important as how — or even how much — you work out.
And lifestyle counts, too, because stress doesn't just mess with your
head, it also can induce a pooch.
Following are six strategies from the country's leading weight-loss,
nutrition and stress experts, all designed to get you flat abs in just
four weeks, plus three delicious, lowfat recipes that will fill you up
without making you look or feel bloated.
Tip 1. Eat more fiber.
Not eating enough fiber may be a major reason women are getting fatter
and flabbier. To ditch the fat and show off firm, beautiful abs, you
need to eat at least 25 grams of fiber daily, says leading fiber
researcher David J.A. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., professor of
nutrition at the University of Toronto, and a member of the National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) Food and Nutrition Board. Fiber, which is
the indigestible part of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain foods,
helps you achieve flat abs for three reasons:
The "bulk" factor Fiber is like a dry sponge. When it combines with
the water in your digestive tract, it makes everything move through
more quickly.
The "fill" factor Because high-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables
supply plenty of bulk to your meals without adding a lot of calories,
they keep you feeling full longer and help you lose weight, according
to a study at the Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University.
Researchers concluded that lowfat diets work only if they're also high
in fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, all of
which fill you up on fewer calories and less fat. In contrast, lowfat
diets that are low in fiber and high in sugar, salt and preservatives
can lead to bloating and weight gain.
In a study conducted by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., a professor at Penn
State University and co-author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan
(HarperTorch, 2003), subjects who ate vegetables as part of their
meals consumed about 100 fewer calories and didn't make up for the
caloric deficit later. While saving 100 calories a day may not sound
like much, it translates into losing 10 pounds in one year. Use just
this one trick — and there goes your tummy!
The "chew" factor "High-fiber foods require more chewing and take
longer to eat," explains Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., author of the
American Dietetic Association Guide to Better Digestion (John Wiley &
Sons, 2003). "Because your mouth is more involved in the eating of
high-fiber foods, you feel more satisfied with a high-fiber meal."
How to add fiber to your diet comfortably One cautionary note: It's
important to add fiber slowly but consistently to prevent gas. "Make
higher-fiber choices throughout the day; don't have all your fiber in
one bunch," Jenkins says. "This is particularly important with viscous
fiber — a type of soluble fiber found in beans, oats and barley that
also has the benefit of lowering blood cholesterol," he says.
For best results, increase your fiber intake slowly over the course of
one month and drink plenty of water to keep food moving through your
system as quickly as possible.
Tip 2. Opt for a sensible amount of high-quality carbs.
For flatter abs, make carbs 45-65 percent (202-292 grams based on an
1,800-calorie diet) of your total daily calories. Balance is the key
here, so don't go below 45 percent (202 grams), or above 65 percent
(292 grams), which can lead to water retention, bloating and temporary
weight gain that shows up in your middle.
When you eat carbs, they break down into glucose, which is stored as
glycogen in the muscles and liver. When glycogen is stored, it carries
with it three times its own weight as water, compared to no water at
all for protein and fat, according to Peter Garlick, Ph.D., a
professor at Stony Brook University in New York. If you eat an
extremely high-carb diet, you may store excess water, experience
bloating and gain temporary water weight. (This is why people who go
on no- or very low-carb diets can initially lose weight so quickly.
They're really just losing water.) To avoid bloating and weight gain
caused by consuming too many or the wrong kind of carbs, follow these
tips:
- Fill up on fruits and vegetables. These are the least
bloat-promoting foods because they contain plenty of water and fewer
carbs and calories for their volume.
- Avoid high-carb/empty-calorie foods like fast food, snack cakes,
cookies and candy. These foods are high in simple carbs and sodium,
which cause bloating and weight gain, and are low in fiber and
nutrients.
- Focus on balanced eating. For best results, eat at least three to
five 4-ounce servings of veggies (15-25 grams of carbs); two to four
4-ounce servings of fruit (30-60 grams of carbs) and about 1 cup (8
ounces cooked or 2 ounces dry, or 2 slices of bread) of whole grains
per meal (90 grams per day).
- Make sure you eat enough calories, from complex carbs, lean protein
and healthy fats. If you don't get an adequate number of calories
(most women require at least 1,800 per day to lose weight, 2,000 to
maintain and 2,400 or more if they're very active), you risk
temporarily lowering your metabolism, which can also bring on
bloating.
A good guideline: Don't cut any more than 250-500 calories below what
you need to maintain your weight, advises C. Wayne Callaway, M.D., a
metabolic specialist in Washington, D.C.
Tip 3. Drink up!
Many women believe that drinking too much water will give them puffy
abs, but just the opposite is true. "Even though we associate water
with being bloated, drinking more water can help to flush sodium out
of the body, and that reduces the bloat," said Jeff Hampl, Ph.D.,
R.D., nutrition researcher and assistant professor at Arizona State
University.
An easy way to tell if you're drinking enough is by checking the color
and quantity of your urine. If it's pale yellow and high volume,
you're doing OK. If it's dark and scant and/or you're thirsty, you're
very likely to be dehydrated. Follow these tips to stay hydrated and
healthy:
- Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Beverages
with little or no calories, caffeine or sodium, including herbal tea,
are best. Avoid regular soft drinks and soups with lots of sodium. If
you are eating plenty of water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables
and low-sodium soups, you can get half of your water requirements from
foods, according to a 1998 NAS Food and Nutrition Board report.
- Avoid carbonated drinks. Fizzy drinks, including soda pop and
spritzers, increase bloating because the carbon dioxide trapped in the
bubbles creates gas, which slows down stomach emptying.
- Watch your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Both are natural
diuretics, which increase fluid loss and don't replace your body
fluids as effectively as water, juice and caffeine- and alcohol-free
beverages. Because they promote dehydration, alcohol and caffeine also
can fatten abs.
Tip 4. Watch the sodium.
Sodium may have a bad rep, but it's essential for regulating body
fluids and blood pressure as well as for nerve transmission, muscle
function and absorption of important nutrients. But even a small
amount of excess sodium causes bloating.
According to the NAS, the average woman needs only 500 milligrams of
sodium a day. Most of us get more than six times that, or 3,000-6,000
milligrams per day. The consequence of all this sodium — most of which
is consumed as salt and preservatives in processed foods, fast foods
and restaurant foods — isn't pretty for your abs. That's because where
sodium goes, water follows.
When you eat a high-sodium meal, say, from your favorite Chinese
takeout at 3,000 milligrams per entree, your body responds by
retaining water. This results in edema and, possibly, a rise in blood
pressure. Sodium's visible traces are outlined the next day when you
stand sideways in your full-length mirror: major B-L-O-A-T! Even
though it's temporary, that's no consolation when you want to wear
something revealing that day. Here's how to keep your sodium intake at
a healthy level:
- The American Heart Association recommends you consume no more than
2,400 milligrams of sodium daily — roughly 1 teaspoon of table salt.
That's enough sodium to replenish your supply even if you work up a
major sweat.
- Choose fresh, natural foods over fast, commercial or packaged foods.
Instead of ordering french fries (265 milligrams of sodium), have a
baked potato (8 milligrams). Instead of a pickle (1,730 milligrams!),
enjoy a fresh cucumber (6 milligrams). And beware of cured meats:
Three ounces of ham packs in 1,009 milligrams of sodium, compared to
just 48 milligrams for the same amount of roast pork. Soups are also
notoriously high in sodium; some canned varieties contain more than
1,100 milligrams per cup. Read labels carefully and stick with
low-sodium brands like Healthy Choice.
Tip 5. Eat light at night.
It never fails: You have a heavier-than-normal evening meal or snack,
and when you weigh yourself the next morning, you're up by several
pounds. But as depressing as it may seem at the moment, such a quick
gain is always water weight; you simply cannot gain that much fat
overnight.
Evening eating is often the most problematic for women, as it can be
related more to emotional issues than to real hunger. You're tired,
lonely, bored, anxious; you want to relax or reward yourself after a
tough day. But indulge too many nights in a row and that temporary
water gain becomes permanent fat gain — and fatter abs.
In a study conducted by Callaway, people who skipped breakfast or
lunch and ate their largest meal later in the day had lower
metabolisms. So by eating light at night you'll receive a double
benefit: You'll wake up with a flatter tummy, and you'll also have a
better appetite for a fiber-rich breakfast, which sets you up for a
day of healthful eating. Some tips to get you started:
- Eat five times a day. Your body needs food every three to four
hours, so instead of eating three large meals, try to schedule five
smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
(breakfast-snack-lunch-snack-dinner). By staying full and energized,
you'll avoid hunger pangs, maintain an even energy flow, make better,
healthier food choices (no bingeing or craving) and enjoy the most
efficient burning of calories.
- Eat two-thirds of your calories before dinner. Your body needs
calories when you're active, not at night, when your natural rhythm is
slowing down. Make sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner to keep
your metabolism revved.
- If you have to eat at night because you're hungry, stick with fruit,
vegetables and other foods that are low in fat, calories and sodium.
Tip 6. Reduce stress.
Research shows that stress triggers the hormone cortisol to turn up
your appetite and deposit fat around the organs in your abdomen.
Pamela Peeke, M.D., M.P.H., author of Fight Fat After Forty (Penguin,
2000) calls this "toxic weight," because it's associated with heart
disease, diabetes and cancer.
"Worrying over an issue that will not go away can lead to prolonged
increases in your cortisol," says Peeke. "That means one heck of a
stress-related appetite and fat abs." To reduce stress-related eating,
try these tips:
- Move it to lose it. A recent study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center in Seattle showed cardiovascular exercise is
especially effective in reducing midsection weight gain.
- Chill out. When you feel stress building, take a few moments to
breathe deeply and regroup.
Try DHEA
How to Lose Belly Fat: Latest Secrets from the Research Labs
by David L. Kern
Abdominal fat is now seen as a growing health hazard, an indicator
and contributor to "Syndrome X," or metabolic syndrome. The risks
of metabolic syndrome go far beyond a bulge at your waistline,
and include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
and diabetes.
If you're over 40, it's time to get serious about reducing your
abdominal fat. Not just for your waistline, but to dramatically
reduce your risk of chronic disease.
How to Lose Belly Fat: Secret #2 - DHEA
DHEA is a human hormone that has also been found in certain types
of yams. While some of the research on DHEA and fat loss is
inconclusive, a new study published in the prestigious JAMA
(Journal of the American Medical Association) in 2004 is turning
heads.
In the JAMA study, 28 men and 28 women, ranging from 65 to 78
years of age, took 50 mg. of non-prescription DHEA for 6 months.
The DHEA treatment produced "significant decreases" in both
abdominal fat and ordinary fat. In addition, insulin sensitivity
was also substantially improved.
The researchers concluded that "DHEA replacement could play a
role in prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome
associated with abdominal obesity." Primarily, I would add, in
elderly people- or people with low levels of DHEA.
DHEA levels are known to decline with age. The older you are, the
more likely that DHEA will help you reduce belly fat. Your doctor
can also do a blood test for DHEA levels.
The theory of hormone replacement therapy, which links your
body's gradual loss of certain hormones to aging and age-related
disease, has a lot of established medical proof. In its narrowest
sense, HRT is means replacing estrogen in menopausal women. But
the broader picture of HRT includes human growth hormone,
melatonin, sex hormones, and DHEA.
If you are still young, you probably have adequate levels of most
or all of these hormones. There would be no sense in giving you
more, because you are not yet "deficient."
The key to HRT, especially as it relates to aging, is to return
your hormone levels to a more youthful profile. Levels similar to
what you had when you were, say, 25 years old. Before most of us
were worried about diabetes, heart disease, or our bulging bellies.
Just as low levels of this hormone can be a problem, too much
DHEA can also cause problems. Ask your doctor about the blood
test before you supplement.
Copyright (c) 2005 David L. Kern
Exercise, Damnit!
Exercise a Must for Losing Deep Belly Fat
Diabetic Women Can't Rely on Diet Alone, Study Shows
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, March 04, 2005
March 4, 2005 -- When a woman with type 2 diabetes wants to lose her
belly, exercise is her best friend.
Even if she diets perfectly, eating all the right foods in ideal
amounts, her waistline may not budge unless she works out. Exercise is
required to lose excess fat deep in the abdomen, says a new study.
Why is it so important to lose abdominal fat? Researchers have shown
that having even a little extra fat in the wrong places can increase
the chances of developing disease. Fat deep in the abdomen, called
visceral fat, poses a greater health risk than fat on other parts of
the body, such as the hips.
Exercise has already been shown to help obese people without diabetes
lose visceral fat. Now, the verdict is in for overweight diabetic
women: Get moving to get rid of this dangerous fat.
Fat metabolism is altered in women with type 2 diabetes, write the
researchers. That's why they focused their study on the effects of
exercise in obese women with type 2 diabetes.
Focusing on Food and Fitness
Thirty-three obese, postmenopausal women participated. On average,
they were about 57 years old and had had diabetes for at least one
year.
The women were in for a major change when they enrolled in the 14-week
study. None had dieted or exercised regularly in a year.
The women were divided into three groups. Some women were given a
low-calorie diet high in healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil.
The dieting women also got nutritional consultation, a week's worth of
menu ideas, and a weekly meeting for motivation and support.
Another group was given a supervised aerobic exercise program
consisting of walking 50 minutes three times a week, occasionally
doing other activities for variety. The third group followed both
programs.
Before and after the study the women got MRI scans to see how much
visceral fat they had.
Diet alone did not reduce visceral fat. Only exercise alone or
exercise plus dieting reduced visceral fat.
The researchers say their study demonstrates the importance of
exercise in reducing visceral fat in the treatment of women with type
2 diabetes.
The study appears in the March issue of The Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCES: Giannopoulou, I. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism, March 2005; vol 90: pp 1511-1518. WebMD Feature: "Diabetes
Origin: Free Fatty Acids?"
Drink Milk!
Milk Helps to Loose Belly Fat
on Tuesday, August 02 @ 14:49:41 EDT
Three people put milk to the test. Low Chromium Increases Risk of Heart Attack
The dairy industry is touting studies that suggest including three
daily servings of low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese in your diet may not
only help you lose weight but also help you target and burn belly fat,
which has been shown to increase the risk for diabetes and heart
disease.
WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh put the "milk diet" to the test by recruiting
three station employees to drink 24 ounces of milk daily. Melissa
Seegert said she has tried just about any fad diet that comes in a
pill. She's also tried the Atkins diet and the South Beach diet.
Heather Emmons, who already exercises and tries to eat right, wanted
to lose a few extra pounds for an upcoming wedding.
Jason Minor weighed in at 260 pounds with a 48-inch waist. Minor tried
the 1,600-calorie meal plan provided in the diet and added three
glasses of low-fat chocolate milk.
Seegert went on a 1,500-calorie plan and started walking and working
out, adding three glasses of skim milk per day.
Emmons kept her routine the same but added 16 ounces of skim milk for
breakfast and eight ounces at night. After four weeks, our volunteers
weighed in. Minor had lost five pounds and an inch around his waist.
He said he noticed a big difference in how he was looking. "I think
the milk did make a difference, because even when I cheated, my
waistline started going down," Minor said.
Seegert also lost five pounds and 2 inches at the waist. She said she
was surprised because she doesn't do sit-ups or anything like that.
Emmons was also down five pounds, losing 2 inches around both her
abdomen and waist. She said she could tell through the four weeks that
she felt better.
Would calcium supplements work? No, said Lesli Bonci, a nutritionist
at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dairy products have
three key ingredients. "It is the calcium, the protein and conjugated
linoleic acid that happen to be present in dairy foods," Bonci said.
"It seems all of these things working together in synergy impact on
the body's ability to lose weight."
If you plan to try the milk diet, experts said what you don't want to
do is just add the extra milk calories on top of what you're already
eating.
Substitute instead. For instance, replace a glass of morning juice
with milk. Don't have both.
According to Bonci, the milk diet kills two birds with one stone.
Bonci said the diet optimizes bone health and, at the same time, it
might be minimizing the middle.
Another benefit: Milk tends to fill you up so you don't feel as hungry.
Of course, this diet would not be for people who are allergic or have
intolerance to dairy products.
from www.diabetesincontrol.com
