Losing tummy fat seems to be the holy grail of weight loss. 

Why does it just seem to stick to our middles forever … and in many cases, keep GROWING??!!  The answer can be quite simple, and I believe it’s fair to say that the solution is not necessarily simple.

What I mean by that is that the simple solution to losing tummy fat is to burn more calories than we eat.  Many of us know that.  The content below contains the secrets, tips and ideas to make it as easy as possible for you to successfully lose belly fat.  The KEY is for you to have the motivation, discipline and confidence to make changes in your life.  We are here to help with your daily fitness training tips.

1)       Drink lots of water. You’ll not only enjoy losing tummy fat, but you’ll have more energy, less body aches and pains, less injuries, and be less hungry.  Some experts recommend 64 ounces a day.  If you’re awake for 16 hours, that’s 8 ounces of water every 2 hours.  When I was training for the Olympic trials in the Marathon, I used to set my running watch alarm to ring every hour.  That was my reminder to drink a half glass of water.  You don’t want to drink too much water and leach the minerals and nutrients out of your body by drinking a huge glass of water only when you’re super thirsty  … just keep well hydrated by drinking small amounts of water regularly.

2)      Eat small meals or snacks regularly. Many experts recommend eating 5 meals or snacks a day instead of the traditional 3.  This way you stave off hunger, you can eat smaller meals and actually have lower caloric intake without being hungry.  Whenever your body feels hunger, due to our ancestral genetic code, our bodies change our metabolism to slow down and we actually store more fat.  How wonderful is that to lose weight and not be hungry?  Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, oatmeal … are full of fiber and low in calories – a wonderful snack every time!

3)      Eat more healthy fats. Basically avoid saturated fats like lard, butter, animal fats.  If you eat meat, be sure to remove the skin or blobs of fat before cooking or eating.  Any fat that is a solid at room temperature is not good for you.  Olive oil is a nice cooking vehicle if you want something fried or sautéed.  Nuts, flax seeds, fish, fish oils, seeds and avocados contain healthy fats as well.  This is another of those counter-intuitive facts.  It seems like if we eat less fat, we’ll burn more.  The truth is that our bodies need healthy fats to survive and if we don’t ingest healthy fat, our bodies will not only hold on to the fat we have, but actually may convert sugars to fats.  Our brains and nervous systems not only require, but thrive on healthy fats.

4)      Eat less processed foods, sugars and consume less alcohol. These are all commonly referred to as “empty calories” and our bodies easily convert them to fat whenever we eat more than we burn through our daily metabolism and exercise.  Corn syrup is a big cause of obesity in our world.  Check ingredient labels for ingredients to avoid like sugar, corn syrup, processed flour.  You’ll see lots of our fitness training tips that include advice on eating raw unprocessed foods as much as possible.  Check out our delicious nutritional recipes and healthy foods for a lean menu for more great ideas to help you lose weight and get super healthy and fit.

5)      Work out in the morning. Even if it’s for only 15 minutes, it’s a great way to kick start your metabolism and keep it higher throughout the day.  Your body will also burn more fat if you work out before eating breakfast.  Many professional athletes and body builders use this secret.   It’s also a healthier way to wake up than coffee.  Do a 5 minute warmup, then ten minutes of cardio or weights.  You can do more, of course, but getting started is often the hardest part.  The other great advantage is that if you get your exercise in early in the morning, you can’t get too busy, tired or interrupted to do your workout.  Check out our body weight exercises and workouts for great exercises you can do anywhere, anyplace, for free and with no equipment!

6)      Stay motivated. Work out with a friend, exercise at times of the day when you have the most energy, keep a journal of your daily food intake and exercise … these are a few of the great tips to keep you going and on a life path of better and better health and fitness.   If you haven’t already, you can sign up for our free daily fitness (FREE) tips today and stay motivated all year round!

Understanding Tummy Fat and How to Lose It for GOOD!

Tummy fat can be stubborn, annoying and persistent, refusing to shift even after the strictest diet routine. Many people become very frustrated with it but to combat tummy fat you must understand what it embodies. It can be a problem for even the thinnest person and can be a silent health threat. Let’s look at what it is all about:

Location, Location, Location

Body fat behaves very differently in different parts of the body, hence why fat in certain areas can pose a risk. Fat that sits just under the skin is called subcutaneous fat and is relatively harmless. It is the obvious fat we try to hide. Visceral fat sits deeper inside around the vital organs.  Fat around the tummy or belly area must be managed and lost over time, as this is a danger sign for heart disease or even high blood pressure.

Treat it like an organ

Fat does not sit around and wait for you to burn it off. It secretes many different substances, some of which can affect the surrounding organs. Visceral fat is important to cushion our vital organs but can also be detrimental to neighboring organs by infecting them with offensive substances.

What to do?

Everyone has tummy fat and visceral fat for that matter. It does not matter how much you weigh or what size you are. It is important to be aware of it and control it however and you can do this in four key ways: diet, sleep, stress management and exercise.

Diet: When you lose weight, tummy fat is usually the first to go, resulting in control of the visceral fat.  A fiber-rich diet has also proven to help reduce the build up of visceral fat.

Sleep: Try to sleep between 6 and 7 hours to reduce your chances of gaining visceral fat. People who sleep for less than 5 hours or over 8 hours are more likely to build up visceral fat.

Stress management: High levels of stress have been connected to visceral fat build up in the body. Controlling your reactions to everyday stresses in your personal life can really help you reduce a build up. Exercise, meditation and the simple effort of seeing good friends helps to reduce stress levels.  If you’re stressed, remember to take some nice slow deep breaths and relax …

Exercise: Vigorous cardio-vascular exercise in the gym can help reduce visceral fat in the body.  As much as resistance training is important to routine, cardio has proven to reduce visceral fat specifically. Raise you heart rate for 30 minutes 3 times a week by running, hiking or playing a sport like football.  I’m also a big fan of doing exercises or workouts that only use your bodyweight – that way there are no excuses – you can work out any time, anywhere with no equipment!