How to lose the post pregnancy belly fat and get a flat belly again is challenging for some people. To make matters worse, 50% of women who lose weight and get a flat belly manage to gain back the weight they've lost in 6 months!
Everybody knows this yo-yo effect is no good. The good news is that science has found 10 simple, ground breaking solutions for lasting weight loss. Sounds great to me! I'm sure it does to you too. Here is what the top experts in the field have come up with.
Tip #1-Make your fat burn fat. Now, that's pretty unique isn't it? I haven't heard of that one before now. It seems that our bodies have two kinds of fat, white and brown. White is the bad fat and brown is the good fat. It's the brown fat that helps you burn up those ugly calories. Aaron M, Cypess, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School, says that "Up to 80% of adults have brown fat deposits in their bodies." Even better, once the brown fat gets fired up, as little as 2 ounces can burn up to 20% of your body's calories! What's the best easy to get the brown fat machine going full speed? Well, it turns out it is just exercise. If you exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week, you will turn on the cool brown fat burning machine!
Tip #2-Take your vitamin D. In a recent study done at the University of Minnesota, researchers found that people who started their weight loss program with higher levels of vitamin D lost more weight in comparison to those who weren't getting enough. Vitamin D helps your body know it's full. It is hard to get the entire vitamin you need from food, so you may need to supplement. The daily recommendation is 1,000 international units.
Tip #3-Have the right mindset. Researchers have found that those people who experience more of the negative emotions such as anger, guilt, anxiety, impulsivity, etc., were heavier than those who experience the positive emotions such as joy, peace, happiness, satisfaction, etc. The key is to work on having a more balanced mood.
Tip #4-Keep in check your need to reward yourself for good behavior. Now, this was very interesting. Researchers found that doing something like eating a low calorie meal can make you less likely to exercise and more likely to overdo it later on. This happens, scientists say, because of a very human need to reward ourselves when doing something good. The key here is to always keep in mind that healthy eating can trigger a license for you to overeat. Come up with a plan on what to do when this occurs.
Tip #5-Slow the chewing. I know when I am at work, I eat way too fast. Some of you probably do too. Now, it's been found that slowing down actually helps you slim down. A recent study shows that those who chewed each bite 40 times ate a whopping 12% less than those who chewed 15 times. Dr. Cypess says that "Chewing seems to stimulate the gut to make appetite suppressing peptide hormones." Even better, the more you chew, the more nutrients you feed your body. So, take the time and slow it down!
Tip #6-Outwit your appetite. Researchers have found there is a psychological reason we crave those french fries, ice cream, cupcakes, and cookies. It seems our bodies are wired to crave rich foods. Some studies have shown how just the taste of fat can tcause us to eat by triggering a release of brain chemicals similar to what drug addicts experience. To keep your appetite in c heck, the key is to avoid those foods that make you lose control. Be mindful of eating stuff you know is not good for you. For example, if you are tempted to grab that Starbucks Mocha latte, think of the better health benefits and a healthy heart you will get from not drinking it. This simple exercise will changes your brain patterns by strengthening the area that helps you resist and weakening the region that makes you think of treats as a rewards, says Dr. Eric Stice, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at the Oregon Research Institute.
Tip #7-Get back to nature. Did you know you can stay slim if you have a view from your window of hills, water, or parks and a street that leads to hills and water? In a North Carolina study, counties with more natural amenities, including mountains and lakes, had lower obesity rates. Dr. Jilcott Pitts, Ph.D., assistant professor at East Carolina University says that "It could be that here's something healing and calming about simply being outside." Even better, research has shown that people are much happier walking outside, and walk faster yet don't feel winded. So, if you can, get some exercise in the great outdoors!
Tip #8-Avoid sending fat scurrying into your cells. I'm sure you already know this; sitting around will make you flabby. In addition to the concern of the lack of exercise, it seems that just the physical act of sitting or lying down may speed up your body's fat production. We release forces that cause our cells to stretch out and get flabby. Not good news! To keep this from happening, there are things that you can do. For example, if you have a desk job, stand up and walk around for 5 minutes each hour, pace back and force while talking on the phone, etc. Keep in mind that just plain standing uses more muscles than sitting. The key is to just add more movement to your life.
Tip #9: Drink green tea. A review of a number of studies shows that sipping green tea promotes weight loss. According to research from Penn State, this happens as a result of something called EGCG, a substance which is known to reduce fat absorption. Dr. Joshua D. Lambert, Ph.D., a professor of food science, also says that "Green tea also increases the amount of fat that your body eliminates." Drinking from 3-5 cups a day may help you drop the pounds.
Tip #10: Outsmart your weight fate. Unfortunately, three-quarters of Americans have a fat gene associated with 20-30% of higher risk for obesity. The good news is that this doesn't mean you are domed! If you are one who is physically active, it's been shown that those who are active plus have the fat gene are 27% less likely to become obese. This doesn't mean you have to go and kill yourself at the gym. It just means developing a more active lifestyle such as getting an hour or more of moderate to vigorous exercise a week, walking daily, spending less time in front of the TV, taking steps instead of the elevator, etc. If you become more diligent in being more active, the weight and fat will come off with ease.
We have covered a lot! I am sure your questions about how to lose that stubborn baby belly fat have been answered. Now, it's time to put into action what you have learned. If you do so, you will have a flat belly in no time!
Everybody knows its not always easy to lose the baby belly fat. Everybody says that with simple lifestyle and dietary changes, you CAN lose the baby belly and keep it off for good! To learn strategies to assist you in achieving your goals, visit Monique's "How To Lose Baby Belly" blog at How to Lose baby Belly [http://www.howtolosebabybelly.org/]
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