High Cortisol - Weight Gain, Belly Fat and Fatigue - Why Lowering Cortisol is Vital For a Flat Tummy

High Cortisol? Weight Gain? Stubborn Belly Fat and Constant Fatigue? These are some of the side effects of our stressful routine. As it turns out constant stress triggers the secretion of the the so called "stress" hormone-cortisol. Elevated cortisol, in turn, results in weight gain, accumulation of belly fat and chronic fatigue. The presence of high cortisol levels in the body makes losing belly fat almost impossible. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Dieting and cortisol. The vicious circle.

Proper diet and strict exercise regime are important for long term weight loss. However, dieting is a stressful phenomenon for most people. The physical and emotional stress that comes with dieting results in the oversecretion of cortisol. Elevated cortisol increases blood sugar level and triggers the deposition of visceral abdominal fat in the midsection of the body. In other words dieting complicates the weight loss process by adding more stress in the picture and increasing the cortisol present in the body. People who have dieted on and off for years often get caught in that vicious circle. No matter how strict their diet is, they find losing belly fat almost impossible.

2. More cortisol equals bigger waistline. Why does cortisol affect the belly area and spares the rest of the body?

Higher cortisol levels are associated with weight gain. However, cortisol fat is not evenly distributed in the body. It is concentrated in the abdominal area. Abdominal fat differs from other types of fat found in the body. One of the major differences is that it has far more cortisol receptors and is easily influenced by fluctuations in the level of cortisol. Real health risks accompany excess fat in the abdomen-like increased chances of developing diabetes and heart disease.

3. Weight gain is just one side of the story. High cortisol affects your body in numerous other ways.

Weight gain is just one of the side effects of elevated cortisol. The effects of adrenal dysfunction can be profound: fatigue and weakness, suppression of the immune system, muscle and bone loss, moodiness or depression, hormonal imbalance, skin problems. The list of possible damage is long.

High cortisol, weight gain, belly fat accumulation, fatigue -they all seems to be interrelated in a complex puzzle. While the medical world is still learning about the high cortisol-weight gain relationship, one thing is certain-proper diet doesn't always solve our weight loss problems. A smart dieter should always consider lowering cortisol levels first.


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How To Lose Stomach Fat - Five Foods To Help You Get A Flat Tummy

You need to do two things to lose stomach fat: eat the right foods and do regular exercise. While the two go hand in hand, eating the right foods will have the most impact initially. Listed below are five foods that will help you to get a flat tummy.

Oatmeal is a very good source of fiber and a great way to start the day. The fiber makes you feel fuller, so you will not be looking for food again for a while. It also helps get rid of the toxins in your body by proper elimination, which helps you lose weight and protects you against colon cancer. Because it lowers cholesterol it helps fight heart disease.
All berries are good for your body and you need to include them in your diet. They are a source of energy and nutrients. Because some of them are high in antioxidants - blueberries and cranberries - they strengthen your immune system, which helps your body fight disease. In addition to that they are low in calories. This means you are getting your energy from good food that will not put on weight.
Avocado has been described as a 'whole food' because it is so full of goodness you could live of it. It is rich in fats but they are good fats. It also contains a high percentage of potassium, which helps control blood pressure.
Grass fed bison is one of the best forms of protein because it contains a high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids, but without the heavy metals that can be found in some fish. Protein is important, as the body has to work to digest it. In the process it burns calories, which means just by eating protein you can lose weight. Other good sources of protein are lean beef and lamb, chicken, eggs and fish.
Most nuts are high in energy and are another source of protein. Walnuts are especially beneficial because they have a high concentrate of omega-3. The protein will help you lose stomach fat and the omega-3 fatty acids will help protect your heart. Try to include them in your daily diet - they can be handy as snacks, rather than cookies or candy.



This is a short list of some of the good foods you can eat to help get a flat tummy. Where you can, use fresh foods that require preparation like lean proteins, vegetables and fruits. Processed, ready to eat foods often have very poor nutritional value. In addition to that, many are cooked in trans fats, which are bad for your heart and will add to your stomach fat. If you follow these guidelines you will be healthier, feel more energetic and gradually lose your stomach fat,


You can lose your stomach fat by eating the right foods. You can find out how to have a flat tummy permanently by visiting http://www.loseyourstomachfatnow.info William Burnell enjoys the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle and likes to help others to do the same

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Annihilate Belly Fat With These 4 Flat Tummy Diet Foods

Okay folks, are you ready to annihilate belly fat? Are you tired of looking at the "spare tire" and can't figure out how to get rid of it? Well, the 'secret' (if you want to call it that) to get rid of tummy fat begins and ends with proper nutrition. In this article here, I have listed for you 4 flat tummy diet foods to help you "annihilate belly fat" fast!

Before I talk about the types of foods everyone should have in their diets to lose tummy fat, and lose it fast, let me first explain to you the basic core principles of a healthy lifestyle. These principles are so basic, but yet so powerful....which leaves me scratching my head wondering why most people don't follow them.....

What are these principles you ask? Obviously, proper nutrition as stated above, drinking plenty of water daily (I recommend for you to drink 1/2 to 1 gallon daily), get plenty of sleep daily (7-8 hours of sleep nightly is ideal), cardio exercise (high intensity works best), and weight training exercise (make sure you focus on building lean muscle as this is a sure fire way to get a flat tummy lightning fast)!

Okay, what are those 4 flat tummy diet foods?

1. Protein (Lean poultry such as chicken and turkey, almonds, egg whites, protein shakes)

2. Fiber (Lentils, quinoa, whole grains, apples)

3. Healthy Fats (Fish...especially tuna and salmon, almonds, olive oil)

4. Vitamins & Minerals (This should be a no brainer - fruits & veggies!) Here's a little tip: Make sure you get a lot of green veggies daily as this will do wonders on your digestive system causing an extra boost in your metabolism.

Those are the best foods you should have in your diet to get a flat tummy lightning fast!!


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Avy Barnes is a long time health and fitness enthusiast. Being someone who once struggled in weight loss, muscle building, and overall health improvement, you will be able to connect more to all the information he provides through the several articles he has written right here on ezinearticles.com.

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Yoga for Flat Tummy: The Ancient Way to Flat Abs

Yoga for flat tummy is an ancient, time tested means to work out the body and psyche. The yoga postures will engage the abs and tend to make one feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

Yoga for flat tummy prominently figures stretches that elongate the abdominals and assist in creating strong, lean, well sculpted abs along with improving agility and strength.

Yoga for flat tummy consists of variegated poses like mountain tilt, triangle pose, torso stretch, tree pose, butterfly pose, bending forward, bridge pose, locust pose and cat pose, to mention a few each having its own unique practice methodology.

Slow, controlled movements while performing yoga for flat tummy will assure that our abs muscles and not momentum is at work. Zooming through the poses does not guarantee enough muscle employment. If a pose appears to be too easy, a minor correction to our form and pace will invoke more effectiveness.

Try not to hold in the breath as profound inhalation and expiration will aid highly in stretching more and waking up the muscles.

Breath helps in stabilizing and strengthening one for different core building exercises. Always take a deep breath when the feeling that one has stretched as far as he can sinks in. This makes your muscles ready for a deeper stretch and one more repetition.

Yoga for flat tummy focuses on achieving results through mind body connection, so before setting out for a pose, a few restful moments should be spent to clear the mind and get control over the body. Listen to the body and take deep breaths.

At the end of yogic exercise, summon your cool and close the eyes with the focus centered at you for a relaxing, rejuvenating experience.


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