Ways to Lose Belly Fat

Have you heard about the stress-fat connection?

Do you know how and why anxiety and tension triggers us to pile on the pounds? If you’re gathering ways to lose belly fat, learning stress management is a vital technique.

Stress stimulates the fight or flight response, which is the brain’s red flag to take action in emergency situations. When your brain senses a threat, it signals your adrenal glands to push out the stress hormone, cortisol. The stress hormone prompts fat cells to make quick energy available.

Extra energy serves as a power surge your muscles can use to either stay and fight, or flee from danger. This mechanism worked beautifully in the eras when man faced physical danger from wild animals, etc. However, it can’t discern what causes modern day stress, such as financial or marital problems. It keeps on cranking out cortisol, which we don’t use, and the body stores it as fat.

Studies have shown the mechanism influences where the excess flab is stored. Particularly in women, it is stored as deep abdominal flab – the dangerous kind of fat – which increases risks of heart disease and stroke.

Your first thought is likely to start a serious calorie-restricting diet. Let’s correct this old way of thinking. Again, according to clinical studies, incorrect dieting increases stress and cortisol levels.

So, what are right ways to lose belly fat?

Avoiding simple sugar and Trans fats is a good place to start breaking the stress-fat cycle. Both these culprits tend to pile fat on your belly. Read food labels because manufacturers can be sneaky.

If you are “starving” your sweet tooth, make a fruit smoothie. Sweeten it with a little honey or molasses if you must add sugar.

Make your diet as natural and unprocessed as possible. Don’t add extra stress by eating a lot of stuff you don’t like. There are plenty of healthy foods to choose from.

Also, don’t starve yourself. “Dieting” does not work, and it can make you very sick. Severe calorie restriction destroys protein and lean muscle.

Don’t force yourself to eliminate something you really like. Once you start eating a clean diet, it will gradually eliminate itself.

Get your necessary fats from monounsaturated fatty acids such as, seeds, nuts, olive oil, soybeans and avocados.

Eat your fill of fresh fruits and veggies. Get at least three of each every day. Buy organic if possible. Eat your dark, leafy greens, such as mustard, spinach and collards.

Try to consume fewer animal products – yes this includes meat. Start with a “meatless meal” one night a week. Have fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna twice a week.

If you couldn’t care less about meat, consider a vegetarian way of life.

Drink more water than anything else. Water helps flush out fat.

Sleep is a component you may not have considered. If you do not get quality sleep on a regular basis, your cortisol levels rise and fat accumulates on your belly.

In general, sleep-deprived people test higher in ghrelin, which is the hunger-stimulating hormone. They also test lower in leptins, the fullness hormone.

As for exercise, do some and then do a little more. Clinical research suggests that aerobic exercises are one of the best ways to lose belly fat. You will undoubtedly exercise more if you enjoy it. For example, do you love to dance? Have you always wanted to take a kickboxing class? Does your local YMCA offer water aerobics?

Finally, don’t try to turn your lifestyle upside-down overnight. We’ve shown you ways to lose belly fat. Each time you implement one change, you’re investing in a happier, healthier life.

Moderate Exercises to Fitness!

Have you ever felt tired and stressed out from work and by the time you get home you see your three children running towards you asking you to play basketball with them? You refused and promised them that you would after you take your rest.

Instead of disappointing your children, why not say, “yes” after all? You will be surprised by the amount of energy you will have after that 30-minute activity.

Did you know that by exercising at a moderate pace for only 30 minutes, you would feel a lot better, mentally? It has been proven that this improves the appetite and sharpens your style in problem solving. Not only that. You will also feel that it is easier to sleep at night if you do moderate exercises even for only 30 minutes every day.

What are the benefits of regular exercise? It promotes self-discipline and has a positive impact how you perceive life. Exercise helps in lifting your spirits and getting you out of any depression. For first timers, it can be done for 15 minutes for 2 to 3 days a week. You can increase the time you spend once your body gets tuned up for it.

DON’T you ever force your body! If you get hurt, then stop. You can take a break from exercising for a few days and then you can start again but you need to start from day 1.

Here are some moderate exercises you can do and enjoy:

1. Do the Walking. Make use of your surroundings. You can walk your dog, with your partner or child. Encourage your family to do the walking exercise daily and you will find yourself burning calories while enjoying the surroundings and getting enough sunlight that is also good for your body.

2. Discover the wonders of Yoga. Yoga is one effective exercise that energizes not only your body but also your soul. You may want to learn even the basic yoga positions that are not too complicated but proven effective. A five-minute yoga exercise can perk you up and recharge your body with the energy you lost for the whole day. You relax and at the same time you stretch!

3. Engage yourself into sports. Play basketball, football, baseball, tennis or badminton. Many doctors have recommended sports as an effective way to stay fit and healthy. Sports can also be done in moderation. Do not take it seriously. Shooting basketball with a friend is one moderate exercise that is also considered a sport.

4. Join exercise programs at work. If you still do not have exercises programs at work, then why not start it? You can talk to your boss about it and start with your colleagues. You do not only lose calories but it is also one good way to bond with them. This can be done 30 minutes, 3 times a week.

5. Exercise while doing household chores. Gardening, raking leaves, lawn mowing, doing the laundry, vacuuming and car washing are effective moderate exercises at home. Make use of these chores to sweat and burn calories. Instead of using machines and gadgets to perform these chores, why not do it with your hands and lose some fats?

Making exercises as part of your daily routines will surprise you of how much calories you will lose. Doing these moderate exercises of the same amount every day can burn 150 calories up to 1,000 calories a day!

Fitness Today

Things to Consider When Buying Home Fitness Equipment.

A hundred lots of home fitness equipment nowadays are sold in the market. Do not make the mistake of buying something and regretting why you bought it after a day or two. Home fitness types of equipment vary, and you should always have one good reason to buy it. Don’t believe everything commercials tell you about the equipment. Some equipment may seem easy to use on television, but in fact, will not work for you. Try to ask yourself first of these questions before you grab your wallet and buy that equipment.

Do you need it? The equipment should suit your interests and needs. The activities that you will do with that equipment should be challenging and something to enjoy on. Buying equipment is never a guarantee that you will use it, especially if it is something new that makes it harder to use. Make sure that you already know the equipment and that it is something that you already tried in a fitness club. Start from buying small equipments that are aligned to your interests.

Can you afford it? Don’t be fooled with the thought that you will be forced to use something because you spent too much money for it. Expensive equipments are never an assurance that you will use them or that they are effective for you.  Always consider how much are you willing to pay for certain equipment. Also ask yourself if it is worth it. Always check on the quality before you buy equipment. The price may be too low but consider that the quality can also be low. Or it may be expensive, but then the quality is not that good. You can try choosing on cheaper alternatives but not sacrificing the quality of the equipment.

You may also want to check out for some used equipments. Most of the time, this is where you find a better deal. You can even find equipments that do not seem to have been used at a very low rate. Or you can find the equipment 3 months old, but the price is almost half the original.

Do you have enough space for it? This is often what buyers forget to consider. Try to consider first where to place a treadmill before buying it. Before you buy something, make sure you know where you will place it. Your place may not accommodate the equipment. Plan ahead and make sure that the equipment can be placed in your home without causing any hassle.

Is it safe for you? If you have existing conditions, be sure to check with your doctor to make sure that the equipment will be safe for you. Some equipment may be painful to use and might cause harm to your body. So make sure to try it first be fore you buy it.

It also suggested that you first consider if a gym near you already has that equipment.  You can save money by just registering to that gym and use that equipment compared the price you will spend if you will buy that product.

Buying fitness equipments should be bought with consideration. Do not buy by impulse. Always ask the opinion of a professional gym instructor before you buy something.