Eating and working out smarter will melt belly fat. Healthy fats actually accelerate fat burn, while slow-release carbs and lean protein help pare unwanted pounds, notes nationally known nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "Fat Flush for Life," which will be published in 2010. Carbohydrates stimulate insulin. You don't want too many carbs--or carbs that are absorbed rapidly by the body--because insulin stores fat. Protein, on the other hand, stimulates glucagon, which mobilizes fat from storage. Pairing the right fat, carbs and protein choices with exercises that raise metabolism will shrink your waistline.
Step 1
Utilize conjugated linoleic acid, commonly called CLA, to decrease your body mass index. This omega-6 fatty is acid found in organic, grass-fed beef. It helps balance blood sugar levels and facilitates the body's ability to access and utilize stored fat, particularly in the belly. CLA also is found in lamb and organic dairy products. CLA also is available as a supplement. Take 6,000 mgs. daily until reaching your goal weight, Gittleman advises, then reduce your intake to 3,000 mgs daily.
Step 2
Reduce your belly fat accumulation with monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs. These fats are in avocados, nuts and seeds and olives, and in peanut, sunflower, olive, safflower, flaxseed, sesame and walnut oils.
Step 3
Eat salmon or mackerel twice weekly or take a fish oil supplement. Fish oil is a top fat burner, and its omega-3 fatty acids help reverse insulin resistance and aid in keeping glucose regulated. Gittleman advises 1 to 3 g daily if you supplement.
Step 4
Choose your carbs wisely. Eat whole grains instead of processed foods. Ditch sugar, white bread and pasta. Pick fruits and vegetables that detoxify in addition to providing essential nutrients and antioxidants. Cranberries detoxify the liver and fight "bad" LDL cholesterol. Lemons and limes also detoxify, fight cholesterol and boost metabolism. Other high-powered fruits Gittleman recommends are apples, berries and peaches. Some of the best fat-fighting veggies are asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, watercress and zucchini.
Step 5
Ensure that your protein is lean. Eat poultry without skin or visible fat on it. Pick low-fat, grass-fed beef. Eat omega-3 enriched eggs. Add lamb to your diet. Try whey protein, Gittleman advises. It's the body's most easily absorbed and utilized protein.
Step 6
Stimulate your metabolism and detox your liver daily. Use up to 2 tsps of apple cider vinegar daily mixed in water or salad dressing. Cider vinegar's main ingredient--acetic acid--stimulates metabolism. Detoxify by drinking dandelion tea. For even better detox results, add 200 mg each of milk thistle and the Oregon grape root. Gittleman also recommends cutting things that stress your liver and thus lower your metabolism. These include all forms of sugar, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, trans fats, soda, processed foods and too many carbohydrates in general.
Step 7
Add spices to your life that detoxify and increase fat burn. Cumin, cilantro, garlic and ginger are great detoxifiers, Gittleman says. Ginger, cinnamon and dry mustard are thermogenic spices that boost metabolism. Turmeric helps to thin and decongest bile. That, she says, helps your body emulsify fat better.
Step 8
Rev your fat burn with interval training while walking or running, or on a treadmill, elliptical or other cardio exercise machine. Alternate high- and low-intensity bouts of exercise. Start with a work-to-rest ratio of one to four. For example, quicken your pace for 15 seconds, then rest for 1 minute, or do higher intensity for 30 seconds, then rest for 2 minutes. You can decrease the amount of rest until you reach a work-to-rest ratio of one to one. Interval training increases fat burn because it utilizes the body's aerobic and anaerobic systems. It also increases your calorie "afterburn." This lasts up to 9 or 10 hours as your body works to repair and replenish itself, says David K. Spierer, human performance laboratory director for the sports sciences division, at Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York.
Step 9
Tighten your abs with the bicycle maneuver. Lie flat on the floor, pressing your lower back to the ground. Place your hands beside your head. Take your knees up to a 45- degree angle. Slowly make a bicycle pedaling motion. Meanwhile, touch your right elbow to your left knee. Then touch your left elbow to your right knee. This is the most effective abdominal exercise, according to a 2001 study by Peter Francis at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University.
References
- "Fat Flush For Life;" Ann Louise Gittleman; 2010
- David K. Spierer, assistant professor and human performance laboratory director, sports sciences division, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York
- New Study Puts Crunch on Ineffective Ab Exercises; Mark Anders; June, 2001
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