Losing stomach weight or abdominal flab is a major issue for many men. Besides the quest for the six-pack, there are many other reasons to lose your gut. Abdominal fat indicates a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Unwanted belly fat also cranks out the hormones cortisol and estrogen, which worsen the situation by promoting fat gain and muscle loss. No simple "diet" will do the trick. To promote healthy weight and lose that abdominal fat you must change your lifestyle and learn to eat and exercise for leanness.
Cortisol
According to "The Cortisol Connection," stress can make us fat. Cortisol is a stress hormone that seems to promote fat storage in the stomach. An essential hormone produced by the body during times of stress, cortisol helps to trigger our fight-or-flight response. Decreasing stress and preventing high cortisol levels is an important part of losing stomach fat. Men tend to store excess fat in the abdominal region. Overdoing strenuous exercise or high caffeine intake can cause high levels of cortisol. One way to moderate cortisol levels is with a proper diet.
Diet
How we eat determines how our metabolism operates, how much fat we store and how much energy we burn. Eating five or six smaller meals per day keeps cortisol levels low and maintains a high metabolic rate. Eating three meals and three snacks a day targets body fat and prevents hunger. While, weight loss occurs when we burn more calories than we take in, the type of food is also important. According to the "Abs Diet" by David Zinczenko, protein burns more calories digesting it than either carbohydrates or fats. Carbohydrates are our bodies' primary source of fuel, but are also readily stored as body fat. Mackie Shilstone, author of "The Fat-Burning Bible" recommends a calorie distribution of 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 40 percent carbohydrates.
Nutrient Timing
Nutrient timing has become a buzzword. The timing of your meals can influence how your body processes the nutrients. For example, carbohydrates are the body's primary source of fuel, so the body does not need them before going to bed. Eating more carbohydrates earlier in the day can shift metabolism toward burning abdominal fat. Moreover, low-glycemic or slow-digesting carbohydrates will not spike insulin as much, which can trigger fat storage. On the other hand, taking a high-glycemic dose of carbohydrates after a weight-training session, can improve muscle recovery and help with your weight-loss goals.
Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise is an important in any diet and exercise program as it increases calorie-burning. Combining diet and cardio can lead to impressive results in a short period. A maintenance routine of cardio involves 30 minutes of continuous exercise three days a week. Cardio training is also cumulative, so even if you only do 15 minutes at a time, it adds up to more calories burned. To a degree, cardio training can help to target abdominal fat, however it also burns up carbohydrate (fuel) and muscle tissue. According to the "Abs Diet" book, while necessary, cardio is not the ultimate solution for losing stomach weight.
Resistance Training
Resistance training prevents muscle loss, hormone decline and bone loss. According to the "Abs Diet," it also directly targets belly fat. Training with weights or weight machines creates micro-tears in the muscles. The body expends lots of energy to repair this muscle tissue. By comparison, cardio exercise only burns fat while you are doing it, and maybe for a few hours after. Resistance training also builds muscle. Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue we have--it burns more calories at rest than fat.
Cheating
Not only can you cheat on a diet for stomach weight loss, you must. Being overly strict about your diet, besides increasing stress, can lower your body's metabolism. Once the body realizes that it is being underfed, it slows down its metabolic processes to accommodate the lower caloric intake. To trick your body into burning fat by maintaining a higher metabolic rate, you will need to eat more calories at one meal per week, according to the "Abs Diet." The "cheat meal" is a great way to relieve you cravings, mentally, physically and emotionally recover, and keep your weight-loss goals within reach. During that meal, you can eat whatever you want.
References
- "The Abs Diet;" David Zinczenko; 2004
- "Combat the Fat;" Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "The Fat Burning Bible;" Mackie Shilstone; 2005
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