Jelly Belly Be Gone

As the New Year arrives, so does the urge to get rid of the holiday bulges around the middle. For most, the #1 resolution is always to lose belly fat, and even though the intention is to set a realistic plan and execute it over time, the detractors are forever present.

Make no mistake, sensible eating and regular exercise are the most important factors in any diet. But if you’re not losing the belly fat as quickly or as steadily as you’d hoped, you’re not alone. Before you decide to deprive yourself of additional calories (maybe even the healthy ones your body needs), relax. Literally. Stress is just one of five often-overlooked stumbling blocks that can stall weight loss or even promote weight gain.

Over the next five Posts these surprise derailers will be revealed along with ways to steer clear of them.

MEDICATIONS.

Two things tend to happen as people grow older: They gain weight and take more medications. This isn’t always just coincidence. Weight gain is an unwelcome side effect of many prescription medications, including antidepressants, antihistamines, diabetes drugs, corticosteroids and beta-blockers. Some medications increase appetite and make you crave certain foods. Others change the way your body uses calories or stores fat.

It’s a known fact that everybody is different in how much weight they gain, as a result, if you have three people taking the same medication, one might stay the same weight, one might gain a pound or two and one might gain much more. This is just natural.

It can be difficult to tell if your weight gain is due to a medication or to something else because the pounds often creep up gradually.  It’s advisable to track when you first start gaining weight, think about whether anything in your life has changed recently. Have you moved or switched to a more sedentary job? Have your eating or exercise habits changed? If you suspect that a new medication is the culprit, don’t stop taking it. Talk with your doctor about the best way to handle the situation. In some cases you may be able to take a smaller dose or switch to a different drug.

Lifestyle changes also can blunt the weight gain. To cope with a ramped-up appetite, fill half of your plate with food. Its fiber and water content will help you feel fuller on fewer calories. To deal with cravings, stick to a regular eating schedule. Eating three meals a day, four to six hours apart, plus one or two snacks is suggested. Cravings are worse when you let yourself reach the ravenous point.

Check back tomorrow for another of these surprise Diet Derailers.