Jelly Belly Be Gone

In health circles, everyone talks about the obesity epidemic. We’re a fat society. We eat too much. We eat badly. We deep-fry perfectly good vegetables. It’s one of the main reasons we’re a country of jelly- bellies.

A recent study found that only 19 percent of us regularly engages in “high levels of physical activity” (only 1 hour per week). That means 4 out of 5 of us aren’t getting the amount of exercise we need. (And consider this: 1 hour a week is just 1 percent of the time you’re awake every week.) Now, the problem isn’t that we don’t know what we need to do. In fact, 63 percent of us– about the same percentage who are overweight — believe that exercise would help us live healthier and leaner. What we need is a plan that really works — without really feeling like work. You want a program that fits into your life — not one that is your life.

You need to burn fat at the highest levels possible in the least amount of time. The plan should be flexible and convenient — an excuse-proof program that gives you the tools to work it around any schedule. Keep the workout short and keep it simple, and you’ll stay focused and motivated

Whether you brown bag it or order on the go, your midday meal can help make or break your diet. The right choices will help you cut fat and stay fueled, but the wrong choices can stunt your fat burners fast. Here’s a quick rundown of some lunches that can help with your weight loss process:

If you bring your lunch from home …

• Sandwich: Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a healthy sandwich—and it includes bacon and mayo.
• Salad: Slap some grilled chicken on some romaine with self-made dressing or olive oil, flaxseed, Parmesan cheese, and a few of your favorite veggies.
• Snack: Roll up some low-sodium turkey breast slices with fat-free cheese—string cheese works too.

If you buy your lunch …

• Burrito: Opt for whole-grain rice, black beans, and chicken.
• Burgers: Choose a whole-grain bun and spinach or mixed greens over lettuce.

Hope you get the idea.

As we become more educated about our bodies it is common to compare Old Diets (eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner) to the Abs Diet (eat six times a day)

Old diet systems ensure that you stay hungry by forcing you to eat a daily calorie count. This should not be; you should not be hungry — you need to be full. When you’re full, you won’t be as tempted (or likely) to steamroll your way through pizza boxes.

And the way you’ll get full is by eating six times a day, choosing from the nutritional program that has been tried and proven. By eating every few hours, you’ll keep your metabolism revved and ensure overall stomach satisfaction. The great thing about the Abs Diet powerfoods is that, because they’re high in nutrients, protein, healthy fats, and fiber, they make it almost impossible to overeat. Proper nutrition will leave you feeling satiated all day long.

How to do it: Eat three standard meals and three smaller snacks. For example:

• 8 a.m. Breakfast
• 11 a.m. Snack
• 1 p.m. Lunch
• 4 p.m. Snack
• 6 p.m. Dinner
• 9 p.m. Snack

Here’s a summary of the six most effective weight-loss strategies in circulation today, and the questions to ask yourself to determine if any of them will help you make the lifestyle changes required to maintain a healthy weight.

Low-fat diets: Cutting down on high-fat foods can help you cut down on your daily calories and thus help you lose weight.

Low-carb diets: Some people do lose weight on low-carb diets, but the weight loss probably isn’t related to blood sugar and insulin levels. It’s more likely the result of eating fewer total calories, whether they’re from carbohydrates, fats or proteins.

Glycemic-index diets: The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effects on blood sugar. Similar to the theory behind low-carb diets, most low-glycemic-index diets claim that lowering blood sugar levels leads to weight loss.

Meal replacements: Replace one or two meals a day, such as breakfast and lunch, with a low-calorie shake or meal bar. Then you eat a healthy third meal, between 600 and 700 calories, of your own choosing.

Meal providers: Busy schedules leave little time for meal preparation. In such cases, relying on ready-made meals eaten at home may deserve consideration. NutriSystem is an example of a meal provider.

Group approaches: You don’t have to lose weight alone. Group programs, can support your efforts, giving you eating plans, exercise recommendations and support from others on the same dietary path.

Successful weight loss requires permanent changes to your eating and physical activity habits. This means you need to find a weight-loss strategy that you can embrace for life

Just recently the results of a meeting with a well-known expert who deals exclusively with the most effective strategies for losing stomach fat, reveals that the key is to focus on the REAL techniques that are going to get you lasting results, and teaches you how to avoid all of these “quick-fix” scams and gimmicks that are all over the infomercials and the internet these days.

Several of the mistakes he see’s every day where people are going wrong in their fat loss attempts are:

1. Most people are wasting too much of their time doing hundreds of reps of ineffective crunches, situps, and other “abs pumping” exercises in their attempt at losing stomach fat.

2. Most people are wasting way too much time doing hours upon hours of boring monotonous cardio routines.

3. Most people are failing miserably with fad diets promoted on a daily basis.

On this blog you will find suggestions on effective ways shed the unwanted pounds and live a healthier lifestyle.

If this past weekend was like many other long Holiday weekends, and you met with family and friends and think you might have overdone it a little, you’re not alone. Many people have also experienced similar long weekend which wreaked havoc on their waistline. So what can be done after a few days of binging?

Simply Get Moving:

You can’t take back all the bratwursts you downed, but you can undo the damage with a fat-torching workout. Just tack these bonus exercises onto the end of your regular routine this week.

Squats and lunges target your glutes, quads, hamsrings, and hip flexors, stoking your body for post-workout calorie burning. Plus, working your largest muscle groups takes your fat-burning up a notch.

Remember, it took a weekend to develop, so don’t expect to drop the jelly-belly in just a couple of hours.

For many of us the arrival of summer is a reminder that our energy-and let’s be honest, maybe even our bodies-could use a tune-up as we head into the new season.

From losing that unwanted fat to re-gaining the energy you need to feel at your ultimate best each day, now is the time to make that lifestyle shift and put your health in the driver’s seat. And not just for vanity’s sake-without your health, energy and vitality, you really have nothing.

Don’t worry! You’re not in this alone. With easy-to-implement daily practices, and loving support, you can reclaim your health and live an extraordinary life with a renewed sense of well-being.

And, while our health and well-being is always important, let’s also remember what this Memorial Day is truly about, and take a few minutes to reflect on those who have given so much for our country.

Did you know that being overweight increases risk factors for a host of problems such as difficulty breathing, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, pregnancy complications, osteoarthritis and skin problems?

Here’s the scoop on how your weight can lead to the following issues:

1. Breathing problems: Shortness of breath results from poor physical conditioning. Experts note that excess weight results in the body requiring more oxygen, especially during and after physical exertion or exercise. Impaired breathing function can be completely disabling and can end up restricting normal physical activity, which then gets in the way of weight loss.

2. Sleep apnea: Obesity can cause sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. The extra weight presses on the airways and can cause pauses in breathing during sleep.

3. Gallbladder disease and gallstones: The gallbladder stores bile, which is produced in the liver and aids in the digestion of fats in the small intestine. According to The American College of Gastroenterology, bile in the gallbladder becomes concentrated and thickens. Gallstones are then born out of this sludge from cholesterol and bile salts. The end result of the disease process is inflammation or gall stones.

4. Pregnancy complications: One third of adult women in the United States are obese, which is an independent risk factor for spontaneous abortion among women who undergo infertility treatments, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and gestational . Trying to lose weight prior to pregnancy through healthy diet and exercise can help decrease all of these risks.

5. Osteoarthritis: Research shows that weight-bearing cartilage can tolerate only a certain amount of pounds per square inch. The more pounds per square inch the particular cartilage is subjected to, the earlier it will reach a point of failure. Even a weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can result in substantial gains.

6. Skin problems: Obesity can cause skin folds, which can lead to yeast overgrowth in the skin. The retained moisture in body folds encourages the growth of bacteria and fungi, leading to skin rashes and a variety of infections.

Although there’s no firm data on how many women have taken up walking to lose stomach fat over the past year, fitness experts say that the current financial crisis will likely only fuel the walking craze. After all, it’s free, and the only equipment you need is a pair of comfortable shoes.

In fact, a recent survey of 1200 people showed that economic concerns were a primary reason people walked. High gas prices, in particular, have really encouraged folks to think of walking as a means of transportation.

Employers and employees alike are realizing that walking is an easy, inexpensive way to lose belly fat and improve their overall health. And what’s notable in the study, is that participants did not have to make any dietary changes, and even lost a significant amount of weight, proving that walking itself was directly responsible for the improvement.

Other studies have shown that walking lowers blood pressure, increases energy, improves bone density, prevents weight gain, eases depression and reduces the risk of premature death from all causes–and that’s just for starters.

But perhaps most encouraging, women everywhere are finding that even a little effort can lead to a big payoff. Start by squeezing in five minutes here, 10 minutes there–skipping short cab rides, not using the people mover at the airport – and some others you may think of.

Walking has long been the most popular form of exercise in the U.S. In fact, 30% of active Americans say it’s their sweat session of choice, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Almost 80% of us stroll regularly for leisure, sport or to get from point A to point B the low-carbon way. But walking only recently shed its dowdy suburban image and started a renaissance as a serious workout–one that’s increasingly popular among savvy urban women.

One San Francisco woman who used to think it wasn’t ‘real’ exercise to walk, has now decided to trade her three-inch heels for pavement-friendly flats. She now covers up to 20 miles a week. And not only has she improved her commute to work, she is also more toned than she used to be.

She bravely admits that walking burns enough calories that she don’t have to make any of my favorite foods off-limit. She explained that when she can’t hit the gym in the middle of a rough day at work, she can always squeeze in a quick 10-minute stroll to clear my head.

Guys, you too can do it.