Losing Belly Fat

The Natural Path to Losing Belly Fat

By: Vince DelMonte


When I ask people to share their fitness goals, more often than not, they tell me they want to lose their belly fat. I think that's partly because a lot of people equate fitness with tight abs. But another part is that belly fat is just harder to shed. Even folks that work out strenuously and diet conscientiously will often find that the last couple of pounds of fat around their belly is the toughest to trim off.
Why is belly fat harder to get rid of? Blame in on hormones! Culprits like estrogen, insulin, leptin and ghrelin, for instance, all make it tougher, but estrogen and cortisol both prompt fat buildup in the lower body, with cortisol being the largest stumbling block when it comes to losing belly fat.

Blame the Hormones!
Cortisol is released when the body feels stress. Whether it's mental, physical or emotional stress makes no difference. So it's important to realize that when you stress your body physically, you're allowing cortisol to trigger fat storage.
There are ways to manage your cortisol level, though, which will make it easier to shed your belly fat. Here are a few tips to help you keep your insulin level under control, manage your hormone levels and reduce your caloric intake from carbs.
Let's talk first about reducing your estrogen and cortisol levels.

Reduce estrogen by increasing testosterone
You may be one of the many people that thinks that estrogen is a woman's hormone. You may want to sit down for this shock, guys - you produce estrogen, too! Women just have an estrogen level that is higher than their testosterone level, while you and I are the reverse. Estrogen encourages the storage of fat, so reducing its production even more than usual will make losing your belly fat easier. And the easiest way to push your estrogen level down is by drowning it in testosterone. That's why some bodybuilders resort to steroids (even though they do terrible things to their systems).
Since a natural method is much better, your way to boost your testosterone level should be by increasing your workout's intensity level. You can follow a quicker tempo or just push yourself harder - both will do the job.

Reduce your cortisol production
Reducing your mental and emotional stress can help too, but limiting your physical stress is probably going to be the easiest way for you to control the release of cortisol into your system. Studies have shown that during a workout, cortisol production is boosted. The shorter the duration of the workout, the less cortisol is produced.
Your body feels stress because of insufficient rest, too, so it's very important that you get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Studies show that people who habitually get less will have a higher level of body fat and especially more belly fat.
In addition, growth hormone is produced while you sleep, and it greatly lessens the effects of cortisol. So there's a double benefit in getting plenty of sleep.
Okay, that covers cortisol and estrogen - now let's talk about how nutrition can help you peel off belly fat.

Proper nutrition for losing belly fat
Carbs = insulin spikes = more fat storage. Got that? That means that cutting carbs can stop insulin spikes. And insulin is what triggers fat storage. What you should be doing is eating low-glycemic vegetables, grains and low-glycemic fruits like berries, with a high protein diet. Your amounts will be determined by your workout intensity, how much fat you're targeting and your metabolism.
High quality meat, nuts, leafy greens and healthy fats are perfect, as are olive and coconut oils. They leave you feeling full, but don't mess with your energy level or insulin production. Timing is everything
It's important to know what to eat, but it's just as important to know when to eat it. When you're out to lose belly fat, get your carbs in the morning. That way, you'll have plenty of energy, but you'll burn it off instead of storing it. You can get your healthy fats and protein later in the day.
I've said it many times, and I'll keep saying it - know how your body works and how it responds, and you'll be able to get it to do what you want. Burning belly fat isn't hard when you work with your body instead of against it. Control your hormones and your diet, and it's a lot easier.


Author Resource:-> Vince Del Monte is the skinny guy savior. A former skinny guy myself, I developed the No Nonsense Muscle Building techniques that turned me from a skinny guy to a national champion fitness model. I share my ways to build muscle secrets, diets and inspirations on my blog, Vince Del Monte Fitness, and on sites such as AskMen.com and AskTheTrainer.Com.

Article From ArticleDude.com Article Directory

Exercise RoutinesTo Keep Fit

Exercise Routines that Keep People Fit

By: Anthony Frank II


It is important to follow proper exercise routines to lead a fit and healthy life. Many beginners are unaware of how to go about starting a good routine. They do not know what kind of workout would be most suitable for them. Different people have different objectives when it comes to what they want to get out of their workout. Some people want to lose weight. Some people want to stay in shape. Others want to enter and win bodybuilding competitions or sports events. Different workout regimes will affect the body in different ways. It is up to the individual to decide as to what his or her goals are and which routine will help them to reach those goals.

It is always a good idea to take the help of experts before people start their exercise routines. They will be able to guide the individual in the right direction. They may be able to suggest certain exercises that the person might not be aware of. Some people have certain health issues. These must be considered while planning the workout schedule. Health professionals will be able to advise them properly, making sure that they do not injure or harm themselves while working out.

There are specific exercise routines for each part of the body. There are exercises for building the abs and strong biceps and triceps. There are also certain training schedules that need to be followed for developing a strong back and powerful legs. It is important for people to not stress themselves when they have just started workout exercises. Many people get carried away, and in their enthusiasm, they work too hard. In the process, they end up injuring themselves. If the injury is very serious, they find that they are not able to train for a long time. This disrupts their schedule and subsequently they give up training altogether. That is why experts always advise that people should start their training regimes slowly and gradually build up the level of intensity.

In the initial days, most workout routines should not last longer than ten or twenty minutes. Only if the trainer recommends a more intense workout should the person work hard. Otherwise, the sensible thing to do would be to slowly graduate to longer training schedules over a period of time. These days there are many videos that are available for people who want to get some guidelines regarding training schedules. This is quite useful for people who do not have a trainer to help them. They can watch these videos that give tips like the right exercise routines for muscle growth and learn the correct way of training.

There are also many supplements that are available in the market. People can use them to build a strong body. This will also give them more energy when they are working out. Thanks to all these facilities, many people are able to develop a fit and strong body. This ensures that not only do they live a long life but they also live a healthy life.


Author Resource:-> Anthony A is the author of this article on exercise routines. Find more information, about workout routines here

Article From ArticleDude.com Article Directory