Understand The Background Of What Causes Belly Fat? Now

What Causes Belly Fat?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to a person becoming overweight and developing any of the associated conditions that come with obesity. We will go into each of these in more depth throughout this ebook, but to start, we’ll take a look at a couple of causes of belly fatthat many people overlook or don’t think about.

You could have a great exercise routine and eat the best, most healthy foods, but unless you also target some of these root causes, you could find your progress slowing down, or even coming to a complete halt.

Chronic stress has become an epidemic in our society, and it’s wreaking havoc on your body. In today’s world, faster is better, and we attempt to pack increasingly more obligations into our ever-expanding schedules which puts us all under a lot of pressure.

One meta-analysis involving 300 studies, found that chronic stress could cause damage to your immune system  and if that wasn’t enough, a study in the journal ‘Appetite’ found stressed-out women had a  significantly higher waist circumference compared to non-stressed women . That’s right, stress makes you fat- particularly around the belly!

When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that flood your system, raising your heart rate, increasing your blood pressure, and even belly fat storage . This is because deep abdominal fat contains four times the cortisol receptors than fat under the skin   so high levels of cortisol in the blood not only increases fat accumulation in this area, but also has an enlarging effect on the fat cells themselves.

Cortisolalso signals for more glucose to be released into the bloodstream, and when this isn’t used up by the body, it gets stored as fat. Finally, when cortisol is coupled with sugar, your insulin levels increase. This leads to increased inflammation which makes you feel lousy, and the sugary foods many people might turn to as a ‘pick me up’ increase cortisol and adrenalin, starting the vicious cycle all over again!

You should try and tackle the stress head on if you want to start fighting you belly fat and the best way to start is by making sure you eat properly - the right diet can do wonders to reduce the impact of stress on your life. When you eat whole, real foods, you restore balance to insulin, cortisol, and other hormones, as well as the blood’s sugar levels. Helping to reduce stress’ damaging impact.

If you find that you still have the odd stressful day, there are a number of techniques you can use to cope effectively with the stress you’re under and help tackle what could be at the root of your weight issues. Here are some top stress-busting tips:

Address the underlying biological causes of stress. Mercury toxicity, deficiencies in magnesium and vitamin B12, as well as gluten allergies, could all be changing your brain’s chemistry and leading to issues with stress. If you suspect a nutrient deficiency or imbalance, speak to a doctor or Naturopath about getting tested.

Actively relax. Engage the powerful forces of the mind on the body, by actively doing something relaxing. Whether that means deep breathing or a simple leisurely walk, find active relaxation that works for you and do it. Sitting in front of the television doesn’t count! You should be actively doing something to relax.

Move your body. Exercise is a powerful, well-studied way to combat  stress and heal the mind. Studies suggest exercise works better than or equal to Prozac for treating depression.

Sleep. Lack of sleep increases stress hormones, in particular cortisol which promotes weight gain. Get your eight hours no matter what!Numerous hormones contribute to belly fat, but none proves more powerful than insulin - your fat storage hormone.

 High levels of insulin tell your body to gain weight around the belly, and you become more apple-shaped over time. Should you become insulin resistant, your body not only generates, but holds onto that belly fat.However, high insulin levels don’t just exist in a vacuum.

They influence other hormones like leptin, your satiety hormone.  When insulin blocks leptin, your body thinks it is still hungry even after a big meal. Ever experienced this after eating a carbheavy meal like pizza or pasta?

Should you develop a fatty liver, this will generate more inflammation and anything that causes inflammation will worsen insulin resistance. Once more, you can quickly fall into a negative cycle!

More than any other food, sugar is responsible for hijacking your brain chemistry and metabolism to create insulin resistance and all its repercussions. Shockingly, the average American overdoses twenty-two to thirty teaspoons of sugar per day.

Shut down the insulin surges and you’ll arrest belly fat storage and cravings.

Fighting Belly Fat With Nutrition

Everyone is familiar with the old saying “you are what you eat!” and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to achieving and maintaining your ideal weight! Diet is going to be one of your most important weapons in the fight against belly fat - you can lose weight through dieting alone. Experts estimate that around 80 to 90 percent of the success or failure of your fat loss will be attributed to your food intake.

However, diet shouldn’t translate as “stopping certain foods altogether”, rather, you should think about diet as your attitude towards food. Changing the kinds of food you eat as well as the frequency you eat them, and your portion sizes!

Getting a balance of a range of different food groups remains the most important thing. You don’t want to make your body deficient in a particular nutrient, and you want your new food intake to be sustainable over an extended period of time - avoid crazy diets that only allow you to eat/drink a very limited thing! That way, you ensure that you’ll not only lose weight but go on to build a healthy body, fueling it with the right levels of nutrition for a long period of time.

The Five Principles to a Successful Nutrition Plan

 

Adequacy – The amount of food you eat should match your activity level during the day.

Balance – Avoid only eating one particular type of food. Aim for a balance across the different food groups.

Nutrient Density – Consume more foods that are nutrient-dense, while decreasing your consumption of high energy-dense, low nutrient-dense foods.

Moderation – Moderating your portion sizes will help you to manage your weight better as well as reducing your consumption of foods high in sugar and fat.

Variety – Variety is the spice of life, the same motto goes for weight loss! Don’t get stuck eating the same meals or your weight-loss journey will suddenly seem much harder, and more boring.

The first rule is to simply eat real, whole foods that were grown from the ground or a tree. Processed foods (any food that comes in a box) is often low in nutrition, fibre, and high in sugar, salt, additives and preservatives. They don’t fill you up and lead to more cravings and overeating! What’s more, don’t fall for marketing gimmicks like “low fat” and “made with whole grains”. They often mean very little and are pumped full of sugar. 

Below are some examples of real, whole foods that are especially good for you during the weight loss journey.

Avocado

When compared to other fruits like apples, avocados have a very low sugar content which is great news for insulin levels. One thing they are rich in is mono unsaturated fat which is proven to give you an energy boost and keep your metabolism going  making it a great pre-workout snack!

One study even found that people who eat half a fresh avocado decreased their desire to eat by 40 percent for a few hours following it .

They would certainly make a great breakfast.

 

Berries

Eating berries is an excellent way to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty, and in comparison to most other fruits, berries have a relatively low calorie and sugar content. In general, fruit is a good source of dietary fiber when eaten whole, leaving you feeling satiated and slowing down sugar absorption.

If you’re not sure how to get more berries into your diet, eat them as a snack, or add them to smoothies or stirred through your morning oatmeal.

Apples and Pears

Pears and apples are two of only a handful of fruits that have low calories and high fiber. Since they are a rich source of dietary fiber, apples and pears will make you feel full without eating too much. Just be sure to eat the whole fruit, as juice alone lacks the necessary dietary fiber needed to digest and process the sugars properly!

Grapefruit

Grape fruit is your new best friend when it comes to burning belly fat. It stimulates the production of cholecystokinin, a known hunger suppressant. Additionally, grapefruit lowers insulin levels of the body, which prevents our body from storing fat.

Again, you should always aim to eat the whole fruit as the flesh stores most of the nutrients and contains the fiber you need to digest the fruit’s sugars properly.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potato’s inherent natural sweetness makes it a very appealing ingredient for a range of recipes. It is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients that benefit our eyesight, heart and digestive system.

Compared to its close relative the potato, sweet potato has a lower Glycemic Index which measures how fast it releases sugar into the bloodstream , so it makes a great substitute! It’s another food that’s rich in dietary fiber steadying the pace of digestion and giving enough time for the starches to be converted into simple sugars in the digestive tract .

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers have one particular ingredient that suppresses appetite and burns fat – capsaicin . Capsaicin is responsible for that burning sensation in our mouth when we eat chili, but it also burns fat through a process called thermogenesis (literally converting food into heat) for over 20 minutes after we eat it.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce are known for their rich nutrient and fiber content while being low in carbohydrates and calories. Leafy greens are one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet because of their low energy density (low calories), meaning you can eat more without much risk of gaining weight, plus they help you feel fuller for longer.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Some of the notable characters in this group are arugula, broccoli, Bok choy, collard greens, kale, daikon radish, watercress, radish, turnip, and mustard greens.

This vegetable family is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid (a crucial nutrient for pregnant women), carotenoids, and fiber, while also being low in calories and fat.

Per one hundred calories you consume, you’ll get around 25 to 40 percent of your daily dietary fiber requirement , this not only helps with weight loss but also aids in improving our digestive health.

Beans and legumes are rare in that they combine high protein and fiber without the saturated fat. This is what makes them ideal for moderating or losing weight because protein and fiber go through the digestive system at a slower pace, leaving you feeling fuller for longer, as well as helping to move along any foods that might be stuck in your gastrointestinal tract.

The slower pace also helps regulate blood sugar balance, and beans lead to a production of a hormone known to be an appetite suppressant.

Lean grass-fed beef and organic chicken

Adding lean (keyword) beef to your diet is one way to help you lose weight because of its protein content. Studies have shown that by simply adding protein to your diet, cravings can be reduced by up to 60 percent .

Chicken breast is another fantastic source of protein which makes it a staple of a lot of weight loss diets. You should aim to grill meat wherever possible as frying it will add to the calorie content.

Wild-caught salmon

Salmon is a rich source of nutrients that indirectly help in regulating weight. This nutrient-dense fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which boost brain function and contribute to improving mood. Omega-3 also helps reduce inflammation and aids digestion - better digestion means better weight regulation, reducing your chances of obesity and metabolic disease.

New studies have also shown that salmon contains proteins and amino acids that affect insulin effectiveness and the inflammation of the digestive tract.

Apple Cider Vinegar

If you love your salads, instead of using fatty or creamy dressings which can make an otherwise healthy dish pretty unhealthy, try using an apple cider vinegar based vinaigrette instead. Alternatively, you could drink it by diluting it in water.

Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid, which in one study was found to suppress body fat accumulation  and, in others, linked to improving insulin sensitivity in people who have type-2 diabetes.

Plain Greek Yogurt

This is a healthier alternative to traditional yogurt because it has less sodium, sugar, and carbohydrates, but also has a little bit more protein . Yogurt, in general, is also a rich source of probiotics, a major factor in our digestive health, keeping bad bacteria in check. You can read more about the role of probiotics in weight management in the supplements chapter of this eBook.

Be sure to choose plain unflavored and unsweetened Greek yogurt for the optimal results. You can add fruits to sweeten it up naturally or add it to a healthy smoothie recipe.

Nuts

Generally speaking, nuts are a rich source of healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids), protein, and fiber, but not all nuts are created equal – almonds, cashews, and pistachios contain the least amount of calories so should be your go-to nuts!

Almonds, in particular, are proven to help in weight loss, in one study a 3-ounce almond supplement saw participants lose 7 percent more in terms of body weight compared to the other group that had a supplement of complex carbohydrates.

Macadamia and pecans contain the most calories so you should certainly try and minimize these in your weight-loss journey!

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a rich source of fatty acids - great for boosting brain function, lowering blood cholesterol, and potentially helping reduce seizures in people who suffer from epilepsy . Additionally, the high fatty acid content in coconut oil is great for appetite suppression . Use it in place of your usual oil when cooking foods - the taste usually isn’t very overpowering. Alternatively, add it to your smoothies.

Chia Seeds

These seeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and protein. A total of 14 percent of chia seeds’ weight is protein. Chia seeds can easily be mixed into juices, smoothies, cereal, veggies, or yogurt to add a contrasting nutty flavor.

Matcha

Matcha literally means, ‘powdered tea’ and it’s a special form of green tea that is usually grown in Japan. Unlike traditional green tea where the leaves are discarded, you consume the entire chlorophyll-rich leaves that have been handpicked, steamed, dried, and ground into a fine green powder.

Matcha contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) a very potent antioxidant. It increases fat oxidation (fat burning) by 33 percent, as well as inhibiting fat cell development.