Health & Fitness:
Middle Management

By Jennifer Nastasi

So you’ve put on a pound or two this winter. That’s not so bad right? Thing is, the extra weight probably went straight to your waist and that’s where the trouble starts.

Belly fat can be a serious threat to your health. Study after study shows that it increases your risk of heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and dementia. Not only that, women who have waists that are bigger than 35 inches are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease than women whose middles measure less than 28 inches. A waist that’s more than 32 inches increases your risk of diabetes. Some of my clients tell me that they don’t have a weight problem except for their belly, but guess what - that’s a big, big problem.

Belly, or visceral fat, is so dangerous because it lies deep in your abdomen, surrounds your organs and secretes toxic hormones. Two of the worst offenders it spawns are proteins called cytokines and adipokines, which contribute to the thickening of the walls of coronary blood vessels, increasing the chances that you’ll have a heart attack.

The liver – your body’s detox center - also seriously suffers if you have too much ab flab. When the liver gets infiltrated with this fat, it can have a harder time filtering out harmful substances. Belly bulge even affects your muscles, making them less effective, which can raise your risk of developing diabetes. The reason: Healthy muscles use up a lot of the sugar the body takes in, while sluggish ones can’t metabolize it as well. If all that isn’t enough to make you start doing crunches, new evidence suggest that apple-shaped women are more likely to get certain cancers – especially breast, colon and uterine – though researchers don’t yet know why.

Now for the good news! Before menopause, women lose weight far more easily from their bellies than from their thighs and buttocks. The best advice I can give you is to get started today. Here are a few helpful tips for losing the spare tire, keeping it off – and adding years to your life.

Cut just 100 calories a day.      
That’s all you need to ditch to beat belly bulge. Dropping this amount from your daily intake – we’re talking one cookie, a soda, or a glass of wine – will help you lose about 12 pounds a year. It‘s a cinch to stick to a plan that requires no actual dieting or deprivation.

Build muscle mass.
During a cardio workout, your body zaps hundreds of calories, but your metabolism slows down almost instantly when you stop. After strength training, on the other hand, you burn fat for hours. Regular weight lifting has been proven to boost your metabolic rate by about 15 percent. I would recommend doing three 45 to 50 minute sessions a week.

Run from fat.
One of the most effective ways to reduce flab around your mid section is to jog it off. Hit the road for 30 to 60 minutes two to four times a week. If steady running isn’t your thing, try interval training. Interval training – constantly switching up the pace of your workout – will also help you lose weight, because it blasts more calories. Do two minutes of sprinting followed by a 60 second walk. Repeat for a half hour. 

Eat good for you foods. 
Your body is smart – it knows when it’s not getting any nutrients. So if you munch on processed foods like chips and doughnuts, you’ll still be hungry. The fix: snack regularly on fruits, vegetables, fish, low-fat dairy, and whole grains.

Have a high-protein breakfast.
Skip the sugary cereals. They’re too easily digested, which means they speed through your system too quickly. An egg white omelet with a slice of whole grain bread is a good choice. If you’re eating on the go, try a low-fat yogurt with a piece of fruit, or string cheese with a handful of almonds.

Don’t skip meals.
That will only set you up to over-eat. Nosh on small portions every three to four hours to keep your metabolism running. If you haven’t eaten in a while your body will panic, go into starvation mode, and stop burning calories.

Head off a freak-out.
Stress causes the body to start stockpiling fat in the gut. Your system thinks a crisis is coming. It deposits fat cells into the belly because it’s the most convenient storage space. Chill out with yoga, meditation or massage. If you’re a stress eater, keep healthy snacks such as almonds or fresh fruit on hand to prevent junk-food binges

Get your shut-eye.
Lack of sleep increases the likelihood you’ll gain weight. When you’re tired, the hormones that stimulate appetite increase, while the hormones that help you feel full plummet. Aim for seven to eight hours a night.

Move more all the time.
Computers, TVs, video games, and cars keep us glued to our seats. The result: We’re less physical than ever before. To trim your tummy, do whatever you can to keep moving. Even 10 minutes can help. Studies show that you can burn up to 350 calories a day (the equivalent of your lunch) just by walking around when you’re on the phone, tapping your toes when you’re surfing the Web, or doing squats when you’re brushing your teeth. Before you know it, you’ll be saying buh-bye, belly fat. 

I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association. You can listen to me every Friday morning at 9:40 am on TK99 with Gomez and Dave the official radio station of Champions Fitness. If you would like to set up a free consultation with one of our certified fitness professionals please call Champions Fitness at 452-5522 today. 

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