Check your girth, lose your love handles

Have you ever been mistaken for an expectant mother?

Do you know your girth? It is the circumference of your abdominal area.  That area referred to as your gut or beer belly.

The size of this area has been used for ages to determine health risks, and it is an indicator of how much body fat you have.  However, your girth is not a substitute for finding out how much fat to lean body weight you are carrying.

The reason why I like measuring girth is because you can do it yourself without fancy equipment.  All you need is a tape measure. 

The circumference of your mid-section indicates how much extra, unhealthy weight you are carrying.  Thus, those with larger bellies are at risk for diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The best advice I can give for ditching your beer belly is to change your diet and add more physical activity to your life.

Unfortunately, the older you are, the harder it is to shed extra pounds and the ones in the middle seem to be most stubborn.  That's because your metabolism slows and random dieting doesn't cut it.  Also, because your metabolism slows once you reach age 30, your body stores more calories.  That's why what worked in your 20s, no longer works.

If your belly is out shinning the rest of your body, you need to cut your sugar and fat intake, eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and drink lots of water.

I'm always amazed by the high number of people who aren't getting results, but admit to poor eating habits and no physical activity.  The only way to see results is to eat less junk, eat more whole foods and exercise.  There's no way around it.

And if you're thinking, "Oh, I need to do abs."  Forget about it.  If you don't already have a flat stomach, that's not the answer. Targeting your abdominal muscles by doing traditional abs, sit-ups and crunches will only frustrate you and it's not enough. It takes more than that to get a flat belly.  Focus on your core and you are sure to see results. Not only will you lose fat, but you will gain strength.

Core exercises are by far the best way to burn fat and increase overall body strength because you engage your entire body.

So, if you don't want your bulging mid-section to get more attention than you, you need to commit to change.  And don't expect a six pack or massive results overnight.  You may never have a six pack and it may take months or a year to burn off the residual from years of poor food choices and inactivity.

Bellyfat solutions

Howto lose your stubborn belly fat and reduce your girth

Nutritionalplan to lose body fat

Exercisesthat target the love handles

Core exercises using your body weight

 

Does getting older mean weight gain?

 “I sure looked good in my 20s.” Is that what you find yourself saying?

No matter your age, if you’re over 30, you’ve discovered things aren’t the way they used to be.  If you’re like me, you may find yourself looking at pictures of your former self and wondering, what happened?

Well, don’t despair and don’t worry yourself because the likelihood of returning to your 20-something body is not going to happen in this lifetime.  There are exceptions to that rule and it usually has something to do with a person’s DNA.

For those of us who don’t have that gene pool, we have to work harder and more deliberately to keep ourselves trim and fit as we age.  And remember -- skinny doesn’t mean healthy.

Doctors agree most humans gain weight as they age because of several common factors; slower metabolism, lack of activity and eating too many calories.

You can combat all of these things by decreasing your caloric intake and by adding daily physical activity to your life, along with weight or strength training.

The fact is as we age and are tied to our sedentary jobs and sedentary home lives, we burn fewer calories, continue to eat as many calories as we did in our 20s and become accustomed to not engaging in physical activity.  A change in the way you perceive aging and a commitment to get off the couch is a great start.

For those of you who are just starting to workout in your middle age -- don’t expect a miracle and don’t expect to get lean overnight.  You will have more of a challenge because you are not used to working out or eating less, but once you get into a routine and into the habit of healthful eating and physical activity, you will see results.

And even though you will probably never look 20-something again, you can certainly look great -- you’ll just look different than the way you used to look.

Here’s some more reading for you with great tips to looking fabulous as you age:

Getting older and gaining weight

Tips to avoid middle age weight gain

Why do we gain weight as we get older?

Sugar is lurking -- beware!

It never ceases to amaze me what you learn when you read.  I’ve always been adamant about the consumption of sugar and its contribution to weight gain.

But what I continue to discover is that most people are oblivious to the amount of sugar they consume because they don’t take time to read labels.  I guarantee when you stop to see what you’re eating, you will change your ways.

You can refer to my previous two blog entries for that information about your glycemic level and how it affects weight loss.

Aside from being found in the obvious like baked goods, candy and soda, sugar is added to items such as ketchup, salad dressing and sliced bread. Small amounts of sugar in a variety of your common foods can add up very quickly during a day of eating.  Twenty-two to 34 teaspoons a day to be exact -- which can account for nearly 400 calories a day.  Click here for more info on those stats. 

Your pancreas processes sugar and turns it into insulin so that your body has energy to complete tasks.  If you have too much sugar and your blood sugar level becomes elevated, your body thinks it has enough energy so it stops burning fat and stores the excess.  And eventually, everything stored turns to fat!

Another effect of too much insulin is the surge causes too much blood sugar to be transported out of your blood. This causes the “crash” that so many of us know too well. Your glycemic level drops below normal, causing fatigue and hunger.  Unfortunately, when this happens, you crave the same food that initially caused the situation.

And the cycle begins again.

My tips for you to avoid getting caught in the sugar cycle are:

Begin your day with a high fiber, high protein breakfast. Stay away from sugar coated cereals and pastries.  Smoothies are good if you make them yourself using the proper ingredients -- a mix of fruit and protein.  Here are some low sugar smoothie recipes from Chef Jamie Oliver: recipes.

Pack snacks that provide energy like nuts, seeds and fresh fruit paired with cheese or peanut butter. Click here for snack ideas.

 Drink lots of water to keep from drinking sugary beverages.  I recently saw a coworker with water she flavored with fresh fruit. I often use lemon or lime, but had never thought of all the other possibilities that liven up water without adding sugar.  It’s easy to do and much less expensive than buying flavored water.  Besides, most flavored water that you can purchase, have added sugar. Click here for flavored water recipes.

Use this sugar guide to educate yourself on types of sugar and what you should look for when reading labels. 

Finally, I want you to check out this interesting read on sugar and cancer:

"Cancer cells slurp up fructose, US study finds."

Tips for burning more calories

There are several truths to losing weight and body fat. These truths are static despite diets, pills and gimmicks.

You have to decrease how many calories you eat, you have to change what you eat and you have to exercise.

Sure you can go for a quick fix by committing to a diet that you won't stick to or temporarily change your lifestyle to lose ten pounds. But the weight will come back and possibly return with more weight than when you began.

You have to change your life. Food can't be a diet. It has to be the way you eat and consist of foods you consume no matter where you are and regardless of the time of year. And exercising can't be viewed as a chore. It has to be a part of your natural life like eating and sleeping -- two things that are essential for human life.

Burning calories is two-fold. To be successful, you need to eat a small amount of calories (that amount is determined by your personal goals) and you need to exercise or participate in a physical activity that will burn calories.

When you burn calories, you burn fat and you eventually lose weight. That's it. That's the formula for getting rid of the weight and keeping it off.

Here are two articles to read. One provides specific ways to maximize your calorie burn. The second article provides a list of foods that promote calorie burning during digestion (negative calorie foods) and foods that boost metabolism. 

Please note that eating the negative calorie foods should not take the place of exercise although it is sometimes promoted.

• 6 Ways to Burn More Calories
• Negative calorie foods and fat burning foods

Five exercises you shouldn’t live without

Are you too busy to work out for an hour? Are you confused about what to do when you work out?

Although working out can be tedious, it can be simple and take about 30 minutes if you’re focused and know what to do.  People often ask me to recommend a few full body exercises they can do in the comfort of their own home or outside of a gym.

I have five that are my favorite (and by favorite I mean the best exercises for a total body workout, not because they are fun).

Standard push-ups mixed/modified push-ups: I recommend both because standard work the chest muscles, core and biceps.  Modified are wonderful for triceps.
Squats: For the quadriceps (front thigh), legs, back, glutes (butt)
Lunges: Thighs and glutes galore
Mountain climbers: Core, cardio, legs, arms and shoulders
Deadlifts: Lower back, quadriceps, hamstrings (the back of your thigh, between the butt and the knee)

The combination of exercises provides a full body workout. If you need more cardio, add some sprinting, steps or activity of your choice that raises your heart rate.

There are no excuses with these exercises because they take minimal space and can be performed inside or outside. For kettlebell enthusiasts, use your bell in place of traditional weights. I recommend five rounds consisting of 20 reps of each exercise.  You can adjust reps or rounds based on your fitness level. 

Finally, working out regardless of the exercises, is best done with a buddy.  A workout partner helps provide accountability; support and the extra push that is often needed to accomplish your goals.

Are you tired of trying to figure out what and how much to eat?

If so, I think you will appreciate the 2-hour plan. It's not a new concept, but it's one that is tried and true if you are willing to get organized.

The topic recently came up during a workout session, and I was explaining to someone how to make healthy eating choices throughout the day.

Eating smart is especially difficult when you are busy and stay away from home all day. There are many temptations like vending machines at work and fast food restaurants when you're on the go.

The 2-hour meal plan simply means every time you eat, eat to satisfy your appetite for two hours. That way you can focus on small portions and nutrient packed foods that are portable and satisfying.

The 2-hour plan forces you to eat more times during the day, so you're never starving and are less likely to over eat. Ultimately, you should see a positive change in your eating habits and possibly weight loss.

I manage this plan by packing all of my meals and snacks that I will need for the day. During the work week, I generally pack breakfast, lunch and 2-3 snacks to supplement my eating throughout the day.

Check out these articles to get started, and good luck! Once you try this and see how simple it is you will never return to starving or over eating.

How to lose weight eating every two hours
How to Eat to Lose Weight: The Secret to Turning Your Body into a Fat-Burning Machine

WOD: 6/04/11

Another warm Saturday, but it wasn't as hot as last week.  Nevertheless, from this point on we will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. and we will also begin alternating locations (Wallace Wade and Brier Creek).  I'll post that schedule tomorrow.

For those who missed Saturday:

Warm-up -- run/walk 1 mile
You should really try to run it.  If you're fit, you should be able to run a mile, so if you are unable to do so right now, make it your goal.

stretch - static stretches and KB stretches for arms and neck

20 Russian swings
20 American swings
20 deadlifts
10 shoulder presses (each arm)
20 squats
20 push-ups
20 mountain climbers

cool down -- walk one lap around track (1 lap = 25 miles)