TIPS FOR A FLATTER TUMMY
It’s almost bathing suit
season, for both guys and gals! That means showing some skin and revealing
what’s been hiding under those bulky winter sweaters!
Quick! Show me the magic!
Hate to disappoint you, but it isn’t swallowing a magic pill or drinking some
cool kool aide! It’s work and discipline. But, it doesn’t have to be that hard-
just some effort! And a bit of knowledge- that I will share with you here!
First, cutting calories
and consistently exercising are a must! Let’s talk about calories. I am awful
with numbers, so I use visual techniques to determine how much should be
consumed. A way to visualize a portion of veggies or one piece of whole fruit
is to picture the size of a woman’s fist. If you are going to have dried fruit
or nuts, picture the size of a golfball. A serving of meat, fish or poultry is
about the size of a deck of cards or your palm (excluding fingers), or your
checkbook. A ½ cup of cooked whole wheat pasta or brown rice or quinoa is the
size of a tennis ball. A baked potatoe (sweet or white) is the size of your
computer mouse. If you are like me and love scooping peanut butter or almond
butter right out of the jar, then picture a ping pong ball (that’s roughly 2
tablespoons). If you are out to eat, there is no crime in leaving back some
food and taking it home for another meal or for an afternoon snack. As
American’s, we tend to “supersize” our portions. So, in efforts to cut back and
cut down, if it looks like too much food, then it probably is! You don’t have
to make the “clean plate club”!
There are foods that may
have waist-shrinking (and health boosting) properties. Here is comprehensive
list:
#1) Canola Oil
A heart-healthy cooking oil, canola oil’s high omega-3
content lowers insulin levels, ultimately discouraging fat storage in the
abdomen.
#2) Beans
Swapping animal
proteins in your diet for vegetarian proteins like beans may do more than help
your heart (and the planet). A study found that a vegetarian diet burned more
deep (visceral) abdominal fat, as well as that extra layer just under the skin
(subcutaneous fat).
#3) Dairy
Not only will milk (and other low-fat dairy, such as greek
yogurt and low fat cottage cheese) help you build strong bones, but if you want
to whittle your waistline and gain calorie-burning lean muscle you may need to
up the ante. In a 2011 Journal of
Nutrition study, dieters who ate 30 percent of calories from
protein, including six to seven daily servings of dairy, chiseled off more
belly and total fat—and gained more lean muscle—than women who trimmed the same
number of calories but ate less protein and dairy. Researchers think the whey
protein in dairy, which boasts the amino acid leucine, is particularly
important in stimulating the formation of new muscle proteins.
#4) Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in magnesium, a mineral instrumental
in regulating fat metabolism. Individuals who ate whole-grains melted
significantly more abdominal fat than those who ate refined grains or no whole
grains at all.
#5) Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps you to burn fat! I’m talking about eating your
fruits, not overdosing on vitamin C tabs or drinking a glass of oj in the
morning. Eating grapefruits, oranges, strawberries, limes, lemons, mangoes, and
kiwis are all fabulous sources of this fat-burning vitamin. Adequate vitamin C
is essential for proper fat metabolism. Low vitamin C is linked with increased
weight and higher waist measurement. Patients with low vitamin C tend to have
more stomach fat despite overall weight loss. Vitamin C is required for
production of molecules used in oxidation, or metabolism, of fatty tissue.
Without sufficient vitamin C, your body is unable to use stored fat. Your body
is still producing fatty tissue for energy, but is unable to use it. This
causes a buildup of fat, especially in the abdominal area. Now can
you “C” how important vitamin C is and how delicious losing weight can be?
So, take these tips to heart and get moving! You only have a
few more weeks left til Memorial Day! And, for more information and to help get
you going strong, contact me at Rachel@livehealthynyc.com
