Lose Your Belly - Find Your Waist by Karen Eade...

.LOSE YOU BELLY -FIND YOUR WAIST!
Written by Karen Eade, Fitness Professional and Owner of Women. In Motion Fitness Studios www.womeninmotion.co.nz
Legs and arms look all right but the area around your bust to your groin seem to defy all attempts to shrink it? Every treat or sneaked chocolate biscuit or crisp settle around your middle? ”Muffin top?” - Pouring over the top of your jeans or worse been asked when your baby is due?
You may be one of the many women who are affected by carbohydrate sensitivity.
You don't have to be overweight to carry fat around the middle. Even a lean person of normal weight can carry to much in the centre which increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and high blood pressure.
The reason why some people store fat around the middle while others don't has much to do with the way the body works. Every time you eat your body will either burn the food as energy or store it as fat. In this case you body chooses to store it in one particular place in your body.
Insulin resistance results from the cells being constantly exposed to high levels of insulin and eventually becoming immune to insulins effects. The inability to use insulin effectively can make you fat. If you’re insulin resistant you are stuck in FAT STORAGE Mode.
All Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose or sugar in the body, some such as starchy carbohydrates, and highly sweetened foods are metabolized much quicker than others and trigger a sudden rise in blood sugar. Some people are more sensitive than others to the effects of these carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates include a wide range of foods from fruits and vegetables to breads, grains, pasta, chips, cookies, cakes and soft drinks.
Not all carbohydrates are equal.
Starchy and sweet carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, bread and pasta along with more obvious foods such as cakes, biscuits, soft drink break down more quickly in the body and cause blood sugar highs followed by slumps which in turn have you looking for something sweet to elevate the sugars again. This in turn stimulates insulin production and more sensitivity.
Simple eating plan
Eat little and often -- 3 smaller main meals and snack mid morning and afternoon Don't skip breakfast -- eating breakfast will wake up your metabolism and give you energy Reduce or eliminate sugar and refined carbs at least for a couple of weeks Add protein to each meal �" Protein burns more slowly providing a steady stream of energy so you wont get so hungry Eat essential fats -- Fish nuts and seeds contain EFA Watch what you drink -- reduce caffeine as this increases the release of cortisol in turn releasing insulin
Slow release carbohydrates (Low GI)
Grains (whole wheat, rye, oats, brown rice, barley, maize, quinoa, millet) Beans ( lentils, kidney beans, soya, etc) Most Vegetables Fruits especially berries, cherries, apples, pears and citrus
Fast releasing carbohydrates include (High GI)
Refined grains ( white flour, cakes, biscuits, white bread, pastries, white rice) Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, yams, pumpkin Bananas, dried fruit, grapes and fruit juice.
What to eat
Include a small amount of protein with every meal Swap from refined carbs (white flour, rice, bread, pasta) to whole grain (rye, oats, etc) Reduce caffeine Eliminate sugar Reduce saturated fats and include foods containing essential fats ( fish, nuts and seeds) Add spices to food such as cloves, turmeric, cinnamon & bay leaves as they are known to have a positive effect on insulin. Chilies, peppers, curries help increase metabolism. Reduce fruit juice unless diluted. Eat more fish, eggs and beans. Eliminate or Reduce alcohol Eating every 3 hrs will keep blood sugars steady, help stop cravings, increase metabolism as the body no longer thinks it's in starvation mode so will release the stored energy. Eat 3 main meals that are smaller than normal and include a mid morning and afternoon snack.
Food ideas
Omelettes- Berry smoothies - salad - avocado salad - sardines on Rye bread - stuffed peppers - Stir fry - 1/2 c strawberries & 1/2 cup L/F cottage cheese - celery stalks with light cream cheese or peanut butter - Chicken bacon & egg - Steamed veg & lean meat kebabs - porridge & yogurt - carrot sticks and cottage cheese or salsa dip - French onion soup - grilled tomato and eggs - Rye crisp or vita wheat crackers with tuna or low-fat cheese - lean ham & egg or salad - lean meatballs tomato pasta sauce on bed of salad veg - stuffed mushrooms - small serve nuts, seeds - hummus on rye or whole wheat toast - chicken & spicy beans - fresh fruit salad - corn on cob - apple and small handful almonds - chopped raw veg with tahina or tatzini dip - Fish kedgeree with brown rice -
EXERCISE (apple shapes need to build up muscle as well as a good sweat)
Exercise will reduce negative effects of cortisol & insulin, as increased muscle mass in turn burns more calories using body fat as fuel. Exercise will also help to prevent & even reverse insulin resistance, improve insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle & fat, and improve body shape.
Fat takes up 5 times as much space as Muscle. As you lose fat and gain muscle the scales may not change much but the body measurements will show the results. Muscle plays an important part in helping to lose and control weight. You don't want to lose it in fact more is better! Muscle requires calories to fuel it even when it's not being used so the more you have the more calories you will burn even just sitting around. Every kg of muscle burns around 150calories a day. 1 kg of fat burns around 16 calories a day This is why men find it easier to lose weight as they generally have more muscle than women so can burn more calories faster even when doing nothing.
About the Author
Karen Eade is a registered fitness professional who has worked in the industry for over 20 years. She currently owns and runs Women In Motion, a fitness and wellness centre in Christchurch, New Zealand where she dedicates her time to helping her members reach their fitness goals. You can find out more about her by visiting the centres website at http://www.womeninmotion.co.nz/