Back in the early 1980s when I was an aerobic dance instructor (please don’t laugh) we used to do loads of sit-ups with Culture Club blaring in the background while excitedly discussing how flat our stomachs were going to be.
Well, I’ve learned a lot in the last 36 years or so, and that includes the fact that sit-ups do absolutely nothing to get rid of belly fat. You’ll build abdominal muscles of steel, but the stubborn blubber on top of them will remain a part of you.
If you’ve had a “pooch” for quite some time that you would like to make disappear, here are tried and true ways to finally get rid of that belly fat for good!
Start with your diet
Belly fat doesn’t POOF! come out of nowhere—it is created by your diet; specifically by refined, starchy carbohydrates and sugars.
Foods like these are detrimental for two reasons.
First the obvious—they are (or turn to) pure sugar upon digestion, which raises your blood glucose level, stirs up inflammation, feeds cancer, increases your risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and of course creates BLUBBER.
In addition, they affect your hunger hormones, and not in a good way. Studies have shown that refined carbohydrates and sugars encourage overeating, while wholesome real foods like vegetables, proteins and healthy fats decrease hunger.
Keep it real with your diet and minimize your sugar and refined carb intake. Concentrate on meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, eggs, and healthy fats like real butter (never margarine), olive oil, coconut oil, lard, olives and nuts.
As far as fruit goes, fresh fruit is very healthful, but also high in sugar, so limit your fruit intake to one serving a day, preferably berries.
Support efficient digestion
If you want to have anything that resembles a flat stomach, you MUST have efficient digestion—that’s the only way you can be sure your body is absorbing the nutrients it needs to keep you nourished and full, and eliminating wastes that clog you up and bloat you.
So if you are on acid reducers, get mistaken for a foghorn when you belch, are constipated a lot or can play the Star-Spangled Banner with your flatulence, trust me, your digestion is off.
Never fear! Because there are 2 ways you can turn that around and get things humming through that GI tract of yours:
1- Get the Great Taste No Pain health system and USE IT
In Great Taste No Pain, I show you how to pair foods together in your meals that pave the way for smooth, comfortable digestion.
It just involves a few tweaks to your meals to make all the difference in the world in how you feel!
Plus Great Taste No Pain delivers on the “great taste” part too. Every single one of my recipes is downright scrumptious! You’ll be shocked at how delicious eating “good foods” can be, and will soon lose your taste for the sugary, refined stuff.
2- Give your body an enzyme boost with Digestizol Max
We all have a limited digestive enzyme capacity, and once your body starts having trouble producing enough enzymes to break down your foods, indigestion is a given.
How will you know if you’re running low?
Well, if you’ve been on acid reducers for a while, have had your gallbladder removed, haven’t eaten a tossed salad since Ronald Reagan was President or your 4 food groups are Taco Bell, Nabisco, McDonalds and Papa John’s, chances are excellent you may be running low in the enzyme department.
But you can give your body a much-needed enzyme boost with Digestizol Max enzyme formula.
Digestizol Max’s complete blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes work alongside your body’s own resources to help break down literally everything you eat.
So you feel comfortable after eating for a change, instead of tired, gassy and bloated!
Reduce stress
Chronic stress makes your body produce the hormone cortisol, which can deplete lean muscle and make your body hold on to fat in the belly area. It also enlarges your fat cells, allowing them to store more fat.
Plus it increases your appetite, especially for refined carbs!
We all have occasional stress now and then, but if yours is ongoing and chronic, it’s time to do something about it, and get help if you need it.
And speaking of stress reduction, here is a great way to curb your stress…
Engage in regular aerobic exercise
Note that all exercise is not created equal, especially when it comes to getting rid of belly fat.
To burn fat anywhere in your body, you need to engage in cardio activities like brisk walking, jogging, running, kickboxing, cycling and swimming—activities that raise your heart rate.
Work in some interval training as well. Studies have shown that quick bursts of intense exercise followed by slower “resting” periods are very effective in stoking your fat burning furnace.
If you’re a treadmill user, this is easy. For example, if you briskly walk at 4 miles per hour, every few minutes try increasing the speed to 5 mph and jog for 30 seconds, then put it back down to your comfortable pace.
Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night
Lacking sleep can reduce your ability to deal with stress and cause elevated cortisol levels (and the cortisol-associated dangers I described above).
Seven to nine hours per night should be your goal.
If you have trouble sleeping, note that regular exercise can promote better sleep, so there’s another great reason to get moving.
Also, sip chamomile tea before going to bed or try some Lavender Essential Oil on your pillow.
Support a healthy gut microbiome
Your gut microbiome plays a huge role in the amount of blubber you carry.
First, the helpful bacteria support efficient digestion, waste elimination and nutrient absorption, all of which are essential to maintaining a healthy weight.
Plus they keep harmful yeasts and bacteria in check. If allowed to grow out of control, yeasts in your gut can make you crave refined carbs and sugars—which are their favorite food and which pack the belly fat on YOU.
The smartest way to support a healthier gut environment is to help repopulate your “army” of protective bacteria with a full-spectrum multi-strain probiotic formula like Super Shield.
Super Shield’s effective blend of 13 strains of helpful bacteria contains both Bifidobacterium (which colonize in the large intestine) and Lactobacillus (which colonize in the small intestine), so your entire system is covered!
Plus each strain has its own “specialty” in how it supports your health, immune function and of course, digestion.
Do it now!
Now is the time to say goodbye to the belly blubber for good!
You are armed with the information you need to help shrink your pooch and finally enjoy a nice flat stomach!
Just in time for the arrival of spring!
To your health,
Sherry Brescia