How to Analyze Your Weight and Waistline

Belly fat is some pretty scary stuff, so you need to identify whether you’re at risk. Then you have to determine what you can do to decrease your belly fat as much as possible. Your risk isn’t just determined by your weight, however. It’s important to keep the size of your waistline in mind, too.

Even if you’re at a healthy body weight, you may still have too much belly fat.

How to Analyze Your Weight and Waistline

A recent study by Statistics Canada found that 21 percent of women considered to be at a normal weight were at an increased risk of health complications due to their levels of abdominal fat. So even though your weight on the scale may look okay, you may still be at risk of health conditions brought on by excess belly fat.

Waist circumference is a key measurement that many individuals don’t focus on. The research on the health risks associated with abdominal fat is so compelling that it may be time to focus less on the number on the scale and more on the measurement of your waistline.

You need to know your body mass index (BMI) as well as your waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio so you can see what your belly fat risk is and how to address it. (Your waist-to-hip ratio correlates with increased risk of heart attacks, so it’s an important number to know.)

No two bellies are exactly the same. Many different causes of belly fat exist, so you need to determine the cause of your belly fat so you can work on decreasing it and preventing it from returning.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bites

The following recipe makes four servings of peanut butter and banana bites. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare, but then chills for 60 minutes in the freezer. Or, if you can’t wait, skip the freezer and serve them immediately at room temperature.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bites

1 cup 100% whole-grain oats
2 medium bananas
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Place the oats in a resealable plastic bag and zip closed. Using a rolling pin, roll over the bag of oats until the oats are small crumbs.

Slice each banana into small, quarter-sized pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Smear a small coating of peanut butter onto each side of the banana pieces.

Add the peanut butter-coated banana pieces to the plastic bag, and then shake until each piece is coated with the oat crumbs.

Place the coated banana pieces on a plate covered with wax paper. Freeze for 1 hour.

Meal plan servings: 1 fruit, 0.5 starch, 1 fat.

Per serving: Calories 207 (From Fat 65); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 46mg; Carbohydrate 31g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Protein 6g.

If you’re serving this to kids, you can vary this recipe and make it less messy to eat by doing it like the preceding figure shows, Cut each banana in half and put them on a popsicle stick. Smear the peanut butter onto the banana, and then roll the banana in the crushed oats.

Pepper Steak with Fresh Vegetables

This pepper steak with vegetables recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes (10 minutes of prep time and 17 minutes of cooking time). The following recipe makes 2 servings. You can make your own steak seasoning to give it a special flare.

Pepper Steak with Fresh Vegetables

 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
One 8-ounce flank steak
Steak seasoning (see the following recipe to make your own)
4 cups chopped kale
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

Set your oven to broil, and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Place the steak on a broiler pan, and season the top of it with half the Steak Seasoning. Place the steak in the oven near the broiler for 5 minutes.

Remove the steak from the oven, flip it, add the remaining seasoning on top, and place back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it reaches desired doneness.

While the steak is broiling, add the kale, garlic, and vegetable broth to the sauté pan used to cook the mushrooms and onions. Cover, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the lid on the kale and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.

After the steak is done, arrange the cooked kale evenly on two separate plates. Top with half of the cooked steak. Top the steak with the cooked mushrooms and onions.

Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika

In a small bowl, mix together the black pepper, salt, red pepper, onion flakes, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and paprika.

Meal plan servings: 2 vegetables, 4 ounces protein, 1 fat.

Per serving: Calories 366 (From Fat 160); Fat 18g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 54mg; Sodium 1,409mg; Carbohydrate 28g; Dietary Fiber 7g; Protein 30g.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

A chicken breast stuffed with Swiss cheese and lean ham, Chicken Cordon Bleu looks difficult to prepare, but it’s really not once you master the rolling technique. This healthier version of Chicken Cordon Bleu takes 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. It yields four servings.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
2 egg whites, beaten
Four 4-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
4 ounces lowfat, low-sodium, thinly sliced ham
2 ounces part-skim, low-sodium Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Place the whole-wheat breadcrumbs in a large bowl or shallow dish and the beaten eggs in a separate bowl or shallow dish.

Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, and then dip them in the breadcrumbs to evenly coat. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet.

Place 1 ounce of ham and 1/2 ounce of Swiss cheese on one end of each chicken breast.

Carefully roll the chicken breasts until the ham and cheese are in the middle with the chicken wrapped completely around the outside. Secure with a toothpick if needed.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Meal plan servings: 4 ounces protein.

Per serving: Calories 228 (From Fat 66); Fat 7g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 88mg; Sodium 404mg; Carbohydrate 3g; Dietary Fiber 0g; Protein 36g.

Shrimp Stir-Fry

This shrimp stir-fry recipe is so versatile! Instead of shrimp, you can make it with tofu, chicken, or even beans. The following recipe serves four, and requires 30 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes to cook.

Shrimp Stir-Fry

16 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons low-sodium teriyaki sauce, divided
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped scallions
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shelled edamame
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 cups cooked brown rice

Place the shrimp, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce into a small bowl. Toss together and cover. Marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.

While the shrimp is marinating, heat the sesame oil in a large sauté pan or wok over high heat.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, broccoli, scallions, and bell peppers to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, edamame, sesame and chia seeds, and the shrimp with marinade to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque in color.

Continue stirring, and add in the broth and cornstarch. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, and then remove from heat.

Portion the cooked rice onto four plates. Top each with 1/4 of the shrimp stir-fry.

Per serving: 1 vegetable, 5 ounces protein, 2.5 starches, 2 fats.

Per serving: Calories 452 (From Fat 118); Fat 13g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 169mg; Sodium 588mg; Carbohydrate 54g; Dietary Fiber 9g; Protein 30g.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables

Pork tenderloin is a great lean-protein alternative to the standard chicken dinner, and it contains much less saturated fat than many cuts of beef. This pork tenderloin dish takes 10 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes to cook. The following recipe yields 4 servings.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables

Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups fresh kale or spinach
One 1-pound pork tenderloin
2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, quartered
2 large carrots, sliced
2 large sweet onions, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9-x-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Arrange the kale (or spinach) on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the pork tenderloin on top and arrange the sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions around the pork. Drizzle the olive oil over the pork, and then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn the pork and cover with foil. Place the pan back in the oven, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through (internal temperature should be 155 degrees).

Meal plan servings: 4 ounces protein, 1 vegetable, 1 starch.

Per serving: Calories 291 (From Fat 80); Fat 9g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 65mg; Sodium 662mg; Carbohydrate 28g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Protein 26g.

Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

This turkey burger with sweet potato fries requires 15 minutes of prep and then cooks for 45–60 minutes. Top your burger with belly fighters like avocado, or add a metabolism kick by tossing spices like cayenne pepper into your burgers before cooking.

Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

1 pound ground 98% fat-free turkey breast
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons diced shallots
1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
Four 100% whole-wheat hamburger buns

In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, garlic, olive oil, shallots, breadcrumbs, vinegar, black pepper, and rosemary. Use your hands to evenly mix the seasonings throughout the meat.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. In the meantime, create four even-sized patties with the meat mixture.

Add the patties to the pan and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees. Flip the patties halfway through cooking.

Place the cooked patties on hamburger buns and serve warm with the Sweet Potato Fries (see the following recipe).

Sweet Potato Fries
Two 6-ounce sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice each potato into 15 skinny fries and place on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the fries and top with cinnamon.

Bake for 30 minutes, and then flip the fries over. Bake for an additional 15 to 30 minutes, or until the fries are the desired texture (longer cooking time for crispier fries).

Meal plan servings: 3 starches, 4 ounces protein, 1 fat.

Per serving: Calories 375 (From Fat 88); Fat 10g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 74mg; Sodium 269mg; Carbohydrate 41g; Dietary Fiber 8g; Protein 32g.

Hot and Spicy Vegetarian Chili

This vegetarian chili only takes five minutes of prep time, but then it cooks for 60 minutes. The following recipe makes 6 servings of chili; you can adjust the recipe to feed more or less.

Hot and Spicy Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium green onion, finely chopped
3 large celery ribs, chopped
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
Chili seasoning (see the following recipe)
4 cups water
2 cups red kidney beans, cooked and drained (or one 16-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
2 cups cannellini beans, cooked and drained (or one 16-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
1 cup black beans, cooked and drained (or one 8-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
1 jalapeño, chopped

In a large stockpot, add olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, bell peppers, onion, and celery, and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, chili seasoning, and 4 cups of water and stir. Allow to simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Stir in the kidney beans, cannellini beans, black beans, and the jalapeño (seed the jalapeño if you want less heat to the chili), and allow to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Chili Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, turmeric, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, paprika, and oregano.

Meal plan servings: 1.5 starches, 1.5 ounces protein, 1.5 vegetables, 1 fat.

Per serving: Calories 302 (From Fat 55); Fat 6g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 488mg; Carbohydrate 50g; Dietary Fiber 15g; Protein 16g.

Bean, Ham, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito

This breakfast burrito requires 5 minutes of prep time and just 5 minutes of cook time, so it’s a great solution for a quick breakfast. The following recipe makes four servings. You can personalize this breakfast burrito by adding some cooked vegetables, such as tomatoes (as seen in the following figure) or green pepper and onion. You can also use different kinds of cheese and beans. Experiment with black beans, pinto beans, lowfat hot pepper cheese, or lowfat Monterey Jack, for example.

If you’re using canned beans, search for no-sodium-added or low-sodium options whenever possible.

Bean, Ham, and Cheese Breakfast Burrito

Nonstick cooking spray
4 eggs (or 1 cup liquid egg whites)
4 ounces chopped lean ham
2 cups cooked cannellini beans (or one 16-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
Four 6-inch 100% whole-grain tortillas
4 ounces shredded part-skim cheddar cheese

Spray a sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs (or egg whites). Add to the prepared pan along with the ham and beans.

Stir the mixture occasionally until the eggs are fully cooked and scrambled.

Place 1/4 of the mixture onto each tortilla and top with 1 ounce of the shredded cheese.

Wrap the tortilla into a burrito shape and allow the cheese to melt.

Meal plan servings: 2 starches, 4 ounces protein, 1 fat.

Per serving: Calories 389 (From Fat 118); Fat 13g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 217mg; Sodium 445mg; Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 8g); Protein 30g.

Broccoli and Cheese Omelet

This omelet comes together in less than three minutes (including prep and cooking!). While the following recipe calls for broccoli, you can add any cooked vegetables you like to this omelet. Try onion, red pepper, mushrooms, or tomatoes (or a mix!). Steaming is the best option for cooking the veggies, but if you’re short on time, using flash-frozen and microwaving is fine as well ..

Broccoli and Cheese Omelet

Nonstick cooking spray
2 eggs (or 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute), whisked
1/2 cup cooked broccoli
1/4 cup shredded part-skim cheddar cheese

Spray a 12-ounce coffee mug or bowl with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour half of the whisked egg into the prepared mug or bowl, and then add the broccoli and cheese. Pour the remaining egg on top.

Microwave for 90 seconds, or until firm, and remove.

Meal plan servings: 3 ounces protein, 1 vegetable, 2 fats.

Per serving: Calories 239 (From Fat 145); Fat 16g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 385mg; Sodium 137mg; Carbohydrate 4g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 21g

How The Belly Fat Diet Reduces Insulin Response

How The Belly Fat Diet Reduces Insulin Response

Have you tried to lose weight before but struggled with constant hunger and cravings, which made it impossible to continue your diet? If so, you have experienced cravings as a result of insulin response, which is the insulin/blood sugar cycle that occurs after eating and is even stronger after eating carbohydrate-laden foods.

Here’s how this response works: When you eat a food, especially a food rich in carbohydrates, your body converts it into sugar (glucose) for energy. Insulin transports glucose from the bloodstream into the cells for energy.

So when you eat foods that cause a spike in blood sugar, you experience a spike in insulin levels as the insulin rushes into your bloodstream to transport the excess sugar into your body’s cells. After the excess sugar is out of your bloodstream, the excess insulin stays there.

Your brain, sensing an increased level of insulin, realizes you need more sugar in your bloodstream to prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low. Your body makes you feel hungry and crave sugar, so you eat and get more sugar back into the bloodstream.

If you give in to the cravings and consume more simple sugars, the cycle continues to repeat itself over and over. You may find yourself eating a refined carbohydrate, craving more soon after, eating again, and on and on. This cycle can lead to weight gain, and, most importantly, increased levels of dangerous visceral fat.

Luckily, the Belly Fat Diet can help reduce this response. By following the diet, you discover the sources of simple carbohydrates and begin transferring away from these toward whole grains, fresh produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This lifestyle change helps to keep your insulin levels balanced, thereby stopping the hunger/sugar craving cycle.

Fight Belly Fat By Eating The Right Foods

Fight Belly Fat By Eating The Right Foods

As you transition into a belly-flattening lifestyle, you need to make a few key dietary changes. You can make these changes gradually over time. The more regularly you stick with these changes, the better your results:

Consume an adequate amount of fiber per day. Aim for a minimum of 30 grams of fiber daily. Fiber provides you with a sense of satiety without any calories. Increasing your fiber intake helps stabilize blood sugar, control cravings, and prevent overeating — all things that help promote weight loss and flatten your belly.

Consume an adequate amount of healthy fat each day. Dietary fat doesn’t equal belly fat. Healthy fats in the diet, mainly monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to help promote a decrease in belly fat. But portion control is still key here. Even though these fats are healthy, they’re still rich in calories.

Consume an adequate amount of lean protein. Lean proteins — which include animal proteins like chicken breast and fish as well as plant-based proteins like tofu and beans — are what make up the majority of your muscle. Without enough dietary protein each day, you may begin to lose muscle mass as you lose weight, which can slow your metabolism.

Increase your intake of whole fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits are not only rich in filling fiber, but they’re also loaded with antioxidants and phytochemicals. Certain antioxidants, such as vitamin C, have been linked with reducing belly fat by helping to regulate stress hormones in the body. They’re also rich in minerals like potassium, which helps to expel excess water from the body, slimming the belly.

Drink up! Drinking at least 8 cups of water per day helps keep you hydrated, gives you increased energy, and helps prevent water retention that can bloat your belly. Drinking adequate amounts of fluid also helps with appetite regulation, promoting weight loss.
Avoid some instant belly-bloating foods:

Carbonated beverages
Gassy vegetables
Gum
High-sugar drinks
Trans fats
White flour

Poor food choices can increase belly fat

Poor food choices can increase belly fat

The food choices you make can either help or hurt your efforts to attain a flat stomach. By transitioning away from belly-bloating foods and instead consuming the majority of your meals and snacks from belly-flattening foods, you can get on track to a smaller waistline and a healthier life. Consider the following eating practices that are poor choices for your midsection:

Consuming refined carbohydrates: Grains, breads, pastas, and cereals are a common component to many meals, and depending on the variety you choose, you could be sabotaging your efforts to flatten your belly. Refined carbohydrates, such as white pasta and white bread, are quickly converted into glucose in your body, spiking insulin levels and setting off the insulin response that stores abdominal fat.

Opting for unhealthy fats: People often have a misconception that eating fats translates to getting fat. Luckily, the opposite is true! You just have to choose the right fats. Certain fats — especially monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, nuts, and seeds) and omega-3 fatty acids (found in walnuts and fish) — have actually been shown to help reduce abdominal fat.

However, less healthy choices, such as the saturated fat found in high-fat animal products, have been found to store themselves as fat deposits more than other forms of fat.

Downing too many fluid calories: Sure they may seem harmless, but fluid calories may have a serious impact on your belly. These calories come from drinks mainly made up of sugar (sodas or juices) or saturated fats (creamers in coffee and full-fat milk in specialty coffee drinks).

Not only can these drinks trigger an increased insulin response, leading to increased fat storage, but they also leave you feeling unsatisfied. They don’t keep you full in the same way calories from solid foods do.

Skipping meals: Many people have the misconception that if they skip a meal, they consume fewer calories, and therefore lose weight. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Skipping a meal causes the following to happen:

You become increasingly hungry so when you finally do get the opportunity to eat, you end up eating too fast and too much. And you probably make the wrong choices because hunger leads to food cravings for sweets and fats.

Your body becomes confused. It doesn’t know when the next meal is coming, so instead of burning fat stores for energy, it begins storing more and more fat to stock up on energy in case the next meal never comes. In times of famine, you would be appreciative of your body for doing this, but when you’re trying to lose weight, this physiological override can be quite frustrating.

As a result, the best strategy to lose weight and your belly is to eat small, frequent meals every three to four hours to help keep hunger and cravings at bay and your metabolism functioning at its peak.

Lifestyle Factors of Belly Fat Accumulation

Lifestyle Factors of Belly Fat Accumulation

Several lifestyle factors are contributing to this country’s ever-growing weights and waistlines. Schedules are getting busier, stress levels are getting higher, and folks aren’t taking the time to properly care for their bodies and minds.

Societal pressures affect belly fat accumulation
When the economy takes a dive, stress levels skyrocket. Those who are out of work suffer the stresses of trying to make ends meet, pay the bills with limited funds, and search for new employment. Those lucky enough to have work may be putting in longer hours with company cutbacks or struggling with long commutes, tight deadlines, and difficult bosses.

These daily work and financial stressors lead to the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline over and over, mobilizing more and more fat into the abdomen.

No matter what the economy is like, however, modern-day living is fast-paced. If you look around at your friends, family, or even your kids, you may notice that they’re always rushing to get from one place to the next because they’re constantly scheduled for the next work or social event, meeting, or sporting practice. It may feel as though you can never just sit and relax for a minute.

This overscheduling not only increases your stress levels, but it also leaves little time to properly care for yourself. You may find you have so much on your to-do list that you struggle to find the time to fit in any exercise or prepare nutritious food. These factors lead to a mostly sedentary lifestyle filled with quick convenience foods that may include belly-busting choices like fast food, frozen meals, or takeout.

Worst of all, these stress-inducing behaviors can start to impact your sleep schedule. Inadequate sleep not only causes an increased production of the stress hormones, but it can also start to slow your metabolism and even cause you to feel hungrier. These are all behaviors that can make attaining a flat belly quite difficult.

Cooking Foods That Reduce Belly Fat

Cooking Foods That Reduce Belly Fat

When you have a kitchen stocked with belly-flattening food choices, you can easily whip up healthy meals that will help you lose weight. Cooking at home, instead of eating in a restaurant or ordering take-out, is one of the best things you can do for your belly and your health. When you cook your own food, you know exactly what ingredients (and how much) are going into it. And knowing what you’re eating helps to prevent any surprises on the scale.

Some cooking techniques produce foods that are healthier:

Baking/roasting: This technique includes cooking foods by surrounding them with dry heat in an oven. Everything from fish and meat to bread and veggies can be cooked by baking or roasting. Preheat your oven by turning it on and allowing it to warm to the desired temperature. After your dish is ready to bake, place it in an oven-safe baking dish or pan in your fully heated oven for the amount of time the recipe calls for.

Broiling: This technique involves cooking close to the heating element in the oven. Because broiling uses a direct, high heat, preparing beef, pork, fish, and poultry usually takes only a few minutes.

Start by preheating the broiler for 5–7 minutes. Season your meat or fish and place it on a broiler pan or in a shallow baking pan. Place the pan in the oven about 5 inches from the heat source. Place thicker cuts a bit further from the heat (very thick cuts shouldn’t be cooked with this method). Depending on the thickness of the meat or fish, you can turn it over between the 5- and 10-minute mark. After it turns a deep, golden brown color, it’s time to flip it. Cook on the other side for about the same amount of time or until it reaches the appropriate internal temperature.

Sautéing: This method of cooking allows you to quickly cook food (mainly meats or vegetables) in a small amount of oil in either a sauté pan or skillet.

To sauté, place your pan over a medium-high heat and allow it to warm. After the pan is hot, add just enough healthy oil, like olive oil, to lightly cover the bottom of the pan. Allow the oil to heat, and then add your ingredients. To prevent burning and to cook evenly, make sure you keep a close eye on the food and stir often.

Steaming: Steaming allows you to cook vegetables to a crisp, delicious texture while maintaining nutrients. Boiling, on the other hand, saps veggies of their belly-blasting nutrients.

To steam, wash and cut your vegetables, ensuring they’re in equal-sized pieces (to promote even cooking). Place a large pot filled with 1–2 inches of water over a high heat and bring it to a boil. Put a steamer basket into the pot, add your vegetables, and cover the pot. Let the vegetables sit in the steam for a few minutes, or until they achieve the desired tenderness and texture. Remove the lid carefully (watch out for steam because it can burn your hands and arms if they aren’t covered), and serve immediately.

Stock Your Refrigerator to Support Your Belly Fat Diet Plan

Stock Your Refrigerator to Support Your Belly Fat Diet Plan

To stick with your belly fat diet plan and achieve your goal of losing weight, you can stock up on perishable food items so you can always pull together a quick meal when the need strikes. Here are some perishable staples that can keep you full without expanding your waistline:

Whole eggs and liquid egg whites: Whether you eat them alone or add them to recipes, eggs are a fantastic source of complete protein. Liquid egg whites are a great source of low-calorie protein, helping you feel satisfied throughout the day. Having an egg or egg whites for breakfast can also help to fight belly fat. Research has shown that people who eat quality protein for breakfast tend to eat fewer calories overall throughout the day, promoting a healthy body weight.

Avocado: This fruit is a fantastic source of healthy, monounsaturated fat. Multiple studies have found that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats, when compared to a diet high in saturated fats with the same number of calories, helped prevent belly fat from accumulating. So stock up on this easy source of good fats and add some to sandwiches and salads. Or consider making some fresh guacamole (just hold the side of salty tortilla chips!).

Banana: Not only are bananas a great source of filling fiber, but they also contain a high amount of potassium, which helps your body shed excess water weight (which can make your belly look and feel bloated).

Yogurt: Choose fat-free or low-fat varieties of yogurt without added sugar. Rich in filling protein, yogurt also contains live active cultures, which help aid in digestion and reduce constipation (thus helping prevent belly bloat).

Stick to Your Belly Fat Diet Plan with a Well-Stocked Pantry

Stick to Your Belly Fat Diet Plan with a Well-Stocked Pantry

Your success in loosing belly fat hinges on stocking up on belly fat busting foods and having them on hand at all times. Not only does this help save you time, but it’s much easier to stay on track when you’re surrounded by healthy choices.

The pantry is a great place to stock up on nonperishables with belly-flattening benefits. Start stocking up on the following foods so you can stay on track with your weight-loss plan at all times:

Steel-cut oats: Loaded with heart-healthy soluble fiber, this great breakfast option helps keep you feeling full and satisfied without bloating your belly. Old-fashioned rolled oats are also a good option.

Whole grains (whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and quinoa, for example): These high-fiber options provide a great taste without the belly-bloating side effects of refined grains. A study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dieters who ate five servings of whole grains every day for 12 weeks lost two times as much belly fat as people who ate refined carbohydrates instead. How’s that for motivation?

Green tea: Catechins in green tea help your body burn fat more effectively, thus flattening your belly one cup at a time.

Select green tea that you brew yourself. Premade green teas, such as bottled iced green tea is often high in sugar and contains less of the belly-fighting compound EGCG.

Almonds or almond butter: A terrific source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, almonds were found in a study to help reduce insulin resistance and lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels. Raw almonds make a great snack, and almond butter can be smeared on whole-grain toast or celery sticks for a mini meal.

Beans and lentils: Beans are great for you because they’re rich in filling fiber and protein.

Look into stocking up on cannellini beans. These beans contain one of the highest levels of resistance starch, which is a fiber that resists digestion. This high level of resistance starch means your body has to work harder to digest, and, in turn, burn more calories, which helps promote weight loss.

Olive oil: You want to transition from cooking with fats high in unhealthy, saturated fat, such as butter, and instead use oils with a high level of heart-healthy and belly-flattening monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil. Peanut oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil are also rich sources of monounsaturated fats.

How to Find Support for Healthy Lifestyle Changes

How to Find Support for Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Creating a support network with friends and family
One of the best ways to stay on track with your healthy lifestyle is to tell your friends and family about your weight loss and health goals (and why you’re striving for them). If your family and friends know you’re trying to eat healthier options, such as whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates, they may try to be more supportive.

Family and friends can also be a great support team when you’re trying to include more physical activity in your daily routine. So ask around. Maybe a friend would love to walk with you in the mornings, or perhaps your kids would love to kick the soccer ball around together at night. Finding a consistent exercise partner helps to make you more accountable as well.

Bringing in professional help
Sometimes you need more than just the support of your friends and family to be successful. In these cases, you may find that professional help is just what you need to achieve and, most importantly, maintain your health and weight goals.

For example, if you’re struggling with eating due to emotional reasons rather than hunger, speaking to a licensed mental health provider can be a great way to learn strategies to fight emotional eating. And if you need help customizing your meal plan to meet specific dietary or medical needs or help finding motivation to get started with a weight loss and fitness routine, consulting with a registered dietitian, such as myself, is your best option.

To find a qualified health professional, ask your primary care physician for referrals, contact your insurance carrier for a list of names of in-network providers in your area, or look online in healthcare provider directories for someone who specializes in your needs.

Getting online weight loss support
Finding support doesn’t mean you have to leave the comfort of your own home. You can find plenty of motivation and advice online. For instance, you can find many great low-cost or no-cost communities online that allow you to talk with other folks striving to lose weight and improve their health. This type of forum can be a great way to share tips, gain motivation, and foster support.

The Basics of the Belly Fat Diet Plan

The Basics of the Belly Fat Diet Plan

If you are ready to burn off belly fat and make lifestyle changes that will help you maintain a healthy weight, the belly fat diet plan can help. The belly fat diet plan isn’t some crazy fad, it’s a comprehensive plan. These are the main principles of the belly fat diet plan (which you should follow for a lifetime):

Eat! Don’t skip meals; otherwise you’ll become too hungry, eat too fast, and ultimately eat too much.

Transition to whole grains. Whole grains are richer in nutrients and fiber, helping you to stay full longer and preventing nasty spikes in insulin, which trigger belly fat storage.

Stay active. Even if you don’t have a regular exercise routine, get a pedometer and make sure you get in a minimum of 10,000 steps every single day.

Eat more produce. Fresh vegetables and fruits are key to good nutrition. They’re loaded with filling fiber and packed full of disease-fighting antioxidants. They’re also low in calories.

Avoid inflammatory foods. Inflammation triggers belly fat storage and is an underlying factor in many disease states. Avoid refined carbohydrates, foods rich in saturated fats and trans fats, and highly processed foods. All of these foods can promote inflammation.

Eat at least one good source of healthy fat every day. Monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids help to fight both belly fat and inflammation. These fats are essential to maintaining a desirable body weight as well as preventing disease.

Drink at least 8–10 cups of water every day. Hydration helps keep your energy level up, fills you up to help you reduce your portions at meals and snacks, and helps your metabolism function at its peak. So drink up!

Practice mindful eating. This principle may be one of the most important. You need to learn your body’s hunger and satiety cues to be able to maintain a healthy body weight for life.

How to Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes Stick

Tips for Sticking to Your Diet When Traveling

Learn what stresses you out and find a way to manage it (without food!). Stress can really pile on belly fat due to the increased productions of stress hormones. It can also increase blood pressure and increase insulin resistance. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid stress, but you can pay attention to your biggest stressors. After you recognize them, see whether you can make any changes to reduce these stressors.

For instance, if you’re stressed every morning because you’re running late to work, would getting up 5 or 10 minutes earlier reduce your stress? If nagging your kids to do their homework at night causes you stress, can you play relaxing music in the background to calm your nerves? Even tiny little changes that can reduce stress slightly have a large impact on your health and belly fat.

Be prepared! Keeping weight off is work. It involves planning ahead to have the right food on hand, keeping food with you to prevent you from becoming too hungry, cooking instead of eating all meals out, and so on.

But you don’t have to devote hours and hours every day to planning. Pick one day a week and cook your meals in advance and freeze them. And try keeping a scrap of paper with you so that whenever you’re running low on a food that can help you stay on track, you can write it down. This way you’re prepared when you go to the store and only have to make one trip. These tiny time savers really add up over the course of a week.

Plan out your meals. In addition to cooking in advance, planning out what you’ll eat each day of the week is not only a great way to ensure you have the food you need on hand, but it also cuts down on those “what should I eat” moments. And, planning out menus in advance is a great way to reduce your grocery bill!

Track your physical activity. Use a pedometer to get an accurate gauge of how much physical activity you do each day. You’ll be amazed at how much your activity can fluctuate, but this way you’re aware and can make sure you pick up the pace when needed.

Tips for Sticking to Your Diet When Traveling

Tips for Sticking to Your Diet When Traveling

Traveling can make it pose special challenges to dieters. Eating at restaurants can make it hard stick with your belly fat diet plan. Depending on when and where you’re traveling, you may face challenges like these:

Being tempted by the hotel vending machine

Changing your eating times or schedule

Eating out often if staying in a hotel

Having difficulty fitting in regular exercise

Having to eat on the road or in the car

Needing to find healthy meals and snacks at the airport

It’s so easy to get off track when you’re up against these challenges, but if you plan ahead and prepare yourself before you leave, you can easily stay the course and prevent slip-ups. Here are some ways to prepare:

Pack food. If you’re going on a road trip, purchase a small cooler or an insulated lunch bag and fill it with Belly Fat Diet essentials, such as raw veggies, fresh fruit, low-fat string cheese, a sandwich on whole-grain bread, low-fat yogurt, and so on. This way, when you’re hungry, you have a healthy option on hand.

Call ahead to request a mini fridge in your room. When you arrive at the hotel, you can then fill the fridge with belly-friendly snack and meal options. If you’re driving to the hotel, you can purchase these foods in advance and travel with them in the cooler. If you’re flying, ask the hotel where the nearest grocery store is so you can stock up upon arrival.

Before leaving, look up potential restaurants you may want to visit on your trip. Pull up their menus online to identify some belly-friendly options you can select when eating out. To identify restaurants in the area where you’ll be traveling, use the online Yellow Pages for that city.

Stick with an eating schedule. It’s easy to get sidetracked and forget to eat on vacation, but doing so can lead to excessive hunger and cravings later on. Have a small meal or snack every three to four hours to prevent excessive hunger and keep your metabolism revved up.

Don’t forget exercise. If you’re staying in a hotel, try to book one that has a gym or workout room. If you can’t, plan in advance where you can fit in a walk in the area you’re traveling. Or you may be able to do your belly fat diet workout in your hotel room. Resistance bands are small and easy to pack for a great strength workout.

Tips for Sticking to Your Diet at Parties

Tips for Sticking to Your Diet at Parties

When you are on a diet to lose belly fat, you may be making a few common mistakes when you attend social events. And making these mistakes means you’ll be facing even greater challenges. So avoid doing the following, and you’ll be on your way to sailing through the next social event:

Getting too hungry: Don’t ever let yourself get too hungry (whether you’re at home or at an event). When you get too hungry, you start to crave more food, eat too fast, and ultimately make the wrong food choices and eat too much of them. So before you go to a party or event, eat something. Chances are you’ll get there and the food won’t be served for a few hours anyway. So you’ll be there socializing and standing around, maybe having a glass of wine (which makes you even more hungry), and then by the time the food comes out, you won’t be able to control yourself. So grab a light meal or snack before you walk out the door. The best option is some lean protein, a healthy fat, or some vegetables.

Having poor food options: Have you ever gone to a house party only to find that every item on the menu was high in saturated fat or refined carbohydrates? What do you do in these situations? If that one food choice is your only option, you have to eat it. Luckily, you can introduce another choice. Before attending a social event, offer to bring a dish. Make a dish that fits within the guidelines of your Belly Fat Diet plan. Not only will your host appreciate the thought, but you’ll also ensure you have at least one healthy option available to you.

Overfilling your plate, or not using a plate at all: Don’t pick at party food. Get yourself a small plate and place the food on it before digging in. Doing so helps you see how much you’re truly eating.

To help prevent overindulging from wanting to try a little of everything, survey the food before filling your plate. Walk around to see what’s available. On a scale from 1–10, which foods are the 9s and 10s (the foods you like the most)? Only fill your plate with these options, and skip the ones you don’t really love.

Giving in to food pushers: If the party host or family member tends to push food or drinks at you, keep a glass of water on hand at all times or a small plate filled with vegetables so you can ensure them you have already been taken care of.

Stationing yourself near tempting food: Watch where you position yourself at social gatherings. It’s so easy to eat mindlessly when you’re surrounded by food. If you’re sitting directly across from a favorite dish or appetizer, you’re going to be tempted to go back for seconds (or worse). Instead, try to sit away from the food. If you can’t escape, at least sit near a more healthy dish. That way if you go back for additional servings, you won’t kill your weight loss efforts. Also, focus on the social aspect of the event and try to talk and mingle to distract yourself from the food.

Drinking too much alcohol: If you’re drinking alcohol, be careful about how much you have and when you have it. Throughout a long party, it’s easy to have a few glasses over the period of a few hours. But remember that a few glasses sock you with a lot of calories before you even dig into the meal. Also, alcohol stimulates appetite, causing you to be more likely to eat larger portions.

Chowing down on leftovers: If you’re hosting a party or event, send the less-than-belly-friendly leftovers home with guests so they aren’t around and tempting you for days after the party. Leftovers often lead to more weight gain than the meal itself — especially around the holidays.

How Your Brain Signals Your Body's Need for Food

How Your Brain Signals Your Body's Need for Food

Ghrelin and glucose: According to the theory, low levels of glycogen and low blood sugar levels stimulate a spike in ghrelin and NPY’s activity in the hypothalamus. As NPY is stimulated, your desire for sweet and starchy foods goes up. And when ghrelin rises, so does appetite.

While you sleep, your glycogen and blood sugar stores are used up, causing the brain to release NPY. Skipping breakfast increases NPY levels so that by afternoon, you’re set up for a carbohydrate binge. This craving for carbs is not the result of a lack of willpower; it’s an innate biological urge at work.

The leptin link: After eating, leptin levels increase and inhibit the firing of NPY, so you feel full. If it has been a while since you’ve eaten, your blood levels of glucose are low and therefore leptin is low, and ghrelin is high.

The circulating levels of ghrelin peak at different times depending on when you have your heaviest meal. People who eat big lunches show ghrelin peaks at a different time than people whose main meal is at night.

In addition, these processes are at work:

The galanin-fat connection: Galanin is released when fat stores need filling up. In the evening, galanin levels tend to rise, which may be nature’s way of making sure that people have enough calories to last them through the night.

CCK: When you eat, food enters and fills your stomach and then travels to the intestinal tract. As the food is digested and the body’s cells are fed, a chemical called cholecystokinin (CCK) is released, turning on feelings of fullness and turning off the appetite.

Researchers think that certain conditions, such as anorexia and bulimia, may affect many appetite-control body chemicals, including CCK. In bulimics, researchers think that either the CCK mechanism doesn’t work properly or the body’s chemical systems become so desensitized that the person eats huge quantities of food quicker than the brain is able to signal satisfaction and fullness.

Nocturnal Leg Cramps: Night-time Calf Muscle Pain

Nocturnal Leg Cramps

Nocturnal leg cramps can lead to a rude awakening: You're suddenly sleepless and in pain in the middle of the night. Symptoms of nocturnal leg cramps include excruciating contractions of the calf muscles, and sometimes of the foot muscles as well.

Nocturnal leg cramps are true cramps and not spasms. The muscle remains in a cramped and contracted position, which accounts for the intensity of the pain. If you touch the affected calf, you may be surprised to discover that your muscles feel very hard, almost like concrete, a measure of the power of the cramp.

Studies have shown increased electrical activity in the affected muscles, but doctors still don't know what causes nocturnal leg cramps. In some cases, it may be a fluid imbalance or a vitamin deficiency.

Treatment for leg cramps is straightforward and easy to follow. Avoid tight bed covers, which can lead to pointing of the toes and subsequent cramps. Stretch your calf muscles for about five minutes nightly before getting into bed. If you have a cramp, pull your toes back (don't point them), and, if necessary, put your foot on the floor and lean forward.

Some evidence suggests that a potassium deficiency may cause nocturnal leg cramps. Many sleepers have eliminated their cramps entirely just by making sure they eat plenty of potassium rich foods, including

Bananas, apricots, nectarines, dates, grapes, or raisins

Beans

Cabbage/broccoli family of vegetables

Oranges, grapefruit, and their juice

Pork and lamb

Potatoes and corn

Saltwater fish (for example, tuna)

Tomatoes and tomato juice

Determining Your Body Type

Determining Your Body Type

People come in all shapes, but most can be placed into a particular category of body type, mesomorph, ectomorph, or endomorph. These body types have different characteristics, and you should tailor your workout to whichever you belong. Here's the skinny on the different types of bodies:

A mesomorph (or meso, for short) can be defined in one word: muscular. If you're a meso, your body type is usually the envy of all gym rats because you can increase your muscle size quickly and easily. The well-developed, rectangular shapes of mesomorphs are representative of their thick bones and muscles. (Before you get too excited about this perfect form, keep in mind that being a meso may also mean you have poor flexibility.) If you are a characteristic mesomorph, you have a well-defined chest and shoulders that are both larger and broader than your waistline. Your abdomen is taut and your hips are generally the same width as your shoulders. Your buttocks, thighs, and calves are all toned and defined.

As muscularly defined, athletic-looking individuals, mesomorphs are full of energy, are physically capable of a lot of activity, and tend to be aggressive athletically. (Usually no couch potatoes in this group.) Although mesomorphs generally store fat evenly all over their bodies, they can become overweight if they are sedentary and consume a high-fat and/or high-calorie diet.

Cardiovascular disease can be a primary threat to an overweight meso, so if you fit into that category, your best method of prevention is to maintain a healthy diet and a balanced exercise regime. Remember that your heart is a muscle, too, and the best way to keep it fit is to perform cardiovascular activities.

Craving physical activity and constantly seeking action, the mesomorph makes a great athlete. As a meso, you excel in sports that require great strength, short bursts of energy, and lots of power. Mesos are always popular in gym class and at the playground, because people want mesos on their teams. If you're scouting for body types at your local gym (and who isn't?), you will most likely find your fellow mesos lifting weights and avoiding the cardio equipment like step machines or treadmills.