Early morning feasts really could be the secret to beating middle aged spread.

Doctors from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge conducted a five-year study into the eating habits of 6,764 men and women living in Norfolk aged between 40 and 75. They found those who ate the biggest breakfast put on the least amount of weight even though they consumed the most food through the course of an average day.

 

Although the researchers say there could be unknown factors which explain the findings, they suspect it is more to do with the way the body metabolises calories. If the body is starved of food for long periods, as is the case if breakfast is skipped in the mornings, then it begins to store more fat during the day, resulting in weight gain. Therefore starting the day with a healthy breakfast is a good way to tackle weight gain. The keyword here is healthy. If you start off eating something slow burning such as porridge or egg on toast, this will avoid the sugar or insulin surges that can led to food cravings and weight gain. But breakfasts won’t help you lose weight if they’re full of sugar or saturated fats like bacon and sausages.

Spring is in the air and, as the days get longer and jackets and tops get skimpier, there’s no greater incentive to lose weight, especially around the belly.

Not only is belly fat unsightly but it is also unhealthy. Researchers now know that if most of your fat is in the tummy area, your health risks are greater than if it sits around the hips (apples versus pears)

 

I’m sure you have heard that sit-ups and crunches are the way to get rid of abdominal fat because those exercises make use of the abdominal muscles. However, while it is absolutely true that sit-ups will strengthen the abdominal muscles and make you stronger in that area, stomach crunches cannot do the job alone.  It is important to keep your abdominals strong with core stability exercises and crunches, but don’t expect localised exercise to solve the problem. When your stomach muscles are completely covered in a thick layer of fat, any six-pack you may be working on simply won’t show until the fat is gone.

 

Belly fat is excess fat and to get rid of the layer of fat that’s currently hiding your abs, you need to your body to let go of that fat. 

 

So no special belly exercises or abdominal machines are actually necessary. Just follow the simple but powerful and proven steps below and you WILL burn off the belly fat as fast as possible.

 

1: Combine aerobic training with weight training

 

There’s a growing body of research showing that the fastest way to burn off the fat from your belly is with a combination of weight-training and aerobic exercise. It seems that on their own jogging, bike riding, walking and other forms of low-intensity aerobic exercise are not the best choices when it comes to fat loss. However, if you combine your daily aerobic activity with regular weight training, say three times a week, you are more likely to burn off belly fat.

 

So aim to focus on workout sessions that incorporate both cardio/aerobic training and strength/weight training. Interval training, hill running, wind sprints, and fast swimming are all great exercises for losing belly fat but if this doesn’t appeal try varying the intensity of your work out. For example, if you are walking, start walking at an easy pace for 10 minutes, built up to a moderate pace for another ten minutes, and then power walk as fast as you can for 10 minutes before cooling down. As for strength training, you don’t have to join a gym you can do some simple exercises – press ups, sit ups, squats and so on – on your own at home. (There are exercises detailed in my ‘Fat around the Middle’ book which are specifically aimed at burning off belly fat)

 

2. Cut all white carbohydrates, fried foods, red meat and transfats out of your diet.

 

Few things will help you reduce your belly fat faster than cutting highly-processed carbohydrates out of your diet. These foods- sometimes referred to as white carbs – include anything made with refined flour and/or refined sugars. They are almost always calorie-rich but nutrient-poor and do all kinds of bad things to your blood sugar and insulin levels. The most common examples are white breads, cereals, and pastas, white potatoes and white rice.

 

And while you’re at it, cut out all fried foods and red meat as these contain huge amounts of unhealthy saturated fats and calories.  Trans fats also need to go. A recent study found that trans fat, which has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, may also increase dangerous belly fat. Trans fats are formed during a hydrogenation process in which vegetable oil is converted into a solid to increase the shelf life of a food and it is found in sweets, crisps, ready meals and junk food.

 

3. Eat foods that help you burn belly fat

 

Eating small balanced meals containing protein, vegetables, beans/legumes, and healthy fats will give your body the nutrients it needs to burn away belly fat and give you an energy boost at the same time.  Maintaining energy and not feeling tired or hungry is essential and makes it much easier to make healthy food choices.

 

Good protein choices include oily fish, nuts, seeds, eggs, and legumes. Fresh or frozen veggies, beans and legumes, and small amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes are the best carbohydrates sources when you’re trying to lose weight. Also, for optimal health (and even faster weight loss) it’s extremely important to get some healthy fats into your diet from such sources as nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, olive oil and oily fish.

 

Bear in mind that some people lose belly fat faster if they avoid grain products. If you feel like you can’t do without breads, cereals, pastas, etc. at least choose the healthiest, least fattening options made from 100% whole grains. Quinoa is very useful as it cooks like a grain but is actually a seed so packed full of protein rather than carbohydrate.

 

4. Eat more often

 

Many believe that eating fewer times in a day will make them slimmer. Not a chance! When you eat only about 3 times a day, you will tend to binge when you finally get to eat. Bingeing is one of the worst things you can do if you want to lose belly fat fast.

 

Regular eating 5 to 6 times a day prevents you from overeating as a result of missed meals. It also boosts your metabolism (fat burning) due to the burning effect of the foods you eat. Aim to eat a healthy breakfast, followed by a mid morning snack – for example a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts – a healthy lunch, followed by a mid afternoon snack – followed by a light supper.

 

5. Get your ZZs.

 

If you’re not getting enough sleep it’s going to be very difficult to find the energy to exercise and eat well in order to slim down and lose your belly fat. Studies have shown that people who are chronically tired tend to have slower metabolisms and store more of their body fat around their bellies than people who get enough sleep. Aim to get around 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. (See next month’s issue for more on the natural healing power of sleep and how to get good night’s sleep)

 

6. Drink right to lose belly fat fast.

 

You need to drink lots of water (especially when you’re sweating or working out often) if you want to lose belly fat fast. Your body needs water to function properly. If you are dehydrated, your body organs will work harder and retain your body’s water reserve. One of those important body organs that suffer is the liver, which helps burn fat to produce energy. If the liver doesn’t function properly, then the fat burning process won’t be as effective as it should be.

 

Aim to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of filtered or mineral water every day.  Instead of caffeine which can unsettle your blood sugar levels and trigger weight gain, drink herbal teas or smoothies. Green tea not only helps burn off fat, but it also prevents certain types of cancers and other diseases.

 

Don’t drink soft drinks, chocolate drinks, and fruit juice drinks, as they can contain lots of sugar. Avoid carbonated drinks too as they can cause bloating; something you don’t want when you are trying to lose belly fat. And finally limit your alcohol intake – consuming alcoholic beverages (including beer and wine) slows down your body’s natural fat burning processes due to the way alcohol affects the liver. Limit your intake to 1 drink per day and not every day.

 

7. Reduce stress levels

 

The fight or flight response which helps you manage when you are under stress could be adding unwanted inches to your waistline. When faced with stressful situations, our bodies release a hormonal cocktail of adrenaline, cortisol and insulin. Not only have high cortisol levels been associated with increased appetite and fat production, but the fat has been shown to typically deposit itself in the belly area.

 

If you’re constantly on edge, relaxation is one the most successful stress relief techniques available because it helps switch off the body’s automatic responses to anxiety. Proper breathing is the key as by taking slow deep breaths, you will become more relaxed. Most of us usually use only one-third of our lung capacity so you have to teach your body to breath in a more efficient way. The abdomen should move when we inhale – not just the upper part of the chest. It also helps to slow down the rate we breathe. A normal rate is 12 to 14 breaths per minute, but when relaxed this drops to 6 to 7 breaths.

 

Developing a positive attitude can also help. Presume that you will be able to cope, and work out what action you can take to minimise the problem. Sometimes worry is a substitute for action, however, accept that there may be elements beyond your control.

 

Learning how to minimise your stress will do a lot of good things besides help you lose weight (e.g. boost your energy levels, reduce your risk of developing certain health problems, etc.). Specific stress management techniques include yoga and meditation (see next month’s issue) but the good news is that a combination of regular exercise, healthy eating, and sufficient sleep has been shown to dramatically reduce stress and anxiety in most people. And once your stress levels have dropped you’ll almost definitely begin to lose belly fat much faster!

 

For more detailed information on how to lose that belly fat, including what to eat, what not to eat, what supplements to take (Nutri Plus and Amino Plus) and how to exercise, see my book ‘Fat around the Middle’, see the Resources page).

New mothers who manage to get enough shut eye between feeds are more likely to get their figures back than those who are sleep deprived. The very latest research from Harvard Medical School and published in December 2007 in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that there may be a crucial link between sleep deprivation and inability to lose weight once the baby has arrived.

According to the researchers, an extra two hours a night can make a major difference because it is thought that sleep triggers hormone changes which make women hungrier. The study of 1000 new mothers found that those who were sleeping for five or less hours when their babies were six months old were three times more likely to be carrying an extra 11 pounds at their baby’s first birthday than those who got between 6 and 8 hours.

 

It’s been known for some time that sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain and obesity but this study shows that getting enough sleep – even one or two hours more – may be as important as healthy diet and exercise for new mothers who want to return to their pre-pregnancy weight. Quality sleep is, of course, hard to achieve on a regular basis with a crying baby but the important message of this study is that getting the proper amount of sleep – between 6 to 8 hours – every night is not a luxury but a necessity. It’s essential not just for weight control but for the overall health of a new mum and presents a great opportunity for partners, family and friends to help with the baby.