One of the best ways to reduce your risk of dying from many different causes is to eliminate some of that belly fat! It is no longer about wanting to look good; it's about do you want to live longer.
Here are four ways to fight away belly fat today.
MOVEMENT
Kicking off with an obvious one here, but it must be top of the list. If you already move your body every day, that's great. But if you still want to lose a few pounds, you must increase the intensity of that movement. Walk for longer, lift heavier, etc.
That slight increase in intensity will go a long way to helping flatten your tummy and reduce your risk of weight-related disease.
SUNLIGHT
A less obvious way to lose weight is to expose your skin to UV light. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with more excellent visceral fat, a cardiovascular disease risk factor.
Visceral body fat, also known as 'hidden' fat, is stored deep inside the belly, wrapped around the organs, including the liver and intestines. It makes up about one-tenth of all the fat stored in the body. Most fat is stored underneath the skin and is known as subcutaneous fat.
That exposure to UV rays increases subcutaneous fat! (1)
We also see much research pointing to Vitamin D deficiency and obesity. Consider responsible exposure to UVB sunlight, the most abundant two hours on either side of solar noon. This is when you have optimal Vitamin D production.
NUTRITIONAL CHANGES
Unfortunately, many environmental chemicals contribute to weight gain, but science exposes the primary culprits. MSG, High Fructose Corn Su and Bisphenol A.
Fast food, chips and snacks, frozen meals, soups, processed meats, and condiments all contain MSG, which is 100% known for its harmful effects, especially for weight gain.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is linked to diabetes, liver disease, obesity and cancer. Avoid chips, sodas, packaged sweets, fruit juices, and fast food.
Some sweet fruits and vegetables contain fructose; they provide relatively low amounts. They are wrapped up in fibre and other nutrients; they do not affect the body similarly.
To sum it up, read labels and make good choices.
Bisphenol A is a type of plastic used to make beverage containers, compact disks, plastic dinnerware, impact-resistant safety equipment, automobile parts, and toys.
Bisphenol A can leach into food from the protective internal epoxy resin coatings of canned foods and consumer products such as polycarbonate tableware, food storage containers, water bottles, and baby bottles.
Research your products well.
NUTRITIONAL INCLUSIONS
Many foods are known for their weight loss effects. Two, in particular, have clinical studies proving their effectiveness in reducing midsection fat.
First is Coconut oil, and only 2 tablespoons a day for 12 weeks has shown a reduction in waist circumference and an increase in "good" HDL cholesterol levels. (2)
Second, we have Green Tea, which is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that have been shown to reduce weight circumference safely and effectively. (3)
Finally, EMPower Plus. If you want to provide your body with a scientifically proven formula for wellness, look no further. The 36 essential ingredients within EMPower Plus make it the world's most comprehensive multi-nutrient. Your body can only optimize through what you provide it. When you consume highly bioavailable nutrition, your body can work as it should, allowing you to lose unneeded weight.
Simon Brazier. Dip HN, NNCP
REFERENCES
Kim EJ, Kim YK, Kim JE, Kim S, Kim MK, Park CH, Chung JH. UV modulation of subcutaneous fat metabolism. J Invest Dermatol. 2011 Aug;131(8):1720-6. doi: 10.1038/jid.2011.106. Epub 2011 May 12. PMID: 21562570.
Assunção ML, Ferreira HS, dos Santos AF, Cabral CR Jr, Florêncio TM. Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity. Lipids. 2009 Jul;44(7):593-601. doi: 10.1007/s11745-009-3306-6. Epub 2009 May 13. PMID: 19437058.
Wang H, Wen Y, Du Y, Yan X, Guo H, Rycroft JA, Boon N, Kovacs EM, Mela DJ. Effects of catechin enriched green tea on body composition. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2010 Apr;18(4):773-9. doi: 10.1038/oby.2009.256. Epub 2009 Aug 13. PMID: 19680234.