10 reasons why you can't eliminate your belly
Nobody likes to have michelines but what we usually forget is that they are very dangerous. Showing a flat stomach is in your hand, but sometimes we make mistakes that take us away from our goal
Although many do not know, the fat that accumulates around the abdomen - yes, where your gut rests - plays an important role: protecting your stomach, your intestine and the rest of the organs in the area. But if the accumulation is excessive it can cause important health problems.
Abdominal obesity is the most dangerous type of overweight. Visceral fat generates fat hormones and adipokines, chemical markers that travel through the bloodstream and organs causing inflammation, which is ultimately what causes cardiovascular problems and diabetes. According to research led by Dr. Selcuk Adabag and recently published in the journal Heart, people with abdominal obesity are more likely to suffer a cardiac arrest or suffer sudden death.
To eliminate the so-called beer belly (although it has nothing to do directly with the consumption of this drink, we must take care of our diet, and follow an exercise plan intended for that purpose. But, above all, we must avoid making these 10 mistakes very common that, as Camille Noe Pagán explains in Health, prevent us from eliminating our belly.
1. You are following a low fat diet
At this point we should all be clear that fats are not as bad as we thought and it is a mistake to replace them with carbohydrates. To end abdominal overweight it is important to have a diet rich in monosaturated fatty acids, such as those found in nuts, olive oil or avocado.
The advantage of healthy fats is that they have an enormous satiating power, which helps us to eat a healthy diet without starving. And this is decisive for healthy eating.
2. You feel sad
According to a recent study by the Rush University Medical Center, women with symptoms of depression have a much greater tendency to suffer from abdominal obesity. This is mainly due to the relationship of depression with less physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. The good news is that it is a two-way relationship. We can relieve the symptoms of depression by eating better and, above all, by exercising, which can be even more effective than antidepressants.
3. Abuses of processed foods
Refined carbohydrates and added sugars, present in many more products than we think, cause an increase in blood sugar levels which accelerates the production of insulin. This can not only lead to diabetes, it also causes the liver to accumulate fat in the abdomen. As far as possible, it is advisable to prioritize the consumption of fresh produce. If it costs you, at least try to eat vegetables at all meals, which will help you be more satiated and not fall for junk food.
4. You forget magnesium
This mineral regulates more than 300 functions of our body and, according to Noe Pagán, its consumption is important to keep sugar and insulin levels at bay. Magnesium is present in nuts, cereals and legumes, so we cannot neglect their consumption.
5. You are hooked on light sodas
A recent study, published in the journal Obesity, showed that people who regularly drink light soda have a higher percentage of fat in their bellies. Why does this happen? People who consume them tend to underestimate the calories they are "saving" and end up being forgiving of what they eat. In short, the type of soda chosen will not make the XXL hamburger with which you are accompanying it less fattening.
6. You love meat
It is important to remember that not all fats are equal. In one experiment, a group of Swedish scientists introduced 750 extra calories in the participants' diet. Half of the volunteers consumed them through polyunsaturated fatty acids and the other half through saturated fatty acids. After seven weeks, the second group had accumulated twice as much visceral fat.
It is important that our diet contains fats, but we must avoid being saturated, so it is important to cut the consumption of red meat and sausages and prioritize that of fish and lean meats (such as chicken or rabbit).
7. You drink too much
Although alcohol does not have to cause excess abdominal fat, its excessive consumption does, both in men and women. Drinking without moderation slows down our ability to obtain energy: it lowers blood glucose levels, interferes with the absorption of vitamins and minerals and hinders the metabolic consumption of fats. Most epidemiological studies consider a moderate consumption of 20 to 40 grams of alcohol, this is between 2 and 5 rods and 2 or 3 glasses of wine a day.
8. You are a woman, you are over 50 years old and do not exercise
The hormonal changes related to menopause, which appears around the age of 50, make more fat accumulate in the belly and make it harder to eliminate it. Only physical exercise can help eliminate it. And yoga may be the best option. A 2012 study conducted among postmenopausal women showed that performing an hour of yoga three times a week allows you to lose an inch and a half of abdominal size in just 16 weeks.
9. You don't eat enough brightly colored foods
It may seem an extravagance, but it is not. Only fruits and vegetables have bright colors, and it is because they are full of vitamin C, which helps reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that people who eat more red, orange and yellow foods have less turgid bellies.
10. You are not doing the right exercise
Not all physical exercise is equally effective for weight loss. Recent studies have shown that in order to reduce abdominal fat it is better to combine relaxed exercises with brief minutes of other intense and active ones than to spend more time doing light exercise. It is what is known as high intensity interval training, and there is already enough scientific evidence to state that it is, for the moment, the best strategy we have to lose belly.
