Fitness
Bellyfat Blues
By
Nov 11, 2009 - 9:31:16 AM

The Oaks at Ojai (California)
I have been noticing that at age 50 I have developed what my sage teenage girls refer to as a "muffin top".

Ha, Ha, right, but it bugs me! That little roll over my pant tops that finds me choosing cover up tops. The days of midriff revealing shirts seem to be over! I'm at a proper weight, my BMI is good, my body fat % is ok, I'm a PROFESSIONAL, I work out for a LIVING, but am not exempt from this middle aged dilemma.

So, here are the facts I know about myself:
*I've birthed 2 children, and gained an average of 55 lbs with each (I know-too much, but there you have it). That leaves a LOT of extra skin living in the middle of my body.
*I'm 5'4". (If I could stretch up a few inches I think this would be way less of an issue).
*I come from a "soft" family. Genetically, we're coded to be soft bodies, not hard bodies. (rats).
*I'm 50, peri menopausal. (hormonal bliss).

Here are the facts I know about belly fat:
*Losing weight for most people will reduce belly fat. (Even though I'm not "over weight", I am about 5 lbs. heavier than I've ever been. Guess where that 5 lbs. lives?)
*Visceral Fat (waistline fat)is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat (under the skin fat)
*The More you have to Lose, the Quicker you will see results! (So get to it-good news unless it's a stubborn 5 lbs. that needs to go).
*Pump up the Jam. (Not the jelly- I mean CARDIO. More CARDIO- an hour a day/6 days a week will burn that excess calories. The harder you work, the quicker you'll burn calories! Start strengthening your core so that as you shed the extra fat, there's a nice package underneath it!)
*Eat a diet RICH in Whole Grains. (You can't eat more than your entitled amount of total calories, but within that calorie count, choose whole grains over refined grains and SEE the difference. Why? Refined foods, like white bread, trigger physically elevated blood sugar levels followed by an increased insulin response, causing fat to be deposited more readily.)
*Good Fat/Bad Fat. (Don't be fat phobic, don't over do your fat intake from saturated sources, but DO include in the right amounts the monounsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, soybeans, CHOCOLATE, olive & canola oil. RIGHT AMOUNTS).
*STRESS!?*&^%$#@. (Stress that is unmanaged and not released triggers an over secretion of the hormone cortisol. A high level of cortisol appears to stimulate the storage of fat around the belly, lovingly referred to as The Cortisol Belt. How special).

So, instead of singing the blues, I'm reminding myself that I can "Work on Whittling my Waistline" by doing a little more cardio and eating a few less treats!

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