31 Day Fat Loss Cure – Review

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure

Being February and a leap year with 29 days, I thought it would be amusing to write my “31 Day Fat Loss Cure“ review in this month!

This program is a best-seller, and there’s good reason.  It is effective, with no-fluff – just highly targeted techniques that getsresults.

For many of us, fat loss was not always an “issue”.  Perhaps we put on a few kilos during freshman year at college, but for the most part, it seems fat loss becomes an issue for many after children or after settling into a sedentary job.

You know the drill.  You think you’ll start after Thanksgiving, then suddenly it’s Christmas, so you think leave a couple of weeks, and definitely in January … then it’s spring, and you think, I know – I’ll definitely have a bikini body by the summer … and so on and so forth.

If only there was a targeted, concise way of getting rid this fat.

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure is perfect for those of us with the short attention span, who can’t be bothered with a huge cardio time commitment, hate measuring out of food or counting calories, and most of all, are not really interested in deprivation as a long term solution.

The Review

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure book is written by an ex-Army guy, Vic Magary.  He took what he learned in the Army, and adapted it to make accessible to people who are beginners, all the way to advanced fitness levels.

There are even special instructions for sedentary couch potatoes as well as older individuals.

The other thing that’s good about this program is that the targeted exercises can be done in the gym or in the privacy of your own home.

No equipment? No problem.  there are plenty of body weight exercises to substitute that are just as effective.

The book is comprised of 13 chapters, and split between information on exercises and nutrition / diet.

The language is clear, concise and easy to follow, and I commend Vic for distilling all the mumbo jumbo out there surrounding fat loss, and distilling it into digestible pieces laid out in a logical manner in the book.

 The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure – Diet

The term diet implies some sort of deprivation.  In this case, there’s no actual “diet” really.  You neer go hungry, and there are plenty of excellent choices you can make that still fit into the realm of nutritionally balanced food.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can pretty much live on donuts.  No.

There are certain foods to keep to a minimum and try to stay away from.  There are probably some resemblances to the Caveman Diet, meaning staying as close as possible to natural, unprocessed foods.  In many grocery stores or supermarkets, it means staying mostly on the outside aisles that carry the fresh produce.

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure – Exercise

Work smart in an effective manner is Vic’s mantra.  There are no long, interminable workouts on a cardio machine or the elliptical “torture” machine, as many refer to it!

The key is short, high intensity workouts with highly targeted exercises.  They are great for fat burning, and are explained in clear, easy to understand language.

The good news is that you will notice fat loss almost immediately, given that you stick with Vic’s regime – which, actually, is not very difficult given the minimal time commitment.

The 31 Day Fat Loss Cure – Results?

This ebook was launched in early 2010, and has received many positive reviews, and more to the point, has produced some amazing results.

Several have lost well over 15 pounds, and some of the before/after pictures are quite astounding and inspiring.

Click here to read their stories stories and find out more

There is a 60-day money back guarantee.   In fact, Vic has a guarantee that you will lose 10 pounds in one month or your money back.

What I like about the program is the small time commitment, both in terms of the time spent exercising, as well as the overall length of the program.  One month.  Thirty one days.  Imagine, in just 4 weekends and a bit from now you could be fitting in that pair of jeans!

What really appeals to me is the time-boxed nature of the program.  Thirty one days.  That’s 5 weekends away.

In 31 days, you could be looking back at today, the day you made a decision to go after the body you really want.

Wanting and hoping doesn’t get results.  Action does.

>>> Click to discover more on losing 10 pounds of fat <<<

Enjoy the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure program – you will, especially after you start to see results.

 

Does walking help lose belly fat?

Does Walking Help Lose Belly Fat

Does Walking Help Lose Belly Fat

I’ve heard this question asked often: does walking help lose belly fat?

The short answer is a resounding YES.

Walking is one of the easiest, most accessible ways to tackle weight loss in general, and reducing belly fat in particular.

However, there are a few consideration for walking to really help you lose belly fat and achieve that elusive, flat, taut stomach.

How far you walk makes a difference in losing belly fat

Walking for a few hundred yards will not really make a dent in your fat loss.   Obviously, the further you walk, the more fat you will lose.

To put in perspective, and in hard numbers, a regular, slow, meandering walk burns about 3/4 of a calorie per kilogram of body weight.  This is about 70 calories per mile for a 200 pound person, less if you are lighter.

On the other hand, a fast, brisk walk can burn as much as 125 calories per mile for a 200 pound person, almost double the rate of burning calories as the slow walk.

If you are walking a bit faster, you are also likely to cover more ground quicker – so good news all around, assuming, of course, you are up to it, and don’t get winded one minute into your walk.

So does walking help in fat loss? Absolutely.  Just make it a brisk walk.

How often you walk has an impact on your fat loss

Another factor to consider is how often you walk.  Going for a one mile walk once a month will likely not have much of an impact on your fat loss, especially around the belly.

Experts have found that an optimum program is 30 minutes a day, every day.

It’s actually not that much to commit to, and the rewards are great.  Thirty minutes is the equivalent of 7 or so songs.  That’s it.  Seven songs! Surely you can walk for 7 songs!

Incorporating these 30 minutes into your day, and preferably, early in the day before you start accumulating excuses is an excellent, unobtrusive way to tackle fat loss easily.

Another way to attack this is use a pedometer, and ensure that you take 10,000 steps each day.  Pace when you’re on phone call.  Take a walk around the office every couple of hours.

You can also use the old trick of getting off the bus one stop early and walking the rest, or parking a block away from where you need to go.

It doesn’t take long to accumulate 10,000 steps, and you will surprised at how much just that bit of walking help lose belly fat.

Before You Start Your Walking Routine

Make sure you have a good pair of shoes.  You don’t need to invest in hiking shoes, or the latest and greatest of running gear.

Just make sure you have a good, sturdy pair of shoes, that are flexible, so that you when take a step and flex your foot, the shoe follows you, rather than forcing your feet into an unnatural position.

I’m sure it doesn’t need saying, but walking shoes should be flat.  Three inch high heels won’t get you very far in your walking to lose belly fat!

Finally, the best shoes are the ones that fit you properly, so do take extra care on selecting them.

Water is the other absolute essential.  It’s important you stay hydrated, especially if you walk in warmer weather and lose liquids through excessive perspiration.

Menopausal women suffering from hot flashes in particular must absolutely ensure to drink water, before, after and during the walking.

Tips On Walking To Lose Belly Fat

By now you should now the answer to does walking help lose belly fat.  Here are a few tips to make walking an even more effective tool in your arsenal to lose fat.

Brisk Pace: try to up the pace as much as you can without getting out of breath.  A indication is that you should be able to carry on a normal conversation, yet feel as though you are “working” your body.

Variety: try to plan a different route each day or week so you don’t get bored with your surroundings.  Find trails, new neighbourhoods, interesting parks to add a bit of variety to your walks.

Entertainment: take an iPod or similar, and load it up with your favourite music, whether inspirational or up-tempo to get you motivated.  Another great addition to your walk is a good audiobook, a how-to podcast, a gripping thriller or some great comedy. Your 30 minute walk will be done before you know it.

Bursts: spice your walk up with little bursts of higher intensity.  You could find an incline, like a small hill or similar.  Alternatively, walk a little faster for short bursts of 30-60 seconds, then resume.  You could also try skipping (just smile at the people who give funny looks ….), or raising your knees as high as you can for 30-60 seconds or so.

Pair Up: make a date with your best buddy, a co-worker, a neighbour or simply a like-minded individual.  Walk together while you catch up on each other’s lives, exchange anecdotes or just good old gossip.  The time will simply fly  when your mind is engrossed and enjoying some good conversation.

I recall having a standing date with a couple of my friends every single Monday after work.  When one didn’t show up, the other did, but on most days all four of us walked for an hour. We kept it up for years until I moved to another city.

You could do this with your partner as well, and it will give a good time to reconnect (argue, laugh, discuss logistics of school pick-ups ….) without distractions.  It will have such a positive impact on your relationship as well as help you lose fat.

So – Does Walking Help Lose Belly Fat?

As stated in the beginning, yes, walking can definitely help in losing belly fat.  Keep it consistent, stick it out for at least 30 minutes or 10,000 steps a day, and you will start to see results in just a few weeks.

For faster results, cut 500 calories out of your daily intake, and make sure you incorporate 4-5 high intensity bursts as described above.  You will notice a difference in just a few days.

Try it out for a few weeks, and be sure to come back and answer the question yourself on whether walking does help in losing belly fat.

 

Best Diet Foods To Lose Weight Fast

Best diet foods to lose weight fast

Best diet foods to lose weight fast

Wouldn’t it be great to have a list of the best diet foods to lose weight fast? Well, this may not be an exhaustive list, but will get you going in the right direction.

We will take a look at three things you can add to your diet, which not only taste good, but are actually good for you, and will help you lose weight fast.

First, we will look at something that can make a great breakfast, but can actually be consumed at any time.

Next, we will use a little cheating to convert a “non-diet” food to one that is friendly to our weight loss quest.

Finally, we’ll look at the joker of foods – one that you can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner by morphing it in so many different ways.

Smoothies

Smoothies were invented for those of us who like shortcuts, but don’t want to deprive our taste buds!

Make a fabulous smoothie by blending your favourite berries with a banana, throw in some spinach, add a couple of spoons of flaxseeds and you’ve got yourself a tasty powerhouse, full of anti-oxidants, protein and Omega-3 to power you through your morning or afternoon slump.

Smoothies are quick to make, easy on your digestive system, and fill you up, short-circuiting your desire to reach for a candy bar or sugary snack.

For added benefit, make them at home, rather than settling for the store-bought smoothies.  For one thing, it is more cost-effective for you, but more importantly, there are no hidden sugars or additives.  This is actually true of most of the best diet foods to lose weight fast: make them at home.

Spaghetti Squash

This is a great dish whether you want to lose weight or otherwise.  It  makes even the die-hard spaghetti fans get fooled.  Use a potato peeler on squash to make spaghetti-like strips, sautee the strips for just 2-3 minutes with some onions, and top with your favourite spaghetti sauce.

For added zest, sprinkle some Parmesan cheese, and you’ve got yourself a pasta meal without the pasta!

Regulate the cooking time of the squash strips to match whether you like your “pasta” al-dente or not.

This is a super fast dish to make, healthy and loaded with good fibre to fill you up.  The look of the dish helps as well, and it tastes just great.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is like a wonder food, and one of the best diet foods, primarily because it is so versatile.  Also full of fibre, oatmeal can be consumed in a variety of ways.

You can use oatmeal to make porridge for breakfast, and have it with your favourite piece of fruit, whether fresh or dried fruit like raisins.

Speaking of raisins, oatmeal cookies are great with tiny bits of raisins or even bits of chocolate for a rare treat to reward yourself on your weight loss.

Finally, try an oatmeal tortilla for lunch or dinner.  Mix oatmeal with a bit of water for a thick mixture, and bake in the oven until slightly crispy.  Top your tortilla with a tomato-based salsa – try a ripe tomato, parsley, cucumber, onion all rough blended with a drop of olive oil.

As you can see, the best foods for losing weight are not necessarily bland.  On the contrary, they can be tasty and fit right up there with the foods you consider treats.

The three foods discussed have a couple of things in common: they are  fibre-rich and and use as much raw vegetables and fruits as possible.  So in your quest for a flat stomach, remember these two aspects for best diet foods to lose weight fast: high in fibre, and as raw as you can handle.

 

At home exercises to lose belly fat

At home exercises to lose belly fat

At home exercises to lose belly fat

There are some awesome, effective at home exercises to lose belly fat.  If you can make a few minutes of your time available, you could be well on your way to getting rid of stomach fat.

Do the following exercises three days a week, preferably in the morning.  Try to do each one for at least one minute, then repeat the whole sequence.  It should take you less than 10 minutes and you will be rewarded with tight abs.

Scoop It In

  • Get on all fours, hands and knees.
  • Make sure your back is nice and flat
  • Keep your neck in line with your back so you don’t strain
  • Now, inhale as much as you can while pushing your belly OUT
  • Then, exhale out, pulling in your belly as much as you can
  • As you exhale out, think of pulling your belly button through to your lower back
  • Repeat

Tip: you can place a folded towel under your knees for comfort.

The Plank

The second at home exercise to lose belly fat is the classic plank.

  • Get into all fours, hands and forearms this time
  • Now curl your toes under you, so you are on the balls of your feet and your forearms
  • It’s kind of like push up position, but using your elbows
  • Contract your stomach, so that you “pull” your belly button through to your back
  • Hold that as long as you can, and for at least one minute

Tip: Keep breathing steadily in and out, holding your abs nice and tight.

 Criss Cross

This one must the easiest of the at home exercises to lose belly fat.

  • Sit in a comfortable chair, feet flat on the ground
  • Raise your arms at 90 degrees so your elbows are level with your shoulders
  • Raise your right knee, while lowering your left elbow across your body to meet it
  • Return to starting position
  • Raise your left knee, while lowering your right elbow across your body to meet it
  • Continue to criss cross in a nice and controlled manner until your one minute is up.

Tip: Keep your back straight, and your shoulders relaxed, rather than bunched up towards your ears.

Pull In

This one is specifically for the lower part of your abs, and one of the most effective at home exercises to lose belly fat.

  • Stay in your chair, and grip the front of the chair seat for support
  • Bring your feet together on the ground
  • Now raise both knees together towards your chest
  • You might need to lean back just a little bit
  • Hold for a count of three, and return your feet to the ground
  • Repeat for one minute

Tip: Keep your back as straight as you can to get the full benefit of your abs working to pull in your legs.

Now repeat all four exercises from the top – should take you another four minutes.

Try going for a nice walk two days a week, and do these at home exercises to lose belly fat three times a week, and check out your results in as little as two weeks!

 

 

Best way to lose belly fat

Best Way To Lose Belly Fat

Best Way To Lose Belly Fat

Is there a best way to lose belly fat? There are many different ways to approach this issue so many are grappling with.

The best way to lose belly fat depends on which one of your current lifestyle habits you are willing to sacrifice, or at least tweak a little bit.

Let’s start with one simple idea: the best way to lose belly fat is to put that belly fat to work.

Huh?

Yes, put that fat to work.  You see, the only reason you got that nice chunk of fat sitting on your middle is you got prepped your body for battle, and then didn’t actually go to battle.

In other words, you consumed enough energy to power you through a lot of physical work, but, since you had no use for it, your very helpful liver converted into a  little stash for a rainy day (fat), and settled it comfortably around your middle.

So to put that energy back to work? Simple.  Consume less than what you need. It really, truly, is that simple.  Just consume less.

But wait – before you despair or roll your eyes at the idea of yet another fad diet, read on to figure out how to trick your body into using up the ‘rainy day’ supply.

Trick #1 to lose belly fat: Exercise on an empty stomach

Before you groan at having to haul your rear out of bed on cold, dark mornings, an empty stomach simply means you haven’t eaten for the past three hours.

Yes, it is best to do it first thing in the morning, as that has other benefits such as a raised metabolism for most of the day, but getting at least some physical movement  is more important than when you do it.

Your body will first consume whatever energy is readily available in your muscles, then, once that’s depleted, it will mobilize fat stores to fuel your workout.

Trick #2 to burn fat: Workout for more than 20 minutes

It takes at least that long for the fat burning mechanism to kick-in after you’ve used up readily available energy.

Twenty minutes is really not that long. It’s five songs or so.  It’s less than an episode of Friends.  You can do it.

Trick #3 to lose tummy fat: Do interval training

It sounds a lot more technical than it is.  Interval training, or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), basically means that you go like a bat out of hell for short bursts, and rest in between.

HIIT has been proven time and time again to be the single most effective form of exercise in burning more fat than any other.

The bursts of high intensity should be as long as you can stand it, but at least 20 seconds, a minute or two is even better.

Forget timers or complicated ways of doing this.

  • Pick a flight of stairs – run up the stairs and walk back down to recover
  • Get a jump rope – jump as quick as you can for 50-75 times, then walk around until you’re ready to it again.
  • Do 50-100 jumping jacks or 20 burpees.  Walk around in amazement that you survived it, then do it again.

Shoot for 4-6 bursts or as many as you can fit into you 30 minute session.

One advantage of HIIT is that it drains your muscle energy really fast, so that the meal that you consume after your workout goes straight to replenish your muscles, and not into storage.

Trick #4 for a flat belly: Replace grains with pulses

You know that giving up carbs altogether never works long term.  So don’t try.

Instead, replace pasta, rice, bread etc with lentils, chick peas and beans.  They are just as filling, but have a lot more fibre.

Also because of the fibre content, you won’t get hungry as fast as if you’d piously opted for a salad and tiny piece of protein.

This will help you consume less, and hopefully, consume only what you need to actually function and get through your day, which in turn means you don’t add to your ‘rainy day’ fat around your belly.

Doing this carb switch from grains to pulses is by far the fastest way I’ve always managed to dump unwanted post-vacation fat.  Literally within as little as a week I notice a major difference.

Trick #5 to get rid of belly fat: give your liver a chance

Your liver is the big boss who gets to decide what to convert and store as fat.  So don’t give it other work to do, like somehow processing all the toxins you throw at it every time you consume ‘unclean’ food.

I won’t be so boring as to ask you to read labels, but get this: the more chemical-filled gunk you send to your liver to process, the less it is likely to work properly and be more discerning about what it turns into fat.

So try to eat stuff that has minimal or no additives and chemicals at least half, if not the majority of the time.

So there you go – you now have five tricks that are not difficult to do, don’t require any special equipment, and you can get started on right now.

Remember that, together with these tricks, you need consistency and perseverance, and you then you definitely have the best way to lose belly fat right in the palm of your hand.

 

 

How To Get A Flat Stomach

Flat StomachEveryone wants to know how to get a flat stomach.  Let’s face it, having a flat stomach is great.  Regardless of the overall silhouette – you could be on the heavy side – having a flat tummy is an immediate visual confirmation that your body rocks.

Aiming for a flat tummy is more than a physical beauty advantage.  Visceral fat stored in the midsection has been associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks, especially in men.

So if you’re not doing it to look hot, go after a flat belly because it could save your life.

First, it must be understood that the stomach is your body’s favourite spot to store fat.  Unfair, but true.  Of course, it also depends on your genes, gender and body type, but generally, the stomach, buttocks and thighs are where you will find a high concentration of fat cells.

Excess unused calories are converted to fat and stored in … you guessed it, fat cells.

Second, you don’t get to decide where you body will store this morning’s doughnut feast.  Your body figures that out.  Similarly, when you start to lose fat, your body will do so evenly, from all over your body.  Again, you can’t spot reduce.

Third – and this should be the last piece of bad news in this post – what you put in your mouth makes a massive difference to fat storage.  True, if calories in (what you eat)  are less than calories out (energy burned), then you should lose weight.

Now that we got these bits out of the way, let’s talk about how to get a flat stomach.

  • Avoid bad fats.  These include foods made with saturated fats, hydrogenated oils or trans fats.  In a study, it was found that trans-fed monkeys deposited 30 percent more fat in the abdomen than the other monkeys.
  • Control insulin. Insulin’s job is regulate blood sugar, but it also has an impact on fat.  Think of insulin as these little old lady that runs around your body collecting all the fat it can find, and then trots it off into long term storage.  A study found that lower insulin levels seem to decrease fat cell size in the abdomen.
  • Get some decent sleep.  When you don’t sleep well or enough, your body wakes up craving a quick energy fix, such as coffee, a sugary treat or a nice greasy breakfast.  On the other hand, if you’ve rested well, your body will be happy with clean food.  Lack of sleep also disrupts leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite and metabolism.

 

Doing these three things won’t make your stomach flat overnight, but together with some cardio exercise (walk, jog, swim, cycle, dance …) and good eating habits, you will find your bulge disappear.

Make sure that you measure your waist before you start making these changes in your lifestyle and diet.  After you have stuck to clean-ish food for a week, added 30-45 minutes of exercise 2-3 times a week (come on, a walk after dinner will not kill you), measure your waist again, and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

So to answer how to get a flat stomach,  watch out for lady insulin, trade your evening TV watching for a brisk walk, get some decent sleep and eat well.  

 

Yoga Poses to Reduce Tummy Fat

Whether you are already a yoga practitioner or not, try the four poses in the video below – effective in reducing tummy fat.

Yoga is very helpful in overall weight loss, and these four poses target the stomach,  helping reduce tummy fat.

I guarantee one thing: they feel great – when you can do them.

Disclaimer: if  you have never done yoga, please proceed with caution!

 

How to lose tummy fat in two weeks

We’ve all been there.  There’s this outfit you must get into in time for your birthday / your friend’s wedding / your wedding.  So how to dump the spare tyre around your middle in 15 days or less?

I’ll skip the lecture about being realistic, and how Rome wasn’t built in a day, yada yada yada.

Not easy to lose tummy fat so quickly, but certainly worth attempting, and doable.  This is what you need to do.

1. Dump The Junk

Dump Junk Food To Lose Tummy Fat
Dump Junk Food To Lose Tummy Fat

Get rid of ALL junk food.  All.  No exceptions.

Nobody said it was going to be easy, but if you are going to give your body a chance to get rid to stomach fat, you must give it  fighting chance by allowing it work properly.

That means you stop putting stuff into your system that your body has to get busy disposing of, when that energy could be put to much better use.  Like getting rid of the fat around your body.

When your organs are clogged with toxins, they can’t function well, and burn fat.  So you know what happens when they can’t burn fat or process the excess sugar you throw at it?

You guessed it.  Your body stores fat.

So bottom line – quit the junk.

2. Up The Fibre

Increase Fibre to Lose Belly Fat
Increase Fibre to Lose Belly Fat

Choose foods that are high fibre.  Fibre helps clean your digestive system and bowels, and in the process, “sweep” away all kinds nasties that hang out in there.

It also helps you stay regular in the elimination department (to put it delicately).  This is important, because trust me, you don’t want last week’s steak hanging around your insides.  Think about it.  There’s no fridge in your stomach.  Eeew.

The best part about eating foods that are high in fibre is that you feel full much faster and for longer than with foods without fibre.

For added kick, opt for the whole grain version of whatever you are having, and up your consumption of high fibre vegetables.

3. Eat Less

It sounds simple and simplistic, but we have a tendency to overeat when we think we’re eating healthy.  Whole wheat pasta? Oh, let me have a second helping.  It is, after all, healthy, so it will help me lose belly fat, right?

Wrong.

Calories in minus calories burned is what determines whether you lose weight or not.

It’s that simple.

Eat less than what you used to eat before you decided to slink into that outfit.  Just use a different plate, eat slowly, and drink a large glass of water 15 minutes before your meal.

And talking of water, don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout the day to help your body function at its peak.

4.  Get A Move On

Get Moving To Burn Tummy Fat
Get Moving To Burn Tummy Fat

Another obvious one.  Exercise has a direct effect on metabolism, which your body’s capacity to burn energy.  You want your metabolism to be as high as possible for as much of the day as possible.

A great way to help that happen is to do a burst of exercise first thing in the morning.  It will kick start your day, and elevate your metabolism.

The real cool thing is that if that burst of exercise is actually interval training (e.g, 30 seconds jump rope, 30 seconds rest, then repeat), your metabolic rate stays up for a few hours after you are done.

This means you could still be burning extra calories long after the actual workout, while sitting comfortably in your office cubicle.

So to shift your spare tyre, shift yourself into gear and do 15-30 minutes of interval training first thing in the morning.

 

Granted, it is unlikely that you will go from beer belly to six pack in 15 days, but I’m so confident you will make enough of a dent in your tummy fat to actually start looking forward to your birthday / your friend’s wedding / your wedding.

 

Commit to yourself that you will do just these four things for just two weeks.  You will see what a massive difference it will make in your efforts to lose tummy fat in two weeks.

Easy lifestyle tweaks to lose tummy fat

A fat belly is not on anyone’s wishlist – except if you plan a lifetime role as Santa Claus.  Here are three tiny tweaks that anyone can make happen to help lose tummy fat:

1. Stress

When our body comes under  stress, it reacts by releasing ‘bad’ stuff into our system.

Stress increases tummy fat

Stress increases tummy fat

This not-so-good substance is a hormone called cortisol.  It is released when you experience any kind of stress:

  • Mental, such as the pressure you might feel while taking an exam or working on an important proposal.
  • Emotional, such as the stress experienced when dealing with peer pressure or a relationship headed in the wrong direction.
  • Physical, as would be the case when there’s a physical threat to your person or when continuously over-training for a competitive event.

In the short term, cortisol does, in fact, cause fat to be burned.  However, long term and consistent production of cortisol actually causes the body to store fat!

If you are often under stress for weeks at a time – and these days who isn’t – be aware that it is a significant contributor to the fat you are carrying around your midriff.

Tip: incorporate stress busting activities into your day.  Try 30 minutes of exercise (yawn), five songs worth of your best crazy dance moves (better),  or have a laugh fest together with your coffee break (my personal favourite).

2. Bananas

Popular myth says stay away from bananas because they make you gain weight.  True,

Bananas help lose tummy fat

Bananas help lose tummy fat

banana is a fruit, a sweet one at that, and for many diet mongers, fruit is a no-no in the quest to eliminate all sugar from their diet.

The savvy future flat-tummied person knows that a banana is rich in fibre, and more importantly, potassium.

So what?

You see, potassium counteracts sodium in our body.  A decrease in sodium means less water retention, and less belly bloat.

The added bonus is that a banana can give you a great energy boost right on par with a caffeine-laden cappuccino or a preservative filled candy bar.

Tip: treat yourself to a banana instead of your usual sugar fix and help yourself combat your salt habit.  Stay away from banana chips though, as they are laden with nasty fats.

3. Water

Our body is made up about around 60-70% of water.  It needs water to function

Water helps lose tummy fat

Water helps lose tummy fat

properly.  Making sure that you are properly hydrated helps stay focused and gives you more energy.

Guess what else drinking plenty of water does?

It helps your liver function in an optimal manner.  In turn, the liver then burns fat and processes all the damaging stuff you’ve put into your body.

Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day (more if you engage in physical activity beyond reaching for the remote) helps your liver do its cleanup job properly.  This means your metabolism works better, which ultimately results in excess weight being eliminated.

Tip: drink a glass of water before a meal or snack.  It will take the edge off your hunger and hydrate you at the same time.  Win win!

Incorporate these easy tweaks into your day starting tomorrow, and watch yourself get closer to losing that tummy fat.