Article "Lose Belly Fat"

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Goal Setting: "Lose Belly Fat"

Balancing Your Blood Sugar (Reducing Belly Fat)

Hi everyone,

Thought I would put this small article together as a result of some of your goals for 2023

Let's start with fatty foods & refined carbohydrates (also referred to as simple carbs)

What is a fatty food? Trans fats: are made when liquid oils are turned into solid fats.

Examples: fried foods, biscuits, rolls and commercial baked goods.

What are refined/simple carbohydrates? High sugar-based examples: Table sugar, honey, milk products, modified sweeteners (these are fast acting to the bloodstream with very little to no fibre from these sources)

Before we go any further, I don't believe in eating clean every day and I don't expect you to believe that either. I love pizza as much as the next person but there is a time and place within a structured mindset. I say mindset due to the fact that we don't normally program pizza into a dietary program; if we did someone would be criticising the coach for writing down pizza instead of vegetables, steak and baby boils.

Next good sources of carbohydrates, these are known as complex which are found in whole foods and fibre containing foods such as grains, vegetables and fruits.( which are Slow acting to the bloodstream and fibre based)

So now we have defined, fatty foods, refined carbs and complex carbs. Now to create a mindset change, we want to have less fatty food/ refined carbs and more complex carbs within our diet to promote a healthier lifestyle, but also reduce the imbalance of sugars that leads to visceral fat (belly fat).

This brings us to insulin. It's function is to control the amount of glucose (blood sugar) circulating in the blood and the rate at which it is absorbed into the cells.(LaValle 2004)

The Biggest concern when it comes to insulin resistance is excessive intake of refined carbohydrates, sugar. (High glycaemic foods). (LaValle 2004)

Abdominal obesity is considered a major risk factor for the development of IGT (Impaired Glucose Tolerance) That means that if you have visceral adiposity (Belly Fat) you probably are becoming or already have impaired glucose tolerance and are one metabolic step away from becoming a person who has diabetes.(LaValle 2004)

Be very careful with labels, Fat Free - is a red flag "in the late 1980s food manufacturers began to meet the demands for high carbohydrate fat-free products. Marketed as healthy choices as they had no fat included, issue being it was replaced with refined carbs (simple carbs) higher sugar and better tasting food leads to weight gain and higher levels of visceral fat (belly fat) as it converts to fat when not used.

At no point have I suggested no carbohydrates so let's not get on the keto train. If you haven't heard of the ketogenic diet then you might be living under a rock away from the keto influencers. Here's the issue glucose is the body's primary fuel. (LaValle 2004). Sugar balance is key and when we let them levels drop to low, we go into a crave mode: looking for sugar to replenish those stores... Have you ever binged hard on biscuits after break time due to the fact you didn't eat any breakfast and your blood sugars are low so your body auto craves carbs and your subconscious is so intact that it leads you to the cupboard.

Boom, Issue identified.. now how do we make sure this doesn't happen? Back to mindset and knowledge.

Steps to get your blood sugar on track and to balance your metabolism starts by learning from the information in this article, making sure to get physically active and taking or supplementing magnesium & zinc. Adding in essential fats which are healthy by adding omega-3 from sources such as haddock, mackerel, salmon, and tuna + flaxseed / flax oil. supplement fish oils if you dislike fish or seafood

The body turns to fat stores to maintain blood sugar and energy for cellular metabolism, many times resulting in sustainable weight loss.

Magnesium helps improve the action of insulin, it is low among diabetics and has an inverse relationship to insulin resistance. Sources of magnesium are vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

When to eat carbohydrates ? They are best eaten in the evening, because they help in the manufacture of "serotonin" which helps you sleep.

< Recap >

From the Boom, Issue part of this article.

The most optimal breakfast starts with protein and essential fats #facts

But what about the carbohydrates ? eat them and store them from the night before.

Make sure and eat carbs before training as they are the main source of energy used by the body. This is where you could add a refined carb. After weight training, replenish carbohydrates in the form of Complex, so they are stored ready to be used the next morning.

By eating more essential fats, snacks that include more seeds and nuts also helps to maintain blood sugar and fights cravings (forget the biscuits binges)

Using more nutritional sources (magnesium) provide balance and this is the steps needed to resolve your habits/ cravings.

Resetting your dietary make up.

Last but not least, to lose fat we need to be in a small kcal deficit. You will not lose fat by completely lowering your kcals, you will lose muscle mass, fluids, carbohydrates will be low so they will empty from the liver etc and your weight will go down not the stubborn fat cells.

Don't crash diet, ask questions and we will keep working on this.

Peace Conor J

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