Many of us battle to get rid of that unwanted belly fat, despite all the hard work that is put into how to lose belly fat for men and women. Long hours in the gym and strict eating plans all seem to be in vain when it comes to losing belly fat in men and women. Well if you would like to know how to lose that unwanted stomach fat and to do it faster than any ab program out there, then you have come to the right place.
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How to Lose Belly Fat in Men and Women
The most common error most of us face when it comes to losing belly fat in men and women is that we focus on all the wrong things such as weight loss supplements, diets and exercise gadgets. This may sound ridiculous at first but all these weight loss aids have contributed to the failures experienced in achieving permanent weight loss. This article explores three alternative solutions for how to lose belly fat for men and women. However, before we explore our options it is important that we better understand how our bodies work so that we may manipulate what we eat, how we train and the supplements we use for the best possible results.
Men and women alike are willing to pay big bucks to win the war against losing belly fat. In 2012, testosterone sales of Abbott Labs exceeded $1 billion. This was achieved by brainwashing customers in thinking that all you need is a cream, pill, gel, injection or synthetic testosterone to get rid of that unwanted belly fat. However unfortunately, our bodies do not work as simply as that. Hormones are complex and can be easily manipulated and put out of balance. An abundance of testosterone doesn’t guarantee you will stay healthy—or trim. In fact, packing on the pounds may have nothing to do with “low-T” at all. When it comes to decreasing body fat, testosterone is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to how you lose belly fat loss in men and women. [1]
Low libido, depression and a decrease in muscle size and strength are just a few of the symptoms of low testosterone. For bodybuilders, testosterone is one of their key hormones for packing on muscle and staying in shape. It is the one hormone that separates men from women, and is the key hormone that propels all bodybuilders towards greatness. However, many of us are unaware that our testosterone levels are very sensitive to the things we eat, how much rest we get and the way we train. That’ what makes it so unique when it comes to how to lose belly fat for men compared to women.
There is extensive research to show these low levels of testosterone and that all of us are susceptible to this. In essence what this research tells us is that we all vary in the levels of testosterone that our bodies naturally produce.
There is another hormone that our bodies produce, that may be even more important for fat loss than testosterone, and you won’t believe what it is; estrogen. Estrogen is testosterone’s “sister” hormone, and if you are a man estrogen may be the hormone you have come to fear or believe you do not need. Well, research is suggesting that while testosterone is important for muscle growth and improved strength; estrogen is an important body fat regulator and key in losing belly fat. It’s especially important for when it comes to how to lose belly fat for women compared to men.
A recent study conducted found that by turning off the production of estrogen in healthy males over a period of sixteen weeks resulted in considerable weight gain. The most astounding finding was that despite the high levels of testosterone in male participants as soon as their estrogen production was limited they put on weight.
But before you go looking for estrogen boosters, it’s important to understand that the men in the study didn’t receive any extra estrogen. Their natural estrogen was all it took to avoid gaining extra body fat and preventing belly fat. [2]
The bottom line is that your estrogen is just as important as your testosterone for optimal health in both men and women. Men start losing testosterone as early as their thirties; as testosterone production goes down, estrogen levels can swing too high or too low. Once women hit menopause their estrogen levels drop drastically.
Either situation is unhealthy and dangerous. If you’re gaining more belly fat while suffering fatigue, muscle loss and low libido, it’s time to ask your doctor to test you. But don’t ignore your estrogen—get both testosterone and estrogen tested to ensure you are aware of how to lose belly fat for men and women.
Solution #1: Macronutrients and 7 Foods to Lose Belly Fat
Proteins, carbs and fats are all the macronutrients that make up the food we eat every day. The wrong combinations of these can result in drastic weight gain and ill health. Therefore it is vital to consume the right combinations of these food throughout the day to ensure you are providing your body with the best possible chance of losing that stubborn unwanted belly fat and achieving permanent weight loss. Fruits are natural foods that are loaded with immense benefits that aid in weight-loss.
They are high in fiber, contain natural sugars and decrease hunger. However, some contain high quantities of simple carbs namely; glucose and fructose. When eaten in large quantities; blood sugar levels can rise which can lead to a pre-diabetic state and weight gain. One portion of fruit is defined as 80g of fruit, therefore a medium sized apple would constitute one portion. Here are the top seven belly-buster fruits that you can include in any diet that will assist in the loss of belly fat for men and women.
Belly-buster food #1: Avocado
Avocados do not only make wonderful face masks they are also a great source of healthy Omega-9 fatty acids. The fatty acid properties of avocado speeds up the conversion of fat into energy and also increases metabolism.
Belly-buster food #2: Apples
One apple contains around only 50 calories and does not contain any sodium or fat. Research has shown that women who ate an apples before each meal lost 33% more weight that those who didn’t eat them.
Belly-buster food #3: Grapefruits
This super fruit has been found to accelerate metabolism, regulate digestion and improve cholesterol levels as well as prevents cancer. Research conducted at Johns Hopkins University found th
at women who eat a grapefruit a day lose almost 20 pounds on average, every 3 months without changing anything else in their eating plan or lifestyle.
Belly-buster food #4: Blueberries
Due to the nutrient enriched property of Blueberries they are believed to prevent cancer, improve heart health and enhance digestion. They are packed with fibre which allows for better digestion and the tannins reduces the inflammation of the digestive tract reducing the possibility of diarrhoea.
Belly-buster food #5: Coconut
Coconut acts as a great appetite suppressant and can be delicious midday snack. You can add coconut to your diet by using the wonderful array of coconut products such as coconut oil, coco
nut milk, coconut flour, and shredded (unsweetened) coconut as they all contain MCFAs.
Belly-buster food #6: Guava
The guava is packed with immense health benefits; they are high in fibre and are a potent weight-loss aid. Guavas improve your bowel movements which assists the overall weight-loss process.
Belly-buster food #7: Lemons
Lemons have been found to maintain the health of your liver and help digest and burn fat. Simply add lemon to that thirst quenching glass of water to help with weight-loss and body cleansing. [3]
Solution #2: Mini Exercise Plan That Doesn’t Require Using Weights
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is one of the new fads on the block that has actually been found to work. It’s been proven to be very effective when it comes to answering the question “How to Lose Belly Fat for Men and Women”. With our hectic schedules and busy lives we have little time to commit to exercising. With HIIT you are able to receive the same benefits of an hour long gym session in just twenty minutes.
HIIT programs involve training sessions where you will work at 100% capacity for 30 seconds and then rest a minute depending on your fitness. This form of training allows your body to become fitter quicker as you keep pushing your lactic threshold, as well as training your heart to recover quickly between reps. This most exciting finding regarding HIIT is that we are able to trick our bodies into believing that it is still burning fat hours after we have left the gym. [4]
Below you will find an easy and simple training program you can do at home that will make you burn 500 calories in a quick thirty minutes;
1 minute walk
1 minute jog
1 minute run
1 minute walk
1 minute jog
1 minute mountain climbers
1 minute walk
1 minute jog
1 minute burpees
1 minute walk
1 minute jog
1 minute squat jumps
3 minute walk
*Complete full circuit twice.
Solution #3: Taking a Good Estrogen Supplement to Lose Belly Fat
As mentioned earlier; there is another hormone that our bodies produce, that may be even more important for fat loss than testosterone, and it is; estrogen. Estrogen is testosterone’s “sister” hormone, and is an important fat regulating hormone in our bodies. Once we hit puberty our hormones are programmed to be produced differently allowing for male and female sexual characteristics to occur. Testosterone increases in men, while women depend mostly on estrogen.
By the time we reach 50 year of age these hormones are disrupted again. In essence as time goes by in both men and women, our estrogen levels start to decrease with age. As this decreases we start to pack on the weight and find it very difficult to keep trim and in shape.
Research is suggesting that this weight gain is attributed to the fact that our bodies are losing the magic trimming hormone; estrogen. If you’re gaining more belly fat while suffering fatigue, muscle loss and low libido, it’s time to ask your doctor to test you. But don’t ignore your estrogen—get both testosterone and estrogen tested and ask your doctor to recommend a good oestrogen supplement to assist with belly fat loss in men and women. [5]
References:
- Björntorp, P. (1997). Hormonal control of regional fat distribution.Human Reproduction, 12(suppl 1), 21-25.
- Vettor, R., De Pergola, G., Pagano, C., Englaro, P., Laudadio, E., Giorgino, F., … & Federspil, G. (1997). Gender differences in serum leptin in obese people: relationships with testosterone, body fat distribution and insulin sensitivity.European journal of clinical investigation, 27(12), 1016-1024.
- curejoy.com/content/fat–burning–fruits/
- Schoenfeld, B., & Dawes, J. (2009). High-intensity interval training: Applications for general fitness training.Strength & Conditioning Journal, 31(6), 44-46.
- Raben, Kiens, Richter, Rasmussen, Svenstru, Micic, & Bennett. “Serum sex hormones and endurance performance after a lacto–ovo vegetarian and a mixed diet.” (1992). Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 24(11), 1290-1297.
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