Burn The Belly Fat - The Dangers Of Abdominal Obesity

My mother recently suffered from a heart attack - actually three heart attacks in one week. She had no history of heart disease, and she was a really strong and fit person. She started gaining some weight about 15 years ago, and was slightly overweight at the time of her heart attacks. But looking at her face, arms, legs, or back, you would never know she was overweight. She carried all her extra weight in her belly. I really believe that the location of her extra fat was more dangerous than the amount of extra weight she gained.

After my mom got sick, I did some research into what could have happened that changed her life completely. One day, she was an active and seemingly healthy woman, and the next day she was in the ICU fighting for her life. I found that abdominal obesity, which is fat stored around the abdomen and waist, can lead to insulin resistance. This in turn can cause diabetes and heart disease. It is scary to think that what seems like a little harmless belly fat can actually be a silent ticking bomb that slowly puts strain on your heart.

I immediately became determined to lose my belly fat and try to maintain a healthy body. Although I still have some inches to lose, I want to share with you the best ways for losing that extra load.

SWIMMING

Swimming is a great exercise and it really keeps your body tone and in shape.

WALKING OR JOGGING

If you're not much of a swimmer, then the next best thing is brisk walking or jogging. When you accumulate extra belly fat, it slows down your system causing something known as metabolic syndrome. Jogging is an excellent way to reverse metabolic syndrome.

ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Once you are walking, jogging, or swimming regularly, then you should start adding some abdominal exercises to your routine. The best exercise for this is the bicycle crunch. Start off with 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Keep it light at first, and then slowly pick up the pace with more repetitions.

DIET

When I say diet, I'm not talking about the typical "starve yourself for a week" or "eat only one type of food" diets. These kinds of "diets" cannot become a lifestyle change, and that is why they will never work at making you a healthier person. As long as your daily diet includes fruits, vegetables, and protein, and as long as it excludes excess sugar, fats and oils, then don't change a thing about your diet. Just keep moderation in mind. Fill your stomach only 1/3 with food, 1/3 with water, and keep 1/3 empty. And try not to eat anything at least 2 hours before bedtime.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

While some people will recommend that you take a diet pill or a nutritional supplement, I always recommend against it. There is no magic pill for losing weight, and only motivation and hard work will give you long-lasting results. Chromium picolinate has been said to reduce insulin resistance, but there are no clear studies to back this claim. I would steer clear of any pills, since their side effects are usually unknown and the results are mostly insignificant.

Trust me, once you start these exercises, you'll be amazed at how great you look and feel. You'll notice that you have more energy right away. I hope this helps, and best of luck burning the belly fat!