How to Reduce Belly Fat: A Complete Plan to Shrink Your Waist

Despite claims we are "eating right," many times we don't realize that if we are not getting the results in fat loss, then no matter how good we are eating, it is not good enough.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the current diet of the Western world is between 70 to 90 percent starch, sugar and fat, and the average sleep time is less than eight hours a night. From driving to working at desks to watching TV, the No. 1 form of activity is sitting, and when we are active, we use an inferior method of weight control by choosing jogging over sprinting and weight training.

So how do you lose the belly fat? In order to battle the bulge, it's important to understand how it grew in the first place.

Belly Fat Science

There are two types of belly fat: visceral belly fat and subcutaneous belly fat. Visceral fat is underneath the abdominal muscle and in close proximity to the organs. You can't pinch it, and those who have a lot of it, can have abdominal muscles that feel tight and ridged despite the bulging protrusion. Subcutaneous belly fat is above the abdominal muscles and can be pinched. This is the stuff that hangs over the belt.

Visceral fat is more easily stored and faster to be burned. This is because it has a greater blood supply and is more sensitive to the fat burning hormones (catecholamines) compared to subcutaneous fat.

Belly fat is stored when the combination of excess calories meets the hormonal influence of cortisol and insulin. For those of you who take a calorie-centered approach to weight loss, you may find that the fat around your belly burns off at a much slower rate. This is because belly fat can be as much a hormonal phenomenon as it is a caloric one.

Cortisol and Insulin

The single biggest influence over the levels of insulin in your body comes from the amount of starchy and sweet foods you eat. The biggest influence over cortisol has to do with stress levels, which is directly related to sleep quantity (and quality).

What many people don't realize is that cortisol is a schizophrenic hormone when it comes to fat loss. It increases fat storage due to the actions it has on the major fat storing enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). But ironically, it also speeds fat burning by stimulating the major fat releasing enzyme hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). Cortisol can be your best friend or your worst enemy. By itself it does not have much of an impact on belly fat, unless it is "hanging out with" insulin.

Insulin activity shuts down any fat releasing activity of other hormones like cortisol, and therefore accentuates the negative fat storing effects. Adding cortisol to insulin is like pouring gasoline on a fire. The two together -- with excess calories -- are the real culprits in fat gain around the middle.

(SS + Ft) x St = Belly Fat

Starch and sugar (SS) combined with fat (Ft) may represent the worst combination for fat gain. Starches and sugar raise insulin levels and fat is relatively neutral. In other words, while fat supplies calories by itself, it has little to no impact on insulin production. But when fat is added to sugar and starch (think doughnuts, French fries, pizza and burgers), you get higher calories, more insulin exposure and lose the ability to feel satisfied. Insulin and fat also independently raise another fat storing hormone called ASP (acylation stimulating protein), and when they are combined, they drastically enhance another fat storing hormone called GIP (glucose dependent insulinotrophic peptide). Add stress (St) on top of this and the impact is multiplied, further forcing excess calories around the belly.

(P + V) x (Sl + IE) = Six Pack

Protein (P) and vegetables (V) add a high-powered hunger-suppressing punch with little insulin production. This means less calories and better hormone balance. Sleep (Sl) magnifies this effect by lowering cortisol and increasing human growth hormone (HGH) -- a fat burning and muscle building hormone. Throw in intense exercise (IE) that favors weight and interval training (more HGH and testosterone) over long duration cardio (more cortisol), and you start seeing the butter drip off.

The Belly Fat Plan

The fix lies in replacing the sugar and starch with fiber and raising the protein while normalizing the fat. The foods with the highest ratio of fiber relative to starch are vegetables (beans, corn and potatoes are considered starch, especially when trying to lose fat), and foods highest in protein are eggs, and all lean cuts of meat. While cheese and yogurt are also high in protein, they can add to the fat and sugar burden, so use dairy foods in small amounts.
For exercise, make your dominant form of activity fast-paced metabolically demanding weight training. Weight training done the right way is better at burning fat, balancing hormones and is great for your heart.

Breakfast -- eggs and 10 bites or less of starch
Snack -- tuna and veggies
Lunch -- salad with chicken on top
Snack -- apple and a handful of almonds
Dinner -- steak, double veggies and 10 bites or less of starch

Circuit Weight Training (20 minutes, 4 exercises -- squat/press, push-up/rows, back row, lunge/curl) -- Do 12 of each exercise and immediately go to the next one. Don't take structured rests, instead push until you can't and rest until you can (what we call rest-based training). See how many rounds you can do in 20 minutes.

Interval Training (20 minutes) -- If you're overweight, use a stationary bike, or if you like to run, do sprints on the track. Go hard for 20 seconds, then rest for 40 seconds. Then hard for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Then hard for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds. Then hard for one minute, rest for one minute. Repeat this routine four times.

Walking -- Walking is not considered exercise -- it's a necessity that lowers cortisol. Include a walk after each workout.

Sleep (8-10 hours a night) -- Make sleep a priority. Getting enough sleep is about choices. For some, it's cutting out that last television show of the night. For others, it's accepting the fact that not everything on the to-do list can be done in one day.

Monday -- Circuit weight training, walk
Tuesday -- Interval training, walk
Wednesday -- Circuit weight training, walk
Thursday -- Interval training, walk
Friday -- Circuit weight training, walk
Saturday -- Cardio (run or bike), walk
Sunday -- Rest

Belly Fat Detective Work

Time and time again, we are spinning our wheels trying to change our exercise program in an attempt to get rid of the belly fat, when in reality it is the diet program that needs to be manipulated and experimented with the most. Despite claims we are "eating right," many times we don't realize that if we are not getting the results in fat loss, then no matter how good we are eating, it is not good enough. Your metabolic formula is different from everyone else, and you need to stop being the dieter and start being the fat loss detective. Remember: Diet is the most crucial element in body change and fat loss. Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

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