Reducing Stress To Reduce Belly Fat

Stress is being shown to play a significant role in a wide variety of conditions and disease states. Recent work from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other major research centers has demonstrated that stress is a significant contributor to immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, other age-related disorders, and to excessive body fat.

Over 20% of adults have an obesity-like condition characterized by excessive bell fat. This condition is related to stress-induced hormone imbalances, especially imbalances of cortisol and DHEA. Until now, the only course of action for losing this fat has been stress reduction with exercise and diet.

Relora™ can normalize cortisol and DHEA levels in stressed individuals, induce relaxation, and act as an aid in controlling weight and stress related eating and drinking. Relora™ stabilizes levels of the stress hormone cortisol. That results in the levels of serotonin and dopamine (neurotransmitters that boost mood) being optimized. Also, levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, return to normal. Improved sleep rebalances gastric hormones so that the ratio of leptin (which signals satiety) is once again higher than ghrelin (which signals the body to eat more).

You can pick Relora™ up at our Thin&Healthy Utah location in Sandy, UT or order it by emailing us at: info@thinandhealthyutah.com

How To Avoid Packing On Belly Fat

You can’t down 3,000 calories a day and expect to lose your belly, but calories aren’t the entire story. Certain foods seem to pack on Belly Fat.

Last fall, experts from the ongoing Framingham Nutrition Studies reported that women who ate almost 400 fewer daily calories but chose the least nutritious foods had a 2 1/2 times higher risk of abdominal obesity than those who ate 400 more daily calories but made better choices. They also had dramatically higher risk of such serious health issues as Type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, says Barbara Millen, DPH, the study’s director of nutritional research. You don’t have to “diet”: Just fold these strategies into your life and watch the belly flab pare down.

Eat Fruits and Veggies

-Especially orange ones. Women trimmed their waists by replacing refined grains like white bread and simple or added sugar with carbs from fruits and vegetables, according to the latest review from Copenhagen University Hospital.

Besides packing in fiber, which keeps you feeling full longer, researchers suspect it’s the rich antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, that ward off belly fat. Carrots, cantaloupe, squash, and peaches are great sources of beta-carotene, while oranges, berries, and kiwi provide a good dose of C. To keep calories down, pick veggies like bell peppers before fruits, and choose fruits over juice.

Get more selenium

This cancer-fighting mineral is also linked to lower rates of belly flab, according to a survey of more than 8,000 Americans. People with low blood levels of selenium and other antioxidants had bigger waistlines than those with higher levels.

Selenium is found in many foods, but it can be hard to know if you’re getting the recommended 55 mcg a day because amounts vary based on the soil in which food is grown and the feed livestock consume. To meet your requirement, try a supplement or eat a varied diet. Also, opt for foods grown in different areas: such as grains from the Midwest, Vermont cheeses, and nuts from California.

Add some protein

Eating more protein keeps you full and boosts energy, which leads to overall weight loss and–for those over 40 –reduced belly fat in particular, according to findings from Skidmore College and Copenhagen University Hospital.

But studies show that eating high amounts of protein may stress the kidneys as they work to eliminate the excess, which can also cause calcium loss. Aim to get 25% of your calories from protein (if you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s 500 from protein). Just make lean choices such as low-fat yogurt, fat-free milk, fish, and poultry. Nuts are another great source but can be high in calories, so have just five 1-ounce servings a week (an ounce is about 24 almonds, 18 cashews, or 35 peanuts). Thin&Healthy’s protein supplements are a great way to get 15 grams of extra protein without a ton of calories. Check them out in our online store or your local Thin&Healthy weight loss center.

Eat the right fats

Research from Spain shows it’s easier to stay slim eating monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) and omega-3s (found mostly in fish but also in flaxseed and walnut oils and tofu), while omega-6 fats (prevalent in cereals, corn oil, baked goods, and eggs) caused belly flab to pile on.

Fats that should be eliminated completely: trans fats, which have no nutritional value and are mostly found in calorie-dense baked goods and chips. In a Wake Forest University study, monkeys eating a typical American diet for 6 years gained the human equivalent of 10 pounds more when the fat they ate was all trans fat, compared with those eating monounsaturated fat. Worse, “30% more fat was added in the abdominal region, and they had early signs of diabetes,” says researcher Kylie Kavanagh, DVM

See Thin and Healthy Utah’s website for more information – or to check out our online program.

You Can Lose that Belly Fat!

You can lose that belly!!

First you need to know what causes belly fat. How you eat is just as important as where you eat when it comes to weight gain. Larry Scherwitz and Deborah Kesten have identified seven specific eating patterns that make us overeat and that are linked to being overweight. This was reported from ABC'S “Good Morning America.” At Thin and Healthy Utah, we subscribe to these 7 steps for loosing that unwanted belly fat also.

The message is simple: Look at what your eating, and look at your relationship with food. Here are 7 examples to help you out. Each of these seven patterns of eating will negatively affect your relationship with food. Do you see yourself in any of these 7 categories?

1: Fresh Food, Fast Food – If you find yourself eating at McDonald's for lunch and then heating up packaged frozen foods at night, you're eating too much processed, high-calorie food. Where's the fresh food?

2: Food Fretting – Are you so concerned about what you eat that you experience negative and guilty feelings when you think about food?

3: Task Snacking – You're too busy to sit down and eat right. So you grab things to eat at your desk or in the car. If you're distracted when you eat and you're dining at the dashboard, chances are you'll eat more and gain weight.

4: Eating Atmosphere – Where you eat is as important as what you eat. When you dine in a calm setting, you're less likely to struggle with how much you eat.

5: Social Fare – People who eat alone tend to overeat. When we enjoy meals with others, we're far more likely to slow down and eat less.

6: Emotional Eating – Are you using food to manage your feelings?

7: Sensory/Spiritual Nourishment – People who eat this way are infusing their food with special meaning.

The study findings were published in Explore, a journal of science and healing.

For more information and help on overcoming bad dieting habits and learning how to eat a healthy diet grounded on the food guide pyramid check out Thin And Healthy Utah or Thin Members Online.

How To Avoid Packing On LBS In Your Midsection

You can’t down 3,000 calories a day and expect to lose your belly, but calories aren’t the entire story. Certain foods seem to pack pounds on the midsection. Last fall, experts from the ongoing Framingham Nutrition Studies reported that women who ate almost 400 fewer daily calories but chose the least nutritious foods had a 2 1/2 times higher risk of abdominal obesity than those who ate 400 more daily calories but made better choices. They also had dramatically higher risk of such serious health issues as Type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, says Barbara Millen, DPH, the study’s director of nutritional research. You don’t have to “diet”: Just fold these strategies into your life and watch the ab flab pare down.

Eat Fruits and Veggies

-Especially orange ones. Women trimmed their waists by replacing refined grains like white bread and simple or added sugar with carbs from fruits and vegetables, according to the latest review from Copenhagen University Hospital.

Besides packing in fiber, which keeps you feeling full longer, researchers suspect it’s the rich antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta-carotene, that ward off ab fat. Carrots, cantaloupe, squash, and peaches are great sources of beta-carotene, while oranges, berries, and kiwi provide a good dose of C. To keep calories down, pick veggies like bell peppers before fruits, and choose fruits over juice.

Get more selenium

This cancer-fighting mineral is also linked to lower rates of abdominal obesity, according to a survey of more than 8,000 Americans. People with low blood levels of selenium and other antioxidants had bigger waistlines than those with higher levels.

Selenium is found in many foods, but it can be hard to know if you’re getting the recommended 55 mcg a day because amounts vary based on the soil in which food is grown and the feed livestock consume. To meet your requirement, try a supplement or eat a varied diet. Also, opt for foods grown in different areas: such as grains from the Midwest, Vermont cheeses, and nuts from California.

Add some protein

Eating more protein keeps you full and boosts energy, which leads to overall weight loss and–for those over 40 –reduced ab fat in particular, according to findings from Skidmore College and Copenhagen University Hospital.

But studies show that eating high amounts of protein may stress the kidneys as they work to eliminate the excess, which can also cause calcium loss. Aim to get 25% of your calories from protein (if you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s 500 from protein). Just make lean choices such as low-fat yogurt, fat-free milk, fish, and poultry. Nuts are another great source but can be high in calories, so have just five 1-ounce servings a week (an ounce is about 24 almonds, 18 cashews, or 35 peanuts). Thin&Healthy’s protein supplements are a great way to get 15 grams of extra protein without a ton of calories. Check them out in our online store or your local Thin&Healthy center.

Eat the right fats

Research from Spain shows it’s easier to stay slim eating monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil) and omega-3s (found mostly in fish but also in flaxseed and walnut oils and tofu), while omega-6 fats (prevalent in cereals, corn oil, baked goods, and eggs) caused ab fat to pile on.

Fats that should be eliminated completely: trans fats, which have no nutritional value and are mostly found in calorie-dense baked goods and chips. In a Wake Forest University study, monkeys eating a typical American diet for 6 years gained the human equivalent of 10 pounds more when the fat they ate was all trans fat, compared with those eating monounsaturated fat. Worse, “30% more fat was added in the abdominal region, and they had early signs of diabetes,” says researcher Kylie Kavanagh, DVM

See Thin and Healthy Utah’s website for more information – or to check out our online program.

Shrink That Belly

When you want to shrink that belly bulge that hangs over your belt, try doing stomach crunches as part of your workout or at night before you go to bed. Start with 25 reps, and see if you can gradually build up to 100. Before you know it, this classic exercise will flatten your stomach as it strengthens your abs!