Saturday, November 29, 2008

Belly Fat, What Causes It and How to Get Rid Of It

By Ricardo d Argence

There are many, many people that struggle with their weight everyday. A lot of people are experiencing the same thing. A flat belly signals that your body is healthy.

There are no miracles when it comes to shedding off stubborn belly fats, but there are blasting tips on how to shrink them off. But before going to that, it is important that you should know what caused them so that you won't find yourself wondering why you have been suffering from the bane of your belly fats.

It is a common belief that those who drink a lot of alcohol have a lot of belly fat as many alcoholics do. For one reason, it is, since it lowers down the body's metabolism. One cannot blame alcohol as the sole cause of fat in this region. All in all, it is the total calories consumed which count. If you eat too many extra calories they will end up stored as belly fat.

Other factors are stress and lack of exercise. You may not notice it, but stress is really something that gets those fats to pop up. It causes our body to secrete cortisol, which causes the liver to release extra sugar that is not needed by our body. Stress also tends to make us eat more. On the other hand, lack of exercise lowers the body's metabolism. This is where most of us fall and we easy plunge into these perils.

Two things that seem to be a knock off for belly fats are thyroid disorders and hereditary factors. They could turn out to be your greatest enemy if you fall under this category. Our thyroids have a big impact since it is like a cruise control that keeps our body's metabolism running at the right speed. Same is true with hereditary factor.

It doesn't matter what causes it. You still have a hope. So, here you have some tips to get rid of that belly fat.

You should investigate why you eat and how you eat. Cutting down on your intake of processed food, fast food and junk food will cut your calorie intake dramatically. Minimize the use of fatty ingredients such as oil, butter, margarine, and cream. Instead of doing this you should eat fresh fruit, home cooked meals containing fiber, lean fat, protein and a wide range of grain products.

The importance of regular exercise does not lie on its extent of difficulty but in its steadiness and stability. Don't make your exercise habit a doom by starting strenuous and heavy workloads, it's better to start in a gradual way and start with the basics. You can alternate it with playing sports like tennis and swimming.

Most important you will find that lifestyle changes will help you a lot. Cut down on alcoholic beverages most especially beers. It is also important to take some time to wind up. Everyone needs some relaxation in their life.

We may be living in a fast paced world but don't be drastic about getting results overnight. There are probably no quick fixes but it's worth it in the long run. - 15634

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