Belly Fat: Causes and Cures

Belly Fat Blues:

In my 30 year career as a hands-on structural body therapist (Certified Advanced Rolfer) , the area of the body I find more disliked by clients than any other is the abdominals. It is not just overweight people who express dissatisfaction with their belly.

All too often, an otherwise slender client is unhappy with that little bulge they just can't seem to lose. Marathon runners and fashion models have been among the complainers.

Amazing, isn't it?

How to Lose Belly Fat?

Unhealthy, inactive lifestyle: Simple solutions may be initially challenging to implement. Once they are properly integrated healthy lifestyle habits will become enjoyable.

NOTE: All the body cleanse and detox diet information you find here will contribute toward losing belly fat and having the great abs you yearn for.

Body structure: Ever wonder why some thin people have a bulging belly? One cause can be excessive curvature of the lumbar spine, resulting in lordosis (swayback).

Solutions include core-strengthening exercise ( Pilates , for example).

Candida yeast and other fungal infections: Imbalanced bacterial populations in the gut lead to fermentation and inflammation. Poor diet, long term stress, heavy metal toxicity, and antibiotic use are among the causes of yeast overgrowth in the body.

Lacking healthy probiotics, fermentation occurs, producing excessive gas. Fungal infections in the gut are accompanied by inflammation which attracts an excess of body fluids to the area. Result? Protruding belly, even if you are slim.

Too many carbs and/or too little protein: You need to discover what kind of diet works best for you as an individual. Some people do better with more (healthy) carbohydrates and less protein, some with less.

However, as you go about adjusting your diet to help you lose belly fat, consider the following:

1 - Too little protein in the diet: High quality, easily absorbed protein is essential for dealing with stress, building and repairing the body, and a multitude of body functions.

I have seen many clients in my practice who were on low protein diets and could not get rid of belly fat, even if they were otherwise slim.

You may have noticed that people suffering starvation that you see in the news, particularly the children, have a protruding belly. What might not have occurred to you is that many people in civilized countries are voluntarily starving from lack of enough protein.

The protruding belly is due to kwashiorkor, a condition known to be related to protein deprivation. Here are some quotes from Wikipedia on kwashiorkor:

'Kwashiorkor is a type of malnutrition with controversial causes, but it is commonly believed to be caused by insufficient protein intake. It usually affects children aged 1–4 years, although it also occurs in older children and adults.'

'When a child is nursing, it receives certain amino acids vital to growth from its mother's milk. When the child is weaned, if the diet that replaces the milk is high in starches and carbohydrates, and deficient in protein (as is common in parts of the world where the bulk of the diet consists of starchy vegetables, or where famine has struck), the child may develop kwashiorkor.'

You may want to think about adjusting your protein intake. Do remember that increased protein in the diet should be accompanied by healthy fats To lose belly fat, Eat Your Cholesterol! (new window)

You CAN Lose Belly Fat!

You're in good company; I've dealt with all those issues both personally and from 30 years as a health professional helping others.

I know just how you feel. I also know that even if you've battled belly fat for years, you can succeed in your quest for great abs. All through this website, I endeavor to give you the tools you need to help yourself.

One thing you should know; ultimately, fad diets don't work!

Next, let's look at the issue of diet and food choice.

Lose Belly Fat With Whole Foods that are Delicious!

I have a confession to make:

I LOVE food! In fact, I luxuriate in delicious, nutrient-rich foods!

If 'detox diet' meant 'deprivation,' I simply wouldn't do it. So why should you?

You don't have to starve yourself or eat a dull diet to lose weight and belly fat! In fact that is the WRONG thing to do and doesn't work in the long run anyway!

Eating healthy can be FUN! You can eat fabulously good tasting foods AND be fit and trim.

Diet for weight loss should also should be EASY! Over many years, I developed delicious, easy to prepare recipes.

I LOVE delicious, nutrient-dense foods! You can eat an extraordinarily nutritious diet that delights your senses.

If you have been accustomed to sugary, artificially flavored commercial foods, you WILL need to re-train your taste buds. I had to do that. The rewards are well worthwhile!

Emphasize healthy, high quality protein, healthy fats, fresh vegetables and low-glycemic fruits, and you will be on the right track.

Body Cleanse Methods Help You Lose Belly Fat Fast!

Why?

...because a large part of what looks like belly fat is often waste that has been retained in the colon.

A delicious, nutritious colon detox diet to lose belly fat can help you permanently reduce cravings. This is because toxins are responsible for causing a variety of problems that lead to overeating:

1 - Toxins can cause generalized inflammation. The inflammation can lead to headaches, puffy eyelids, tiredness, depression, aches and pains. We then often eat to try to escape the discomfort.

2 - Pthalates from plastics and other commonly used products destroy our ability to burn fats! This alone can cause unwanted weight gain.

3 - Toxins such as lead, mercury, and MSG (a food flavoring additive) can cause sub-clinical nerve damage. They also interfere with healthy neurotransmitter function.

Our thinking and judgement becomes clouded. The will to take constructive action withers and...we eat too much.

4 - Toxins can interfere with good digestion. This keeps us from breaking down and assimilating nutrients in our food.

As an example, even low doses of antibiotics destroy beneficial bacteria in the gut. So do processed foods, stress and heavy metals.

Beneficial bacteria (also known as probiotics) help us absorb calcium, magnesium and other minerals, digest proteins and metabolize carbohydrates.

When probiotics are lacking, the body becomes malnourished. We feel compelled to eat more calories, leading to excess belly fat.

Body cleansing helps to normalize appetite, take the toxic burden off our immune system, clear old debris from the colon and improve all body functions.

Do read my articles on colon cleansing, liver and gallbladder flush, detox diet and other methods and choose what feels right to you.

Avoid These Foods if You Want a Flat Stomach!

Stealth Toxins That Can Cause Weight Gain

Get Rid of Bulging Stomach by Knowing What's in There!

Abdominal Exercises to Lose Belly Fat