The Diet Secrets

A fat belly is more than an eyesore while wearing a bikini - it’s a potential health risk.  According to medical studies, abdominal fat carries greater health risks than fat stored in low areas of the body, such as the thighs and buttocks.   Many experts actually believe that the size of your waist and the percentage of body fat concentrated in your stomach areas is a more accurate predictor of future health risks than your weight.

If you are prone to gaining fat around your midsection, any weight gain is likely to result in increased fat tissue in the same area.  As such, the best way to prevent it to work to keep your weight at a normal level.

Spot Reduction

You’ve probably seen the glut of commercials on TV selling abdominal exercisers that purport to melt off your stomach fat by helping you build muscles in that area.  I can safely inform you that all those things - from the vibrating belt variety to the portable ab machines - are a load of crap.

Fat Loss

For most folks, losing that concentration of abdominal fat can only be achieved by a reduction in your total body fat.  As such, eating healthy and exercise continues to be the only sensible way of achieving it.  Instead of focusing on losing the belly, you should look towards losing overall body fat by a restricted diet and plenty of aerobic exercise.

Losing the belly will come with losing fat throughout the rest of your body.

My family loves holding a barbecue in the backyard during weekends, weather permitting.  Unfortunately, that means plenty of red meat and fat - not the best food choices around someone trying to restrict their calories and lose weight.

What’s a girl on a diet to do?  Find healthier barbecues to feast on, of course!

While the rest of the family waits for their fatty burgers, steaks and hotdogs to cook, I wait for my healthier barbecues to get well done.  Believe me, I get the complete set of nutrients my body requires with low calories to boot.  Want to know what I cook?

1. Vegetarian kebabs

Tofu, onions,  tomatoes, peppers and pineapple slices all skewered on a stick, cooked over fire.  Make sure to use a low-calorie marinade or you’ll be messing up your diet all the same!

2. Fish

What tastes better than grilled beef, chicken and pork?  Grilled fish!  Find fresh fish and have a healthy, tasty, meaty barbecue.

3. Corn

Not many people seem to know this but sweet corn cooked over a grill is incredibly delicious.  It literally tastes like no other preparation of corn is able to achieve - even without fattening butter!

4. A little lean meat

Lean meat is fine but when I begin banqueting on it during backyard barbecues, I just find it hard to stop.  Instead, I just take a small slice of meat and limit my consumption to that, followed by my healthier fire-cooked options.

Do you feel lackluster most of the time?  It could be your diet that’s bringing you down.  Follow these steps and make the transition from low-key to high-energy, ready to face the world with unusual vigor.

1. Avoid The Energy Sappers

Certain things we regularly take can drain our energy like no other.  I’m talking specifically about stuff like coffee, sweets, alcohol, junk snacks and cigarettes.  You may think they perk you up short-term but they really drag you down for the rest of the day.

2.  Eat Good Carbs

Take your carbs in as natural as possible.  Instead of French Fries, have a baked potato instead.  When you start thinking of greasy pizza, shift your attention to wheat bread and making a lean and filling tuna sandwich.

3. Increase Your Iron Intake

Eating too little iron can leave you feeling spent, so either get it in supplement form or make sure your diet sees a healthy inclusion of iron-rich fare.  Food choices replete with plenty of iron include lean red meats, eggs and dark green leafy vegetables.

4. Use Fruits For Instant Energy

Fruits can ably replace the role of coffee for a quick pick-me-up.  Bright-colored fruits such as apples, apricots and strawberries can work wonders to boost your energy short-term, not to mention being healthy snacks all on their own.

5. Get Enough Protein For Focus

Protein helps the brain focus on important tasks, which should help you maximize any power boosts you enjoy from a properly-adjusted diet.  Two boiled egg whites in the morning plus some healthy amounts of lean meat at lunch can really prove an indispensable assistance throughout your day.

Does doing exercise and diet bore you to pieces at times?  I can definitely symphatize.

As humans, we are fickle creatures who may find consistent action difficult to follow.  In fact, I think it’s safe to say that we crave variety and change, often to our detriment.  Here are two things I regularly do when my fitness routine starts feeling too much a grind.

Boring Diets

When diets get boring, the solution is seldom to keep doing it.  Some diets, if you study them well, can be complementary to each other.  Alternating between different diets one to two weeks at a time can work great to keep you excited about your eating program.  While it won’t likely yield the best results, it keeps you eating healthy without leaving you resentful or overly deprived.

Boring Workouts

Workouts, especially after a while, can feel tedious.  The fastest solution when you’re bored out of your wits?  Just close your eyes, think about your happy place and get it done.  I do this often when walking (note that I’m walking, not running) on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike or working out on a row machine.  I try to avoid it when doing weights because I’m afraid I might end up in an accident - can you imagine doing squats with a heavy barbell with your eyes closed?