When trying to shed excess belly fat, it is important to identify and rebalance underactive adrenal glands as they could be part of the problem.

Previously in this series, in Tip 2, I discussed how stress adds to belly fat. But what if your body isn’t properly reacting to the stresses you are throwing at it? Your adrenal glands release the stress hormones – and if they are underactive or overburdened, their response to stress may be over-reactive. This can cause cortisol and adrenaline to be released inappropriately, putting you into ‘fight or flight’ response, and burning up anything BUT fat for energy. But the goal is to burn FAT right?

In The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program, we address the top 6 Metabolic Imbalances that can contribute to excess weight and the inability to lose your belly fat, one of them being underactive adrenals. From our self-assessment questionnaire you will discover if indeed this may be contributing to your problem. We provide dietary, lifestyle, and supplementary recommendations to allow you to bring this imbalance back  to a proper balance. Practices like eating 3-6 times a day and increasing your potassium-rich foods will allow you to properly secrete stress hormones only when necessary, and burning that extra fat in ‘rest and digest’ mode more often.

Stay tuned for Tip 9 coming soon!

When trying to shed excess belly fat, it is important to identify and rebalance underactive adrenal glands as they could be part of the problem.

Previously in this series, in Tip 2, I discussed how stress adds to belly fat. But what if your body isn’t properly reacting to the stresses you are throwing at it? Your adrenal glands release the stress hormones – and if they are underactive or overburdened, their response to stress may be over-reactive. This can cause cortisol and adrenaline to be released inappropriately, putting you into ‘fight or flight’ response, and burning up anything BUT fat for energy. But the goal is to burn FAT right?

In The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program, we address the top 6 Metabolic Imbalances that can contribute to excess weight and the inability to lose your belly fat, one of them being underactive adrenals. From our self-assessment questionnaire you will discover if indeed this may be contributing to your problem. We provide dietary, lifestyle, and supplementary recommendations to allow you to bring this imbalance back  to a proper balance. Practices like eating 3-6 times a day and increasing your potassium-rich foods will allow you to properly secrete stress hormones only when necessary, and burning that extra fat in ‘rest and digest’ mode more often.

Stay tuned for Tip 9 coming soon!

Read More

A creamy Caffé Latte, a yummy Caffé Mocha topped with delicious whipped cream, a decadent Caramel Macchiato, they TASTE so good, those frothy and creamy drinks blended to perfection.  The smooth taste of decadent chocolate melting on your tongue, with every heavenly sip. Followed by that jolt of electric energy zinging through your body once your drug of choice hits your veins.

But what exactly is your heavenly morning fix doing for you besides giving you the extra burst of energy and alertness you think you need and can’t create on your own without it? 

We’re always in either of two modes – ‘fight or flight’ or ‘rest and digest’. When we’re in rest and digest our body is able to work effectively – burning through excess fat stores, cleaning our house of disease, and making our body a balanced, efficient place to live. When we’re in ‘fight or flight‘, we are prepared to survive war, famine, running from a tiger, or fighting a bully. As caffeine is a stimulant, it stimulates us into our ‘fight or flight’ response. When in this mode, our body is too busy worrying about supplying blood and energy to our muscles so we can respond quickly, that it’s not digesting, preventing disease, or metabolizing excess fat. Because that excess fat may be what gets you through the famine.

Caffeine stimulates us to release excess cortisol – one source says for up to 18 hours after one cup of coffee. If that one-cup of morning coffee can put you into fight or flight for most of your waking hours, no wonder the belly fat is still hanging around. Decrease your caffeine intake (coffee, black tea, chocolate, colas, energy drinks, etc) to allow your body to rest and use up the excess belly fat.

I was coaching Jackie as she worked through the MindBody FX Program and she decided to eliminate coffee completely. Other than coffee her eating habits were already pretty good. With just eliminating this one habit, she lost 14 lbs in one month and dropped two dress sizes.

Now for you coffee drinkers, you don’t need to give it up altogether, but at least make the effort to reduce your consumption. I know it’s easy for me to say, as I have never been a coffee drinker, I love the smell but can’t stand the taste. I much prefer my cup of rooibos tea!

One last benefit of cutting back, think of all the money you will save when you reduce those trips to Starbucks! You can start saving up now for a wonderful new wardrobe when you reach your ideal weight.

Stay tuned for Tip 4 coming soon!

More Resources

• Danesco Bliss Chocolate Fondue Mug – for 1 | Cheap prices
• Calories in Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato – Nutrition Facts and Information – carbs, fat, protein
• Working Hard To Make The World A Greener And Healthier Place | My Efficient Planet
• food safety » Blog Archive » Take the Tea Bag Out!
• Morning Exsultet « The Expatriate Minister
• Stash Premium Chai Spice Black Tea, Tea Bags, 20-Count Boxes | Shop Online For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa : Best Products and Cheap Price
• Van Houtte Hazelnut Decaffeinated K-Cups for Keurig Brewers, 24-Count Boxes | Shop Online For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa : Best Products and Cheap Price
• Counter-Balancing Chronic Stress | Bodhi Body
• Meditations join mind, body | VX50.com
• uCake » Blog Archive » The Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix, 15-Ounce Boxes

A creamy Caffé Latte, a yummy Caffé Mocha topped with delicious whipped cream, a decadent Caramel Macchiato, they TASTE so good, those frothy and creamy drinks blended to perfection.  The smooth taste of decadent chocolate melting on your tongue, with every heavenly sip. Followed by that jolt of electric energy zinging through your body once your drug of choice hits your veins.

But what exactly is your heavenly morning fix doing for you besides giving you the extra burst of energy and alertness you think you need and can’t create on your own without it? 

We’re always in either of two modes – ‘fight or flight’ or ‘rest and digest’. When we’re in rest and digest our body is able to work effectively – burning through excess fat stores, cleaning our house of disease, and making our body a balanced, efficient place to live. When we’re in ‘fight or flight‘, we are prepared to survive war, famine, running from a tiger, or fighting a bully. As caffeine is a stimulant, it stimulates us into our ‘fight or flight’ response. When in this mode, our body is too busy worrying about supplying blood and energy to our muscles so we can respond quickly, that it’s not digesting, preventing disease, or metabolizing excess fat. Because that excess fat may be what gets you through the famine.

Caffeine stimulates us to release excess cortisol – one source says for up to 18 hours after one cup of coffee. If that one-cup of morning coffee can put you into fight or flight for most of your waking hours, no wonder the belly fat is still hanging around. Decrease your caffeine intake (coffee, black tea, chocolate, colas, energy drinks, etc) to allow your body to rest and use up the excess belly fat.

I was coaching Jackie as she worked through the MindBody FX Program and she decided to eliminate coffee completely. Other than coffee her eating habits were already pretty good. With just eliminating this one habit, she lost 14 lbs in one month and dropped two dress sizes.

Now for you coffee drinkers, you don’t need to give it up altogether, but at least make the effort to reduce your consumption. I know it’s easy for me to say, as I have never been a coffee drinker, I love the smell but can’t stand the taste. I much prefer my cup of rooibos tea!

One last benefit of cutting back, think of all the money you will save when you reduce those trips to Starbucks! You can start saving up now for a wonderful new wardrobe when you reach your ideal weight.

Stay tuned for Tip 4 coming soon!

Read More

More Resources

• Danesco Bliss Chocolate Fondue Mug – for 1 | Cheap prices
• Calories in Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato – Nutrition Facts and Information – carbs, fat, protein
• Working Hard To Make The World A Greener And Healthier Place | My Efficient Planet
• food safety » Blog Archive » Take the Tea Bag Out!
• Morning Exsultet « The Expatriate Minister
• Stash Premium Chai Spice Black Tea, Tea Bags, 20-Count Boxes | Shop Online For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa : Best Products and Cheap Price
• Van Houtte Hazelnut Decaffeinated K-Cups for Keurig Brewers, 24-Count Boxes | Shop Online For Coffee, Tea & Cocoa : Best Products and Cheap Price
• Counter-Balancing Chronic Stress | Bodhi Body
• Meditations join mind, body | VX50.com
• uCake » Blog Archive » The Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix, 15-Ounce Boxes

Did you know that health studies are showing that abdominal fat can develop as a result of stress. Researchers at Yale University found that women that were under more stress stored more fat around their stomachs. So it does appear that a fat belly is more likely to develop if you are stressed out.

Stress and Stomach Fat
Stress is an emotion – how is it related to belly fat? All emotions cause a chemical reaction in our body, mostly in the form of making hormones. Stress releases the hormone cortisol (one of our ‘fight or flight’ response hormones), which causes us to break down the protein in our muscles to use as energy, instead of the belly fat we’d like to lose. Less muscle equals a lowered metabolic rate (our muscle cells require more energy than fat cells). If, with less muscle we still ate the same quantity, then we’d burn less and store more as fat. Cortisol causes more of that fat to be stored in the belly area.
What can you do to reduce stress in your life?

1.  Start by putting less on your proverbial plate.  Have a smaller plate in general.  If your list of things to do is longer then your weekly grocery list, you’ve got a problem.

2.  Say no more often. Allow yourself some valuable ‘YOU’ time.  Many women have been trained to believe that spending time on themselves is selfish.  It’s not. It is the best gift you can give to others.  By giving to yourself FIRST.

4.  Re-evaluate your ideal of what perfect is. What is it that really what makes you happy? 

5.  Be content knowing you did your best. Baby steps can be celebrated too! 

6.  Exercise. Your body was meant to move, do some form of physical activity every day!

7.  Eat whole foods. (Eat more foods that don’t require a label (fruits, vegetables etc.) and less foods with a label (processed foods).

8.  Drink plenty of water.  Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day improves overall health and is important in moving you towards a healthy weight.

All these are great ways to reduce the stress in your body.  Reducing the cortisol levels in your body.  And ultimately, reducing your propensity to store excess belly fat.

The strategy I offer in my next post may be a difficult for some, especially those who like to make daily stop for a cup of mocha at Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Stay tuned!

More Resources

• Eating Just One Meal A Day | Student Reps
• Panic attacks as an essential part of human evolution
• learn to speak french – fruits and vegetables | French Courses
• Wind Watch: Health studies needed before new wind turbines
• The Simplest Way To Lose Belly Fat And Fat Around The Waist Area | Weight Loss Diet Information
• Burn Fat (Article 2) – Supplement Your Way to Fat Loss Success « Bodybuilding Supplements, Supplements, Vitamins, Fitness, Health and Training Resource – Fitness Supplements Vitamins Blog
• The Health Benefits of a Tummy Tuck From Hawaii Plastic Surgeons | Tummy Tuck Before And After
• The Fight or Flight Response | Irrational Dad
• HealthSwot.com » Blog Archive » 5 Ways To Battle Stress, Cortisol And Belly Fat
• When you exercise vigorously, glyocogen is broken down in muscle cells providing energy to? | Fat Hog