4 Ways to Get Rid of Belly Fat

By Scott A. Dubrul, DC & Julie Dubrul, MPH of PowerSource Chiropractic

Belly Fat is one of the most common concerns that come up when discussing diet and weight loss. It seems that it is a problem for even those folks who are "skinny". Is there an answer? Yes there is...

1. Control your Cortisol. Cortisol is your hormone that is released with stress. In times of chronic ongoing stress, cortisol increases appetite and sugar cravings. It causes you to gain abdominal fat even if you are otherwise thin. It also leads to loss of muscle mass, bone density, and memory. In other words, chronic stress makes you soft, flabby and older than you truly are.

What you can do: Manage your stress levels daily through engaging in regular exercise, taking more time for yourself, keeping a positive attitude and using a support system from your friends or loved ones.

If you find that you have tried all of the above tips to manage stress and you still cannot loose that unwanted belly fat, have your stress-handling glands, the Adrenal glands, to see if they are being compromised.


2. The Rollercoaster of Blood Sugar. With a diet of high carbohydrates, especially the processed kinds, your blood sugar goes way up then comes way down. When it is way down, your body will need to release cortisol as low blood sugar is a big stress on the body.

What you can do: Balance your diet. You can thwart this by eating a high protein breakfast within one hour of rising and continuing to eat every two to three hours. Make sure you are eating foods that steady your blood sugar like nuts, seeds, vegetables and meat like found in a Mediterranean type diet. At the same time, reduce your intake of sugar, processed carbohydrates like breads, cereals and candy that put you on the blood sugar rollercoaster.


3. Eliminate Excess Estrogen Exposure. Estrogen is a fat storage hormone, so the more you have, the more difficult it is to release your fat even if you are exercising and eating sensibly. This applies to men as well since most elevated estrogen levels are due to outside sources. The most common are the estrogens found in skin products as well as far as grain-fed, feedlot meats (vs. free-range, grass-fed meats).

What you can do: Eat lots of cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower to help rid the body of excess estrogens. Eat free-range, grass-fed organic meats and reduce your exposure to skin-care products that contain estrogens. Avoid cooking foods in plastics or using products containing BPA, a compound that mimics estrogen.

To determine whether you are someone suffering from estrogen dominance seek a practitioner that offers salivary hormone testing.


4. Add a Variety of Exercises. It is important to do different exercises like those found at Gymnazo. Strength training has been shown to help balance your insulin response which helps with blood sugar among other things. Aerobic exercise is one of the best physical stress-reduction techniques available.

Following these steps will allow you to Express Life More Fully and reduce that unwanted, annoying belly fat!