On any weight loss program, you will eventually reach a stage where it seems you hit a plateau. It’s completely normal – but also incredibly frustrating. You have lost a lot of weight by now, and are still working hard – yet you still can’t shift that stubborn fat around your midriff, thighs, and rear.
It’s more than just an annoyance, too. Despite the fact you are eating well and working out regularly, if you don’t take care of the white fat located around your belly, you could still experience health problems. It’s this white fat that surrounds your organs, and its presence is responsible for cortisol – the stress hormone – production, and cytokines, which impact insulin production.
So, not only are you concerned about your appearance, but there is also a chance you could develop serious issues like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why you need to step up to the challenge and get rid of that remaining, stubborn fat around your midriff. Here are a few suggestions on how you can do it.
More activity
You can lose weight by exercising regularly, but what about your everyday life? Chaining yourself to a work desk all day every day is going to be stunting your progress. It’s vital that you take regular breaks, and incorporate more general activity into your lifestyle. Walk, rather than drive. Use a standing desk for part of the day. Do extra sessions of gentle exercises like swimming or brisk walking- anything that is low impact and still gets your heart rate rising. Humans evolved to walk, run, hunt, and work on their feet – not to sit down all day. So, making sure that you are active is a sure-fire way to improve your general fitness, and start blasting that stubborn fat around your belly.
Up your protein intake
A lot of people are put off by protein – especially women – mainly because of myths, but also because of marketing. Look at any protein shake on the market, and it will be accompanied by images of people with huge muscles, and that simply isn’t an appealing look for most women. However, don’t let fiction get in the way of fact. Your body needs protein, but it doesn’t produce it – it’s something you need to consume. Protein helps your body build muscle, yes, but it won’t bulk you out, and it helps your body repair itself while you are sleeping. Not only that, but protein can also help your body fight against insulin resistance. As a rough guide, you should try for a diet that contains 30% protein, 40% carbs for energy, and 30% healthy fats – you’ll find that it is easier to shift those stubborn pounds.
Strength training
Again, many women are scared of strength training as they feel it will bulk them out. However, it’s not the case at all. Strength training will build up your muscles, which in turn will help you burn fat. So, if your workout regime has been solely focused on cardio, consider putting some resistance and strength training in there, too. The muscle you build will help you burn off that fat quicker than if you are just doing aerobics.
Don’t rely on supplements alone
Are you using the latest in fat burning supplements? If so, bear in mind that many of them won’t work – especially if you are using them without smart nutrition plans and effective fat shredding workouts. There are no magic pills that will do all the work for you. Some supplements also contain high amounts of caffeine, too, which can affect your sleep patterns and prevent you from getting the sleep you need to recover properly. Other supplements, such as Oxyshred, contain no caffeine at all, so might be better for you when it comes to recuperating. The key takeaway here is to ensure you understand the science of any supplement you intend to use. It’s important to find products that have statistical significance, so make sure you check all claims thoroughly.
Get some sleep
As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, sleep is critical if you want to get over the line and finally lose that stubborn fat around your waist and thighs. Researchers have found that people who only sleep for five or so hours a night actually increase their visceral fat levels – so they are putting weight on without knowing it. And if you are working out in the day and leading an active life, it’s even more important to sleep, or you won’t stimulate muscle growth or repair. Also, make sure you have a regular sleeping pattern – including the weekends. Women who go to bed at the same time every night of the week and sleep for the same amount of hours tend to have lower levels of body fat than those who don’t. Chaotic sleep patterns will lead to a build-up of cortisol, which stores fat.
Eat!
As tempting as starving yourself of calories might be, it makes no sense. Once your body goes into starvation mode, it starts to find the most nutritious thing it can to burn for energy. And it isn’t fat – it’s your muscle. So, make sure you are eating plenty of nutritious food to ensure that all your hard work isn’t going to waste. Yes, if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you eat. But if you dip below a certain level, it’s your muscle that will disappear – not your belly.
Stop drinking
Everyone likes a drink every now and again, of course. But make no mistake about it, alcohol could be stunting your progress by a significant amount. The occasional glass of wine with dinner or beer with friends is not going to do you much harm – but it’s the second, third, and fourth drink that will do significant damage to your weight loss goals; not to mention your major organs.
So there you have it – some clever ways to ensure that you achieve your weight loss goals and blast that stubborn fat away from your belly, thighs, and midriff. Any more tips to add?
