Thickening midriff puts you at increased risk of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes [S MAG]
Food for thought
“The modern-day diet stresses the body as much as psychological pressure, so introduce foods that can actually reduce your cortisol levels,” says White. “Eat lots of fruit, vegetables, organic dairy, eggs, meat and fish – and drink plenty of water. Dark-green, leafy vegetables are high in stress-relieving magnesium, which can help balance your body’s production of cortisol, while vitamin C-rich foods, such as kiwis, citrus and strawberries, help to slow its production. Zinc – found in pumpkin seeds, oysters, nuts, spinach, beef and lamb – is also thought to inhibit cortisol production.”
Try this… Eat as your great-grandmother did: no processed foods or ready meals.
Drink aware
A study by University College London found that regularly drinking a bottle of wine over the course of an evening could add an extra four inches of fat to your waist in a year. “Alcohol is a fat bomb for the tummy — pure sugar, which goes straight to your waist and stops you burning all other fat until the booze has been processed,” explains James Duigan, celebrity trainer and author of Clean & Lean: Flat Tummy Fast! (Kyle Cathie, £11.49).
Try this… You don’t have to give up your favourite tipple altogether – just make sure you have four alcohol-free days a week. And try damage limitation – have a single measure of spirits and low-calorie mixer rather than a “goldfish bowl” glass of wine.
Train to gain
“Endless crunches or sit-ups will help strengthen the abdominal muscles but won’t burn away the fat sitting on top,” says leading fitness expert Dax Moy (www.londonpersonaltrainingstudio.com). “You need to remove abdominal fat through aerobic exercise – such as brisk walking, running, swimming or rowing.”
Try this… Dave Kyle, head trainer for international fitness brand Les Mills, believes the most effective way to attack abdominal fat is short, intense sessions of no more than 30 minutes where you combine exercises that focus on multiple muscle movement. Just remember to keep the session time down – that way you’ll keep the intensity up – and know when to rest. Look out for fitness classes that offer HIIT (high-intensity interval training).
The Z factor
People who are sleep-deprived gain weight, says Dr Craig Hudson, creator of natural drink formula Zenbev, which claims to promote sleep. “According to a recent study from the University of Colorado, women who slept two hours less a night during a typical five-day working week gained approximately two pounds – and then lost weight when they resumed their normal sleep cycle. It’s thought that inadequate sleep affects the hormones that govern your appetite, and you’re also more likely to make unhealthy food choices if you’re overtired.”
Try this… “Aim to get to bed by 10.30pm, five nights a week,” advises Dax Moy. “This simple measure combined with reducing your stress can often yield dramatic results.”
Let’s talk about six
You don’t have to change everything about your lifestyle overnight, says online diet guru Kate Adams, author of the Flat Tummy Club Diet (Hodder, £7.49). “You can lose weight by taking an honest look at your eating habits and ditching just six ‘sins’ that are contributing to your weight gain,” she explains. Switch your lunch baguette to a wrap and you can save up to 200 calories a day. Swap a glass of wine for a vodka-and-soda and save at least 100 calories. And lose the crisps and peanuts and you’ll shed up to another 300 calories.
Try this… Swap white bread, rice and pasta for wholegrain versions. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response, making it easier to mobilise fat stores, trimming the waistline.
Shake your booty
Power Plate machines that rapidly vibrate while you perform exercises can be found in most fitness centres, and researchers believe these are effective at reducing belly fat. It’s thought that the vibrations trigger involuntary muscle contractions that burn energy. The study, reported at the European Congress on Obesity, found that obese adults who used Power Plates lost twice as much deep abdominal fat after six months as those who joined other diet and fitness groups.
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