Know the triggers and lose that unwanted abdominal fat for good
Belly fat, or abdominal fat… how do I rid myself of it? Belly fat is one of the most popular topics researched on the Internet. If I had a dollar for every time I have heard how do I lose this abdominal fat?” I could retire now!
The target area we are speaking of is the fatty tissue around the umbilicus. To learn how to rid yourself of this unwanted fat, you need to understand what is causing it and what are the solutions to eliminating it.
Cortisol - what is it?
So let's start with what is causing fat to be stored around the abdominal area. Cortisol is a stress related hormone that is secreted by the adrenal gland. Cortisol begins synthesis of glucose, fats or proteins to be utilised as energy for a time of need. It could be acquired when playing a sport or under a stressful situation in your workplace. Cortisol has a purpose to help with energy, although on the flip side, it can also promote fat storage around the umbilicus area.
What are the triggers to abdominal fat storage?
- Workplace stress
- Relationship stress
- Food allergy stress
These are the common three causes I see every day, although there are more! So the stresses you are looking for are either internal (body) or external (environment) in nature. Either of these three, when out of balance, causes fat storage around the umbilicus area.
LOWER stress levels
Workplace and relationship stress are the bodies external or environmental stresses. There are many effective ways to reduce stress, although I think many aspects of stress could be reduced by simple activities like;
- Yoga or Martial arts
- Walking in the outdoors
- Participating in Recreational sports
- Enlist the help of a counsellor or life coach
- Meditation
Food allergy stress
Food allergies act as a stress on the body and are a common occurrence. They will help promote fat storage to the belly, which is the bad news! The good news is you 100% totally control this stress because you decide what you EAT!
There are some common foods like wheat, nuts, gluten, yeast, eggs and dairy to name just a few which are quite common causes of food allergy stress. A simple way to remove common food allergy stresses is to begin a Paleo eating plan. The Paleo diet plan removes the common food allergy problems by removing dairy, grains, refined sugars and salts as well as Trans fats!
Simple & effective training methods to reduce abdominal fat
- Resistance training– One of the fastest ways to reduce body fat is through resistance training at least three times per week. Select a Hypertrophy (lean mass gaining) model. Which simply means your workout should consist of at least 30-45 sets in total and a rest period between sets of 60 seconds maximum. Perform at least 8-12 reps and 3-4 sets of a particular exercise.
- Full body exercises– (FORGET PERFORMING THE AB CRUNCH) do not waste your time on 20 minute abdominal programs when body fat percentage is the real key for an exposed abdominal wall, or body fat of 13% maximum. Select exercises like the squat, dead lift, chin up, bench press and dip to truly get a growth response to metabolise fat.
- Interval training– Interval training or sprint training is far superior to LSD (Long Slow Distance Training) as Interval training promotes Lactic Acid build up (the feeling of tiredness during training.)The body is forced to secrete hormones to buffer the blood circulating the body which in turn metabolises the bodies fat stores.
Conclusion
Belly fat, or Abdominal fat, is an area where fat is stored purely through life’s stressors, both internal and external. Simply control these stresses through correct exercise prescription and holistic stress relieving methods such as supplementation and stress relieving lifestyle practices.
About the Author: Lenny Chadd
Lenny is an accredited strength coach with the Poliquin Institute and owner of SIGFIT training studio in Bondi Junction. An expert in total body transformations for both men and women, Lenny’s holistic approach to personal training consists of optimal nutrition, supplementation and exercise techniques.
As a knowledgeable, celebrity personal trainer and fat loss expert, Lenny provides each of his clients with a written meal plan tailored to their specific goals to ensure real results.
If you have any questions or need help with your meal planning you can contact Lenny by email: lenny@lcprotocol.com.au
Website: www.lcprotocol.com.au
Instagram: @lennychadd_sigfit