4 mistakes people make when fighting belly fat...

Options
So I just read this on yahoo...and as I went through reading....I kept checking it off the list! At the end it was like...damn...I'm 4 out of 4! So I may need to change some of my habits. :laugh: :laugh:

Link: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/healthieryou/4-mistakes-everyone-makes-when-fighting-ab-flab









There are a lot of things you can do to help melt stubborn belly fat that probably won't come as a surprise to you—you know, the typical cut-calories, get-regular-cardiovascular-exercise type of advice. But what you don't do can be just as key to finally achieving that firm, flat tummy. Get to know these sneaky belly bulgers so you can steer clear of them and trim inches off your waistline fast.

:devil: Parking in front of the TV :devil:
The occasional DVR-athon can be just what the doctor ordered, but people who tuned in for two or more hours daily had weaker ab and back muscles (by up to 10 percent) than those who viewed less than two hours, regardless of their overall activity level, researchers from the University of Oulu note. An hour of tube time is fine, especially if it motivates you to hit the gym. Schedule your workout to coincide with your favorite dramedy or reality show, and then tune in while you log some miles on the treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike.


:devil: Stressing out :devil:
Feeling frazzled and frantic? Increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, a result of chronic worry, lead to excess stomach fat, research shows. To de-stress and weigh much less, learn to breathe. When you're on edge (or feel like you're about to be), slowly inhale through your nose, counting to four. Then exhale from your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat until refreshed.

:devil: Diving into that darn bread basket! :devil:
Those fluffy white rolls? They're your flat-ab foe! When staring down a breadbasket, check its contents before digging in. If you see whole grains, go for it—in fact, feel free to enjoy 3 ounces a day. (One slice of whole-wheat bread or 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice are each 1 ounce.) Dieters who did so lost more stomach fat than those who merely cut calories and ate refined grains, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals.

:devil: Munching late-night :devil:
I like dessert as much as the next gal, but if you're trying to tighten up your tummy, it's best to pass up that scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream and all other P.M. snacks. Your body may not burn nighttime nibbles as efficiently as it does those you eat during the day, a study of high-fat diets in the journal Obesity finds. Declare "last call" two hours before bed. "If you're really hungry, have a 150-calorie snack," says SELF contributing expert Janis Jibrin, R.D. If not, sip tea, cut the lights and bid farewell to the fridge until morning.

Replies

  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    Options
    I'm 2 out of 4! ... Stressing out and Munching Late!!
  • kateslife
    Options
    1 for 4! Love my tv because of the cooking channel! Well i really like it while working out!
  • Leigh_D
    Leigh_D Posts: 356 Member
    Options
    Sitting at the computer all day probably counts the same as the TV watching.... :ohwell: ***GUILTY***
  • bettertracie
    bettertracie Posts: 196 Member
    Options
    These are all very true, and over the last year I'm proud to say I have actually been working very hard on all those things, my weakness is still the nighttime snacking, but i've made myself the perfect snack, a multigrain waffle with a tripble berry blend cooked down into a syrup by just adding a teaspoon of sugar. After my workout last night I had two... they are so satisfying AND delisious!! My boyfriend always wants me to make enough for him too... that's when you have found success: when the 'non dieters' in the house want to eat the same stuff I do!! Means I must be doin something right!
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    Options
    These are all very true, and over the last year I'm proud to say I have actually been working very hard on all those things, my weakness is still the nighttime snacking, but i've made myself the perfect snack, a multigrain waffle with a tripble berry blend cooked down into a syrup by just adding a teaspoon of sugar. After my workout last night I had two... they are so satisfying AND delisious!! My boyfriend always wants me to make enough for him too... that's when you have found success: when the 'non dieters' in the house want to eat the same stuff I do!! Means I must be doin something right!

    mmm your waffles do sound pretty yummy!
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    Options
    I'm 2/4 - I'm okay with late nights and the bread basket, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE my TV. And if I'm not stressed, I'm usually watching tv :)
  • Genie30
    Genie30 Posts: 316 Member
    Options
    2/4 too much TV and stress!
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,495 Member
    Options
    I too am guilty of all 4, but getting better:)
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Options
    All true.

    4/4 before I started losing weight.

    0/4 since I started my new lifestyle.

    Stress is the number one thing that stands out. The release of the hormone, cortisol, is absolute. It hinders weight loss in such a way that it will try to stabilize your body from stress, which includes exercise because it's considered a physical stress on the body, so the body won't want to lose calories from doing it.

    Success ensues.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    Options
    Thought i was 1/4 (dinner rolls in restaurants, but don't eat out much) as I don't watch tv, but then read a previous comment about sitting in front of the computer all day (guilty). I do abs 2-3 times a week, so I highly doubt my abs are weaker than a normal persons.
  • sehncw99
    Options
    Yupp guilty on all 4 of those!! deff. stressing out part i am a worry wart and if one thing goes wrong im a complete disaster, i stress about EVERYTHING. and i sit on a computer all day at work, and when i get home i think its time for all of that to change