John Chatham - The Belly Fat Diet: Lose Your Belly, Shed Excess Weight, Improve Health

Table of Contents

Copyright 2012 by Rockridge University Press, Berkeley, California

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ISBNs

978-1-62315-021-1 Print

978-1-62315-002-0 eBook

SECTION ONE

Getting Started with Belly Fat Loss

Introduction to the Belly Fat Diet

The Dangers of Excess Belly Fat

What You Can Expect from the Belly Fat Diet

Everything We Thought Was Wrong: Blasting the Myths about Belly Fat

INTRODUCTION TO THE BELLY FAT DIET

A flat abdomen has always been the icon of fitness, good health and attractiveness. Every day, there are new diets, workouts and exercise equipment products geared towards losing belly fat and achieving flat, sexy abs.

But losing belly fat isnt just about looking good; its about being healthy. We now know that excess belly fat is a huge indicator of overall health, especially the risks of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Losing stored belly fat not only makes you look great and feel better about yourself, it lowers your risk for several diseases and conditions that can greatly affect and even shorten your life.

For decades, getting flat abs was viewed as something that required a great deal of hard work and deprivation. Even people who were fairly fit and active complained that they just couldnt shed that tummy pooch or extra five pounds around their middles. Most people attack that stubborn area with thousands of crunches and one new diet after another, and then become frustrated when there are no new results.

The great news is that in the last five years, weve had so much new research into how and why our bodies both store and use belly fat. Studies done by respected doctors, nutritionists and scientists have revealed that losing stubborn belly fat isnt necessarily about calories, fat grams or crunches. In fact, theyve pretty much thrown out all of the things we used to believe about losing belly fat and getting a flat, toned stomach.

Fortunately, that research has also proven that losing belly fat can actually be much faster, easier and more pleasant than anything we used to believe. It doesnt require starvation, hours in the gym or any fancy gadgets or equipment.

The Belly Fat Diet has distilled all of the new research results into one, easy-to-follow plan to help you finally lose that excess fat around your waistline. Best of all, you can do it without being hungry, without spending hours working out or without spending a ton of money on supplements, gym memberships or equipment. Youll eat as much as you want whenever youre hungry, work out as little as twenty minutes per day and feel energized and satisfied.

By following the Belly Fat Diet plan, youll get dramatic results faster than you ever thought possible and youll do it without being miserable or sacrificing your health.

Well provide you with the science behind losing belly fat, as well as a food and shopping guide, recipes, meal plans and a workout program that youll customize just for you. All youll need is a commitment to change your body and your health for the better!

THE DANGERS OF EXCESS BELLY FAT

D uring a recent television appearance, renowned cardiologist and author Dr. Mehmet Oz caused quite a stir by announcing that your waist measurement is the most important indicator of overall health. During the show, he explained that if your waist measurement is more than half your height (in inches), you are at serious risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. This announcement had many people looking at their measuring tapes not just as a way to measure their fitness, but as a way to measure their future.

Why is excess belly fat so important and what does it have to do with all of these health risks?

Excess Belly Fat Damages Your Liver

Several recent studies on the connection between obesity (particularly excess belly fat) and high levels of liver fat have shown that there is a much higher rate of fatty liver in those with excess belly fat. Fatty liver is a leading indicator of several lipid and metabolic disorders and even liver cancer. In these studies, researchers investigated what makes some obese people develop lipid disorders. They found that liver fat is strongly associated with increased secretion of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), which contain the highest amount of triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides carry an increased risk of metabolic abnormalities and increased risk of heart disease and premature death.