40 Days & 40 Ways To Fabulous: Day #12 - Slim & Trim Your Waistline

Level 1: Janet - 1, Age - 0 (Finally!)

It is fair to say that universally women (and men) want to feel and look their best at any age. It does not matter if you are single, married, involved or on the market, feeling and looking your best boosts your confidence. AND it is safe to say that universally women (and men) would like to look their best while rockin' a flat tummy. Maybe we do not have the flat stomach and slim waistline we had back in our 20's or before children but that does not meant we cannot have a semi-flat stomach and a reasonably slim waistline. I mean c'mon, throw me a bone! You cannot win at every game El Senor Age, Metabolism & Hormones! I have to at least try and defeat you at Level 1.

Plan Of Attack

After giving birth to both of my children in my 30's I noticed a slight change in my body composition. Basically things were not in their original place. There was a continental shift. Having my first child at 30, my body took about a year to bounce back to a recognizable state. When I had my son at 35, uh, not so much. It took work and it takes work, honey. Even with work I had to come to grips with the "new body" I was issued. Oh yes, you are given a 'new-old body' after children. So now I am older, I have a 'new-old' body, a slower metabolism and my hormones are fluctuating...awesome! (not)

What's a gal to do? Accept it and roll with it. Even after trying the body wrap and Trader Joe's Total Body Cleanse, reality sets in and you come to grips that lasting results means work, hard work. Devise a plan that you can stick to, are satisfied with and that yields reasonable results. I do not expect anything more than my body can give. I know what I am up against therefore I am better equipped. Genetics, age, hormones, metabolism, diet and exercise all play a role in body composition. My mother was a carnivore, a yo-yo dieter with hips & thighs. My dad was a stick figure with poor balance that practically ate air and water. What did they procreate? A semi-slim woman with a rump, stubborn thighs that no longer eat meat, who drinks a lot of water, loves air and has poor equilibrium. What the hell?! Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad. Having this knowledge helped me to research and work on maintaining a tummy and waistline I am content with. There is ALWAYS room for improvement and dreams of lipo BUT I do the work, the long and hard way and for the most part, it works for me.

Tummy Flattening Tips

Cardio! Cardio! Cardio! I cannot stress this enough. You have to attack the layer of fat above the stomach muscles first. Some think sit-ups gets you the tummy you desire. Sit-ups help you to strengthen your core and give you that noticeable 6-pack but it is cardio that sheds belly fat. Diet! Diet! Diet! What you eat has a direct impact on how you look. Period. NO sugar coating it. If you consume foods high in fat and foods that are processed, you will gain those undesirable "love handles" and that belly bulge. Subtle and simple changes will assist you with your goals. You do not have to be drastic in your approach just be consistent and set your goals at a level that is obtainable. If you mix your cardio with your ab exercises and make changes to your diet, you will feel and see a difference.

Feel The Burn

1. Cardio Exercises

Walking, swimming and jogging are great ways to burn belly fat. If the sheer simplicity of mere walking surprises you, it shouldn't. The reason is because to burn belly fat, you first have to start with that annoying layer of fat that is surrounding your stomach in the first place. If you skip ahead to more specialized exercises at this point, like crunches, you will be developing your abdominal muscles, but they will remain hidden under all your belly fat. So to get started properly, all you really have to do is to get your body moving by way of very simple exercises like walking, swimming or just jogging. Walking or jogging just three or four times each week will get your metabolism to increase, as well as your heart rate. A heightened metabolism burns calories faster and so contributes to eliminating fat around your belly.

2. Abdominal Exercises

After first beginning your belly fat-burning mission with exercises like walking, jogging and swimming, you now have a shot at really exercising your abdominal muscles and developing them. Abdominal exercises like crunches--which involve you lying on the ground and bringing your knees up in alternating motions to touch your upper body--are great for working off that belly fat. Even yoga works well, such as the yoga asana pose, which requires you to lie on your back and then raise your legs and upper body at a 30 degree angle for 30 seconds at a time.

3. Interval Workout

An interval workout is defined as a workout where you do a high-intensity exercise for a certain period of time and then follow that up with a lower-intensity exercise. The thinking behind this is that you first work up your body at a good pace, and then you let your body recover. A good example of such a workout is to first jog for five minutes to warm up. Then, sprint for two minutes after that. Next, slow down to where you are running at a jogging pace, and then go back up to a full sprint for two more minutes. Finally, end things by going back to jogging for the final five minutes.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/weight-loss/3-exercises-targeted-to-burn-belly-fat.html

Belly Blasting Foods

A - Almonds and other nuts (with skins intact)
Superpowers: Builds muscle, reduces cravings
Fights: Obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, wrinkles, cancer, high blood pressure

B - Beans and legumes
Superpowers: Builds muscle, helps burn fat, regulates digestion
Fights: Obesity, colon cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure

S - Spinach and other green vegetables
Superpowers: Neutralizes free radicals, molecules that accelerate the aging process
Fights Cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis

D - Dairy products (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese

Superpowers: Builds strong bones, fires up weight loss
Fights: Osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer

I - Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
Superpowers: Boosts energy, reduces cholesterol, maintains blood sugar levels
Fights: Heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity

E - Eggs
Superpowers: Builds muscle, burns fat
Fights: Obesity

T - Turkey and other lean meats
Superpowers: Builds muscle, strengthens immune system
Fights: Obesity, various diseases

P - Peanut butter
Superpowers: Boosts testosterone, builds muscle, burns fat
Fights Obesity, muscle loss, wrinkles, cardiovascular disease

O - Olive oil
Superpowers: Lowers cholesterol, boosts immune system
Fights: Obesity, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure

W - Whole-grain breads and cereals
Superpowers: Prevents body from storing fat
Fights: Obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease

E - Extra-protein (whey) powder
Superpowers: Builds muscle, burns fat
Fights: Obesity

R - Raspberries and other berries
Superpowers: Protects heart; enhances eyesight; improves balance, coordination, and short-term memory; prevents cravings
Fights: Heart disease, cancer, obesity

http://fitbie.msn.com/weight-loss-tips/12-foods-fight-belly-fat