It is common knowledge that obesity is linked to a lot of negative health issues, but specifically, belly fat is a big risk factor for poor health. For men, a waist circumference over 40 inches portends trouble, so keep your belly trim.
Your body is a machine so it needs regular maintenance. If you want to stay fit and healthy, here are a few areas that require regular attention:
Get rid of belly fat
It is common knowledge that obesity is linked to a lot of negative health issues, but specifically, belly fat is a big risk factor for poor health. For men, a waist circumference over 40 inches portends trouble, so keep your belly trim.
Try cooking with safflower oil: studies show that it is linked to reduced abdominal fat, inflammation, improved cholesterol, lower blood sugar, and insulin insensitivity. Great for sautéing vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers and mushrooms. (I also choose it for the base of my massage oil, as it is very good for the skin).
Great abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym, so aim for a clean diet, since sit-ups alone will not burn off that belly fat.
Control your blood pressure
Take the salt shaker off the table
At the same time as watching your calories, add 5-10% more weight to your resistance training. Make sure that you can perform these heavier weights safely and with proper form.
Make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night – fewer hours of sleep are associated with increased belly fat.
Add another workout to your week – the more active you are, the more likely you are to reduce high blood pressure from a high-salt diet – or maybe it is easier to reduce your salt intake?
Balance your Blood Sugar
Your body gets energy from glucose, which it gets from breaking down food into its components. If glucose builds up in the blood, it can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Don’t skip a complete breakfast – include complex carbs and lean protein.
Reduce your portion sizes, and eat smaller meals more frequently, made up of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins. Eating 6 or 7 small meals a day not only avoids insulin spikes and balances blood sugar, but it can also help you to lose weight.
Boost your good cholesterol
It is not enough just to control your ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) which can clog your arteries. You also need to boost your ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) which cleanses your artery walls of LDL and prevents it from clogging your blood stream. It’s not just about heart health – the arteries which supply your penis are small enough to clog easily, and this can lead to ED issues as early as your 30s.
Eat the right kind of fats – try eating avocado and sunflower seeds to add flavor to your salads, in place of croutons and cheese. Eat fish like salmon and mahi mahi instead of that rib eye steak.
Set yourself a modest weight loss goal – losing one or two pounds of weight a week can increase your HDL level.
