Many people have asked me how to finally lose belly fat. I can understand why! It’s the last place we see results when we are trimming down, and the most conspicuous site of excess body fat.
Fat is the last to go
The first thing I want to tell you is that there is no magic formula. Now before you click away, I do have a method that for many people will be effective. So stick with me!
Fat loss is often the last benefit when we are getting our bodies in balance. You may not even realize something is out of balance. Here are a few ways that it can be:
Low thyroid
Out of balance sex hormones
Too much or too little cortisol
Food sensitivities
But, today we’re talking about…
Elevated insulin
Unless you’ve been told you are diabetic or have prediabetes, you probably don’t think much about insulin. But, you’d be very surprised how common this is.
The low-fat diets we grew up with included so many simple carbs. Remember feeling so healthy for choosing pretzels instead of potato chips? And a bowl of Wheaties instead of fried eggs?
We trained our body to release lots of insulin when we eat, to counteract all of those quick carbohydrates. Those foods quickly turn into sugar in our bodies. And they are treated as such. So, even if you were careful to avoid sweets, the body didn’t notice your restraint, because there was plenty of sugar.
Insulin is coming to the rescue, protecting the body from the effects of the sugar. Sugar is damaging to blood vessels and organs, so we need to get it out of the bloodstream and into cells quickly. Sugar requires an escort to get into the cells. Insulin is that escort.
Eventually, the cells become resistant to the insulin. They are overwhelmed by the constant onslaught and stop letting it in. What’s the insulin to do? It needs to protect the body, so it goes with plan B. It stores the sugar away in fat storage.
As long as these 2 factors are present, the body won’t use fat:
- Carbs are plentiful
- The body’s cells are resisting insulin
No matter how much you exercise, and even when you restrict calories, fat will not be used for fueling the body.
How can you know?
Blood tests will let you know you have insulin resistance. Simple tests to check on your last set of labs are:
Fasting glucose over 90. You can even check this at home with a simple glucometer.
HA1C over 4.5
You may also have some symptoms:
Fatigue is common because the cells are resisting letting in as much sugar (ie: energy). That can also mean muscle fatigue. So, your arms and legs may be getting tired more easily.
The heart is a muscle too, so getting out of breath is another symptom.
Also, feeling hungry only 2-3 hours after a meal.
Irritability is a common accompanying symptom. Often referred to as being “
That afternoon crash, when we usually reach for a snack or a cup of coffee. That is related to sugar, as I’ve said in a prior post.
But, the sugar crashes because of the insulin spike. And, if you have the crash without having an exceptionally carbohydrate dense meal, then insulin resistance is definitely at play!
When I learned about this, I suspected that I may have insulin resistance. I had many of the symptoms. With lab work, it was confirmed. The fat accumulation can be around the organs. That is less noticeable but certainly more dangerous. So, I’ve certainly been practicing what I preach!
What to do about it
Now that you know how it works, let’s get to the solution.
We have to shock the cells. We must eat fewer carbohydrates to keep the insulin at a stable level. This needs to be followed consistently for at least 8 weeks, to reverse the momentum that has built up over many years in the body.
This may sound like a diet.
I never suggest anyone go on a “diet”. But, the truth is, we do have to change what we eat to see a change in the body. The difference here is, you need to make changes incrementally. That way, you will be able to maintain them long term.
The 8 weeks (minimum) I referred to is for strict adherence. It may take 6 months to get to that point for you. Then after 8 weeks of making these changes 100%, you can back it down to 80-90% of the time.
So this will be your new “diet”, greek for “way of life”.
The belly fat loss formula!
Cut out sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.
Let’s get the hardest part out there right off the bat! All of these drive up insulin in one way or another. Obviously, sugar, in all of its forms, needs to be avoided. Even the healthier forms, like honey. The body still recognizes honey as sugar.
However, if you aren’t deeply entrenched in insulin resistance, you might be able to get away with a bit of caffeine. You may be willing to try an experiment. Do everything recommended, but keep one cup a day of coffee. If nothing happens after one month, then try it without the coffee.
Limit carbs to only veggies
To really shock the insulin-producing system, we need to cut back on carbohydrates. One great way to do that is to actually keep track of your carbs with an app on your phone. I used Carb Manager when I was getting started.
I was very resistant to tracking my food. It seemed like such a hassle, especially since most of what I eat is a bunch of miscellaneous nuts, veggies, and whatever I have on hand thrown together.
But, it was surprisingly simple. And, I got interested in how much fat and carbs I was really eating. I kept track for about 4 days. After that, I had a good feel for how much was too
I suggest aiming for about 15 grams of net carbs per meal. That is the total carbs minus the fiber. The application I mentioned will do that calculation for you. And, to keep you from cheating yourself, make sure there are at least 3 hours between meals.
Eat plenty of healthy fats to stay satisfied
When you cut back on the grains, and starchy fruit and vegetables, you will feel hungry. It’ll be hard to get enough calories to feel satisfied. You also need enough energy to keep your metabolism high.
So, be liberal with the cold pressed oils. Eat avocado regularly. Nuts and seeds are great for fat. So are their
Meats, eggs, and fish are all fair game. I do suggest carefully choosing organic, grass fed or wild caught options.
Exercise, but not too much
In addition to all the many reasons exercise is good for you, it helps reverse this insulin condition too. But, I do want to caution you not to go overboard. For some people, that’s great news! But, for many, it’s confusing.
I’ll elaborate. Exercise is a stress on the body. It’s good
An hour of walking at an enjoyable pace can be rejuvenating. However, an hour-long run may be counterproductive.
I just want you to be aware of this phenomenon. Do you suspect this is holding back your weight loss? It’s worth a try to cut back.
It won’t work for everyone
As I stated in the beginning, there are many other factors to consider, regarding why belly fat won’t budge. As I said, this is a common one. But, to look at the total picture, will take a trained eye. If you know that your hormones aren’t where they ought to be, or you’re just tired of experimenting, we should talk.
I can help you find what will work for your unique body. I required some additional supplements. With testing, I found out I was low in nutrients that help the cells become more sensitive to insulin. Most conventional healthcare practitioners don’t know to look for those. I’m glad that I was empowered to reverse this before it became a real problem…and it would have.
I’d love to help you do the same! Schedule a mini consultation here.
