iCardio: When your belly enters the door first…
As many of you already realize. America a BIG. When I say big, I mean FAT and Overweight. I find it very sad and disturbing to see individuals that choose not to take care of their health. So I decided to title this blog post: When your belly enters the door first…
Muffin top,…Pot belly,…”My pride”,…Love handles, ….all are synonymous for abdominal fat.
It sounds funny, however there are many chronic health risks to those that have large Waist Circumferences. According to the CDC Center for Health Statistics, about 34.2% of Adults of Overweight and about 33.8% of Adults are Obese. That’s 68% of Adults being Overweight/Obese in the US. Three out of four Americans will be overweight or obese by 2020, according to a new article from the Associated Press. What is even more alarming is the amount of adolescent children that are following this same trend. This Obesity Epidemic has to stop! The cost of obesity for a Man and Woman is approximately $2,646 and $4,879/year respectively according to an article in the New York Daily News.
When your belly enters the door first…..say Hello to Metabolic Syndrome. (i.e. High blood Pressure, Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol (Dyslipidemia), peripheral artery disease, etc.) These all increase your risk for Cardiovascular Disease. Steps must be taken to reduce your risk… So what do I recommend to those that need assistance in reducing their risk factors while improve their over health and fitness.
::My Recommendation: The250:250 Rule ::
=>Exercise an Extra 250 Calories per day (Minimum of 30 min of aerobic exercise, 5 days/week) However, at least 60-90 min of physical activity is required for weight loss to occur.
=>Eat 250 fewer Calories per day (Choose a Heart Healthy Diet: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables; whole grain, high fiber foods.) It is also important to maintain your hydration as well. Many of you may think you hungry, when in actuality you’re just dehydrated.
=>This will equal 500 fewer Calories per day.
=>Your total will be about 3500 Calories per week which = 1 lb lost/week.
This method is very simple to understand and easy to relate too. How far you go in terms of improving your health and others around you is your decision to make. Let your iCARDIO sessions BEGIN!!! Let’s work to motivate yourself and those around you!!
Reggie Laroche
The Exercise Physiologist
What's the Hype!?! 
You forgot “Pride Rock” and “Beer belly”. But yo just wanted to mention been working on the legs for the past 3wks and gained ten pounds. 168 baby, putting some beef on them chicken legs.
That’s what’s up Shola! Get that weight up!The Legs and Glutes are the strongest muscle groups in your body!
good post. its funny b/c alot of people know some of this stuff and yet we continue to do the opposite b/c we are not mentally discipline. Great info and hopefully this helps people move in the right direction towards a healthier lifestyle.
Good information to know my boy! Spread the word and hope people follow this advice. What would you say to certain individuals who take HydroxyCut and other similar products on the market?.. I know some people that are on that and they feel like passing out sometimes… Thoughts on this?
Well Alain, supplements like Hydroxy-cut pretty much slow down the production of fat from the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins. This means that more calories are burned as energy and less are turned into stored fat. This is why you see the rapid weight loss. The adverse side effects like “passing out” is due to the fact their bodies have not built up the tolerance to handle certain stages of this supplement. Supplements like this also suppress appetite. Only problem is, once that person stops using it, they have rapid weight gain! Fad diets and supplements never work if you think Long-Term. People should focus on Heart Healthy diets and consistent exercise. And when I say “Diet”, I mean knowing what is healthy to eat as opposed to restricting your caloric intake to an unreasonable amount!
Ok, so even with working out and a good diet it seems I only gain weight in my stomach. I try not to workout just my stomach because I hear that’s not the way to go. Is that true? or should I be doing intensive workouts there if I know its where I gain weight? Also you mentioned a heart healthy diet but I’ve also heard certain foods are “flat belly foods” any truth to that?
Hey Jelaine, Thx for your comment! If you’re working out and eating well, and your stomach/waist is getting larger then something is off in you actual diet, because If you are truly at a negative energy balance (meaning that what you expend is higher than your caloric intake) then you should be seeing reduction in your weight or waist circumference. Now everyone has a problem area that they would love to lose (ex. like a man’s bulging belly)…But you’re right, it is true that you cannot “Spot Reduce”! When your body loses fat, it loses it TOTAL body! The best way to lose body fat is through CARDIO. However, increased lean mass will help aid this reduction by increasing your metabolism to burn “Stored” energy while at rest.
How far anyone goes in terms of reducing their body fat percentage is solely based on how good their nutritional habits are. Since you’re a woman, expected increase in body fat is seen around your waist and hips. My recommendation to you is that when you perform exercises, you want to perform exercises that work a majority of your muscle groups at the same time. An example of this would be a forward Lunge with a torso twist. This one exercise will target your quads, hamstrings and buttocks, and when you add the torso twist you will be activating your stabilization muscles (i.e. Core Muscles) causing multiple muscle groups to work simultaneously increasing total caloric expenditure.