Are you Working Out ALL the Time & Still Feel the “Midsection Pooch”?

If you are working out consistently you should be making positive changes.  For most people, they start seeing results in their arms, thighs, back, but very minimal changes in the “Pooch Area”.

If this is you, there are a few things that could be happening:

1. Poor Nutrition:  Even if you workout every single day for 2 hours, if you don’t have the adequate nutrition, your results are going to be limited.  You basically will end up breaking even at the end of the week, which is why people get frustrated.  You see, in order to lose weight, you must expend more calories than you consume.  If you are expending a lot through exercise but then you are over indulging in food, you will just break even.  If you are working out, you might be seeing more tone in your arms and thighs, but that “pooch” will not go away until you have the proper nutrition.

Solution:  Eat a small meal every 3-4 hours.  Each meal should consist of  a lean protein, a starchy carbohydrate, and a fibrous vegetable.  Cut out processed foods, sugars, and high sodium and fat foods.  Get a copy of my healthy recipe book “Eat to be Fit” for hundreds of healthy recipes that will help you eat small, delicious, and fat burning meals while not  feeling deprived.  Get a copy of Eat to be Fit now.

2. Dehydration:  Being in this state will cause your body to retain water.  The body
needs water in order to function, so when it doesn’t get much, it retains it until it
gets access to more.  When you are retaining fluid is when you usually tend to see
and feel the “pooch”.

Solution:  Drink a lot of water.  Drink at least half of your body weight in
LBS.  For example:  If you weight 100lbs, drink 50 ounces of water.  To
make it easier to drink it all, set mini goals throughout the day.  For
example:  Drink 1 liter by noon, drink another liter by 4 pm, and drink
another liter by dinner.  This will help you stay hydrated all day.

3. High Sodium:  Sodium causes the body to retain water.  When you retain water,
you immediately see it in the midsection.

Solution:  Don’t eat out often!  Make your meals yourself, this way you
control how much sodium you put in your food.  Also, get in the habit of
reading food labels and ingredients you use to cook your meals.  You will
be surprised at how much sodium foods have.  Watch out for deli meats,
they are very high in sodium.  In my book Eat to be Fit, I have hundreds of
healthy recipes that are low in sodium but taste great and are fat burning
meals.  Get Eat to be Fit now.

4. Stress:  Stress causes the release of a hormone called “cortisol”.  This is a
Catabolic hormone, breaks down muscle tissue.  This hormone doesn’t allow
the body to build and retain lean body mass, so body fat goes up.  Most people
Who have high stress and lack of sleep release a lot of cortisol, and these people
Tend to have the “pooch”.

Solution:  Exercise helps with stress, so try to exercise at least 3 times per
week.  Start with 3 weight-training sessions followed by 20 minutes of
interval cardio.  Also, make sure you are sleeping at least 8 hours per
night.  If you want me to help you put together an effective exercise
program, sign up for 30-Minute Workout Express.  I will send you a new
exercise program every month.  Start seeing results NOW, and the “pooch” disappear.  Sign up now for Workout Express.

5. Food Allergy:  Many people have food allergies to certain foods that when
Consumed cause bloating “the pooch”.  Some of these foods include wheat,
Gluten, corn, milk, tomatoes, corn, etc.

Solution:  Start a food diary and start logging when you get bloated
And what you ate before that.   You can also consult with a dietician
Who can run a series of food allergy tests.  There are also many
Holistic doctors and trainers that can help you test this.