Sept 4, 2012: Are you working hard to get those chiseled abs? Even more importantly, do you want to live a long, healthy life without the burden of disease? Remember to SCULPT your physique using these six strategies and carve away toxic visceral fat for good:

Soluble Fiber. Soluble fiber—found in oatmeal, beans, apples, and carrots—attracts water and forms a gel in the intestines, slowing digestion and increasing satiety. Feeling fuller longer can help with weight loss and contribute to visceral fat reduction. Soluble fiber also works to reduce belly fat by binding to dietary fat in the intestine and clearing it from the blood stream. In a five-year study, researchers found a 4 percent decrease in visceral fat for every 10 grams of soluble fiber consumed (1). Isagenix IsaLean Shakes, FiberPro, SlimCakes, and FiberSnacks are great sources of fiber (soluble and insoluble) to help combat belly fat.

Cleanse. When you get on an Isagenix system involving Cleanse Days, you spark greater metabolism of fat, including visceral fat. As you may know, the system incorporates Shake Days and Cleanse Days. A review by Krista Varady, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois-Chicago shows that both daily calorie restriction, as on Shake Days and, especially, intermittent fasting as on Cleanse Days can reduce stubborn visceral fat by as much as 5 to 15 percent (2). Cleanse Days also add in Cleanse for Life, which is specially formulated to help the body detoxify. Detoxification is a major plus when long-term health is the ultimate goal.

Unwind. Constantly biting your finger nails, clenching your jaw, or shaking your leg? Those may be physical manifestations of high stress hormone levels. Studies have shown that chronically high levels of stress hormones such as cortisol have been linked to increased visceral fat. Luckily, new findings suggest that “mindful intervention” (such as mediation or yoga) can decrease cortisol levels and, in turn, visceral fat. And don’t forget Ionix Supreme, deemed “nature’s answer to stress,” as a cocktail of several adaptogenic botanicals to protect the body against the harmful effects of stress. Finally, the most important stress-management tool is sleep, a time when your brain and body renew. With all-natural Isagenix Sleep Support and Renewal system, you can fall asleep more easily, improve quality sleep, and increase total sleep time.

Lose Your Breath. Regular physical activity is one of the fastest ways to tackle belly fat. In fact, studies have shown that aerobic exercise significantly reduced visceral fat by up to 12 percent (3). Aerobic exercise (or “cardio” in gym lingo) is any activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes while your heart, lungs, and muscles work overtime. Work up a sweat, get your heart thumping, and burn away that belly fat.

Protein. Dietary protein not only helps you create muscle, but also revs up the body’s metabolism. In addition, muscle tissue takes more energy to maintain compared to fat or bone. This means that having more muscle will increase the overall amount of calories you burn every day. When your body has this increased metabolic need, visceral fat is likely to be used first as an energy source—what a win-win situation! In particular, research shows that whey protein has the best amino acid profile (high in branched-chain amino acids) for building lean tissue and increasing thermogenesis and fat burning. Isagenix IsaLean Pro (now in both vanilla and chocolate!) delivers a mega-dose of whey with 36 grams of the highest-quality protein to build and maintain lean muscle along with healthy fats and energy-boosting carbohydrates.

Take Vitamin D and Calcuim. Isagenix Ageless Essentials Daily Packs have the right vitamins and minerals in the right amounts to keep you healthy, including belly fat-busting vitamin D and calcium. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D supplementation along with calcium had significant reductions in visceral fat in overweight and obese individuals (4). It can be difficult to meet your calcium and vitamin D needs simply through diet and sunlight exposure, so don’t forget to take your A.M. and P.M. packs!

Belly fat is more than just unattractive; it is deadly. Visceral fat—not the fat you can pinch, but the fat within the belly that bathes your internal organs—is metabolically active tissue that secretes pro-inflammatory mediators, stimulates fat storage, and has been linked to insulin resistance, abnormal blood lipids, and cardiovascular disease risk. It’s crucial to get rid of toxic visceral fat to protect your body from its vicious attacks.

Lucky for us, there’s good news from the scientific literature on how to more quickly rid the body of the deadliest fat. With Isagenix, you can make it happen by remembering SCULPT, which can serve as your acronym to remember six strategies backed by science to help you carve away health-robbing visceral fat, gain back a sexier physique, and live healthier, longer.

References

1. Hairston KG, Vitolins MZ, Norris JM, Anderson AM, Hanley AJ, Wagenknecht LE. Lifestyle factors and 5-year abdominal fat accumulation in a minority cohort: the IRAS Family Study. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2012;20:421-7.

2. Varady KA. Intermittent versus daily calorie restriction: which diet regimen is more effective for weight loss? Obes Rev 2011;12:e593-e601.

3. Johnson NA, Sachinwalla T, Walton DW et al. Aerobic exercise training reduces hepatic and visceral lipids in obese individuals without weight loss. Hepatology2009;50:1105-12.

4. Rosenblum JL, Castro VM, Moore CE, Kaplan LM. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation is associated with decreased abdominal visceral adipose tissue in overweight and obese adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:101-8.

source: http://www.isagenixhealth.net/blog/2012/09/04/sculpt-away-your-deadly-belly-fat/

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