Healthy Weight Loss

Battling the Bulge of Belly Fat

by Karen Brooks on March 22, 2012

As the weather warms up, the clothes get smaller.  If you’re ready to try on a new bikini, there may be something getting in your way – the bulge of belly fat around your middle.  Many people face the frustration of having a little extra padding around their midsection – and it can be terribly frustrating.

Belly fat can make it difficult to have the smooth waistline under your clothes that you’ve always wanted.  It can also make it difficult to fit into your favorite swimsuit.  And whether you’re a man or a woman, belly fat can make buying clothes challenging and even a depressing task.

It can be upsetting to feel that your body is embarrassingly bumpy with the bulge around your middle.  But belly fat doesn’t have to be a permanent companion.  You can make some simple changes that will help to trim your tummy and reduce the amount of belly fat you have to carry around and conceal.

Belly fat has many sources that may be different than you would expect.  For example, belly fat can be caused by a lack of sleep. It can also result from too much stress in your life. (Make sure that you download my free e-book on Kissing Stress Good-Bye!)  While calories and fat grams are an important contributor to excess belly fat, you may be the victim of a stressful, busy life that sends fat straight to your middle.

This happens because the stress hormone cortisol begins to occur at higher levels when you have too much stress or not enough sleep.  When cortisol levels rise, the fat cells in your abdominal area are the first to become filled.  When you reduce your stress and get enough sleep at night, cortisol levels return to normal.

So your belly fat may not be all due to eating too many donuts.  But in order to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your belly fat, it helps to maintain a healthy diet and to move your body.  While you can’t spot train the fat off of your belly, it will naturally decrease as you lose overall weight.

Belly fat can be frustrating and make you feel poorly about yourself.  But you don’t have to battle belly fat forever.  You can decrease your waistline by decreasing your stress and taking care of your body.  You only have one body and you’re the only one who can take care of it and give it what it needs.  It’s time to take control so you can lose the belly fat.

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Do Therapeutic Oils and Weight Loss Mix?

by Karen Brooks on June 11, 2011

Diet and weight loss, those ugly little words that everyone talks about, but no one publicly wants to admit.

The true test of weight for me is when I try on last years clothes. Do your last summers pants still fit this year? Are they snug or a bit loose?  Well, I keep on telling myself that they still fit. What do you say to yourself?

If you are like me, you try to “watch” your weight. Sometimes you may try a fad diet or the latest weight loss product. Then the justification sets in. Am not that overweight am I?

Well I started to look for ways to control my weight. What I learned this week rocked my world!  Here are some little known statistics:

1. Did you know that 60% of  US adult women are overweight? Roughly one third are
considered obese.

2. More than $33 billion dollars are spent annually on weight loss products,
including surgery!

3. The average fat cell can grow 600 times larger than it’s original size!

So, what are some of the ways that you can take charge?

Get adequate hydration - Drinking water is imperative. Watch those new flavored waters. Some of them contain aspartame, and other artificial sweetners. Why, I don’t get it. All you need to do is just add a bit of flavoring. If you want to increase the taste of water, just add a drop of therapeutic lemon or peppermint oil to a glass of water.   Some oils that can aid in weight loss include peppermint oil. It curbs the appetite and improves digestion.  A clinical study was conducted over a 6 month period, involving over 3,000 people, where the average weight loss was over 30 pounds due to the use of peppermint oil.

Emotions/Stress - Elevated stress levels can be the most important factor in trying to achieve your weight loss goal. Excess   stress leads to higher cortisol levels. Cortisol is a long lasting stress hormone. Increased levels result in increased appetite and deposits of fat in the midsection.

Since therapeutic oils work quickly on the emotional center of the brain, they can assist you manage stress and negative emotions quickly.  You can use some off the oils listed below to assist in clearing your emotions and stress. Use them by inhaling them, applying to your wrists, earlobes, or soles of the feet. You can also inhale them by diffusing into the air.

Emotional Correlations for Oils

Lemon – Frustration, feelings of emptiess, detachment and being left behind

Lavender – Abandonment, criticism

Frankincense – Deppression

Pan Away – Pain, exhaustion

Purification – Anger, being alone, negative thoughts, violence

Peace & Calming – Addictions, losing control, moodiness, scared

Valor – Fear of conflict, inability to cope

Avoid Toxins - Toxins get trapped in the body and can interfere with the ability to lose weight. As we loose weight, fat soluble toxins get released into the body and contribute to a sluggish metabolism.

Make sure you avoid artificial sweeteners. Use non toxic personal care products. Essential oils are great for skin care! Lemon oil can cleanse, reduce oily skin, reduce scars, promote healing, acne, stretch marks, and hair loss to name a few.

Peppermint can help with varicose veins, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.

Frankincense can help to rejuvenate the skin, reduce wrinkles and scars.

Air Fresheners are loaded with chemicals. Diffuse oils in the air. Your home will smell good and you will get therapeutic benefits from breathing the vapors.

Purchase organic fruits and vegetables. If they are not available, make sure you soak them in water with a bit of thieves, or lemon oil to remove the chemcial residues.

You may be eating the wrong foods at the wrong time - Our bodies were not designed to process proteins and carbs at the same time. Think about our ancestors. They hunted and ate meat, or they gather nuts, grains or fruits. It was one or the other, not a combination at the same time. Within 1 hour of waking, you need to eat a good source of protein. The body digests proteins the best in the morning hours, due to our enzyme production. Learn about what foods you should eat in combination with each other.

Exercise - You need to move! Movement burns calories and stimulates the body to release toxins. Start with a mild exercise program and work yourself up to a full routine.

In conclusion, consider some of the recommendations that I have listed. Every body is different. Experiment and work with these techniques and some of the oils. Stay committed, and give it time to work.

When it is time for another wardrobe change, you might be surprised to see that the clothes are too loose and you need to buy a new outfit!!

Please let me know some of your favorite weight loss tips. I would love to hear from you!

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When Losing Weight Changes Your Relationship

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Losing weight feels great when you’re doing well. It’s especially exciting when you have been significantly overweight for a long time and through your own hard work and perseverance, you are noticing the great results of your dedicated lifestyle change. But what if your partner is still struggling with unhealthy eating patterns? This can make [...]

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