What can you do?

Decreasing belly fat isn't about one factor. Take a look at each area and choose what to implement to see the results you want.

1. Reduce cortisol

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone. Cortisol imbalances cause weight gain, and weight gain causes cortisol imbalance. This is a crazy hamster wheel that you have to jump off of to find balance.

Choose one area to focus on: 

>>Get more sleep

>>Try an adaptogenic herb like Ashwagandha

>>Find simple ways to reduce your daily stress, and try asking for help.

2. Avoid dehydration

3. Reduce alcohol and caffeine 

4. Focus on anti-inflammatory foods 

Choose foods like clean grass-fed protein, wild-caught fish, free-range chicken, green leafy vegetables, low glycemic fruits, nuts, seeds, natural oils, butter, olive oil, and whole grains. 

5. Avoid insulin spikes 

Keeping your blood sugar balanced is key to decreasing belly fat and increasing your level of health. The best way for you to stay balanced is to shoot for 15-25 grams of protein per meal. A meal anchored with protein stimulates fat-burning and appetite-controlling hormones. 

6. Detoxify excess estrogen 

Your focus foods to detoxify estrogen are cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli & cabbage), flax seed, Maca, chia seed, psyllium husk, green tea, turmeric, or supplements such as DIM.

7. Discover the foods that cause inflammation

These will be foods that you are sensitive to, you may look into some testing or try an elimination diet. The most common foods that are reactive are eggs, dairy, gluten, and wheat. Reducing the inflammation your body has to deal with is paramount for decreasing the fat your body is storing.

8. Get 20-30 grams of fiber per day

Add veggies to every meal, this might be by adding in salads, squash to your oatmeal, or okra to your smoothie. Get creative because fiber helps eliminate and detoxify, fiber feeds good gut bacteria and helps with satiation. Fiber-rich foods are nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, fruit, psyllium husks, baobab, and whole grains. 

9. Sleep

Good sleep is crucial for overall health but especially weight loss. Sleep may be easy for you or hard to come by but it is important to your body’s ability to restore and repair, allowing for the regulation of cortisol levels and hormones.

10. Get DHEA levels checked. 

DHEA is the master anti-aging hormone. It counteracts cortisol and contributes to our ability to burn fat and gain muscle. 

11. Boost Human Growth Hormone. 

HGH affects many things but regarding fat loss, it increases the breakdown of stored fat and increases the use of this fat for energy. It counteracts the actions of insulin. HGH controls lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) which enhances fat burning. Two ways to increase HGH are to get your sleep, don’t eat before bed, and include HIIT workouts in your exercise routine.

12. Choose foods that help.

Consider cinnamon, Apple Cider Vinegar, Green Tea, Oolong tea, cruciferous vegetables, and Magnesium. Each of these is known to lower fasting glucose levels, and insulin levels and improve insulin resistance. Dark chocolate and Green tea have also been shown to reduce cortisol.