Whole grains may help in losing belly fat

Really? Who would have thought of that one before? Of course, healthy eating has always been a key to losing weight, but what about that stubborn fat around your belly? Looks like it helps there as well. Here's more from UPI:

A diet with whole grains may reduce abdominal fat and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, a U.S. study finds.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, determined a diet using either whole grains -- whole-wheat flour, bulgur, oatmeal -- or refined grains -- white flour, white bread, white rice -- resulted in significant decreases in waist circumference and in body weight.
Both groups of 25 obese men and 25 obese women lost between 8 to 11 pounds on average, but weight loss in the abdominal region was significantly greater in the whole-grain group.
Lead author Heather Katcher, a Pennsylvania State University doctorate recipient and now at Tulane University, also found those eating whole grains experienced a 38 percent decrease in C-reactive protein levels in their blood. High levels of this inflammatory marker have been linked to a higher risk for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

How to Lose Belly Fat: Is It Possible After Having a Baby?

Ladies, have you found it more difficult to lose that extra belly fat since you had your kids? There's good reason for it. Here's more from Julie's Helath Club:

Though women have been having babies forever, the stretching, splitting, and recovery of the abdominal muscles has not been studied. It’s thought that the split should spontaneously reduce to less than 2 centimeters within a few weeks after delivery and that any urine leakage should cease within a few weeks after giving birth.
But if the core muscles, which include the pelvic floor muscles and the deep abdominals, are not working as a team, then "women may continue to have flabby, bulging, weak abs, or they may leak urine, or both," Neville said. (Women who undergo Caesarean sections have a different challenge because of the way surgery affects the abs.)
What women need to do is to retrain the abdominal and core muscles to be strong and coordinated so they work at the right time.
The core should be the first muscles to kick into gear; if they’re not and you’re doing ab exercises that focus on the six-pack muscle, your stomach may bulge, Neville said.
A physical therapist or certified pilates instructor can help with retraining the deep transverse muscles. It starts with learning to maintain a neutral (not too arched or flattened) position of the spine and pelvis.
Then you must learn how to contract the pelvic floor and the birthing muscle—the flat sheath of muscle that wraps around and attaches to the ribs, abdominals and pelvis—while moving the arms and the legs.

Strength Training Actually Burns Belly Fat

Think lifting weights won't affect your big gut? Think again! It looks like overall strength training will help your boyd burn off the fat all over your body, including your belly. Here's more from Men's Health:

Everyone knows you don't burn fat with strength training, right? Wrong! A 2007 study from the prestigous Journal of Applied Physiology showed strength training boosts metabolism by 10% after exercise and increases fat burning by 100%.
In this study, participants did a standard strength training program focusing on multi-muscle exercises that can be performed at most health clubs, including pulldowns, leg presses, chest press, leg extension, and leg curl. All exercises were done 3 times using a weight that allowed 10 repetitions to be completed.
The increase in calories burned after training is known as the "afterburn", and is the result of the "turbulence" put on your muscles during strength training.

The Skinny on Diet Soda and Belly Fat

Thought drinking all that diet pop and eating sugar free candy would make you thinner? Think again! New research shows that those things can actually make your belly fat worse. Here's more from Canada.com:

In a study to be published today, American researchers found that rats fed yogurt sweetened with zero-calorie saccharin later consumed more calories and gained more weight and body fat than rats fed yogurt sweetened with sugar.

The finding may help explain why rates of overweight and obesity have increased dramatically over the past 30 years along with the growing use of artificial sweeteners by millions of people, Purdue University psychologists report in today's issue of Behavioral Neuroscience.

The study was done in rodents, not humans. But recent epidemiological studies have suggested an association between diet pop and a higher risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes that includes excessive belly fat, high blood pressure and increased blood sugar.

In the new research, one group of rats was fed plain, unsweetened yogurt on some days, and yogurt sweetened with glucose -- a sugar with 15 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar -- on others. A second group had yogurt sweetened with saccharin alternated with unsweetened yogurt.

Belly Fat in Men: What You Need to Know

Is belly fat different for men than it is for women? According to the folks at the Mayo Clinic, the answer is yes and there are some important facts all men should know about the spare tire around most of their middles.

If you are carrying a few extra pounds — whether in the form of belly fat, love handles, a beer gut or potbelly — you're not alone. In recent years, the number of people who are overweight has increased dramatically worldwide. Two-thirds of American men are overweight or obese. But this is one case where following the crowd is not the best idea, because extra weight — especially belly fat — can be downright risky. And while women often put on extra pounds in the hips, thighs and legs, men are much more likely to gain belly fat.

Can you really get a beer belly from drinking?
We do know that there is a link between drinking excess alcohol and gaining belly fat — the "beer belly." However, it isn't just beer that can increase belly fat. Drinking too much of any kind of alcohol can have that effect. We know that alcohol is high in calories and increases appetite, but still aren't exactly sure why drinking too much causes increased belly fat in particular.

If you drink, the key is to drink in moderation. While increased belly fat is most noticeable in people who drink to excess, keeping it to less than two drinks a day will reduce the amount of calories you consume and help you avoid putting on belly fat. It is also better for your overall health.