Banish Belly Fat for Good!

Dear Fitness Coach,

I am an active 45-year-old female: I cycle, hike and walk a lot and try to do 50 crunches each day. Also, I eat very healthy, have been a vegetarian most of my adult life. I like to relax with a glass (or two) of red wine at night. I would not say I am overweight , but I have been looking at my belly fat recently and just do not get why it is not budging. What, if anything, am I doing wrong?

Not-so-yummy-tummy

Dear Not-so-yummy,

Unfortunately, belly fat is not just an issue for people who are overweight. People who are at a healthy weight and exercise regularly can have it. It’s not really fair, but it’s a fact for most women post 40. Hormonal changes and overall muscle loss causes fat to start to accumulate in the midsection. And it isn't just a problem of aesthetics: abdominal fat is the most dangerous kind of fat. It is the visceral kind that lies below the surface, surrounding your organs. This can lead to heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, sleep apnea and premature bone density loss, and emerging research shows it may be a factor in developing dementia.

You are doing many things right: Being physically active and eating well is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. However, if your goal is to target your midsection and whittle it away you are missing an important component. The best way to attack abdominal fat is by turning your body into a 24-hour-fat burning machine. This is done by increasing your metabolism through weight lifting. The activities that you do are good for cardio and muscular endurance  but are not effective at increasing lean muscle tissue. Swap out your crunches - in addition to not helping with belly fat, they can cause back pain- for dumbbells, body weight exercises and strength training equipment if you belong to a gym.

Since you are a vegetarian, your diet may not contain enough protein. Protein helps build muscle, so it’s important you have some form of it with each meal and snack. Aim for about 100 grams a day. Limit your wine consumption  to one glass no more than five times a week.

You should start to notice a decrease in abdominal fat within the first month, but give yourself 3 to 6 months to realize the full benefits of increased muscle.