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How To Lose Weight and Belly Fat
By Jennifer Carlson
For some people, belly fat is the most stubborn fat on their bodies, which is bad news, because medical research tells us that the most dangerous fat on the body is fat found around the abdomen, leading to an "apple" type shape. For this reason, anyone aiming to lose weight must focus not just on overall weight loss, but also on the loss of belly fat.
Belly fat is dangerous because it surrounds the organs and suffocates them, making them work harder and function less efficiently. For this reason, most overweight people need to lose weight and belly fat in order to regain full, healthy functioning.
For most of my adult life, I was overweight, and distressed that a lot of that extra weight sat around my midsection. For starters, it was unattractive. Many overweight women put on weight around their hips and thighs, or their busts, giving them a more curvy appearance, but not me. I just grew a big, fat ugly belly, and I hated it!
I did a lot of research to find the right plan that would enable me to lose weight and belly fat, preferably with that stubborn belly fat coming off easily! I used to do spot exercises like sit ups and crunches, but although my abdominal muscles became firmer, my belly fat stubbornly remained. Even regular aerobic exercise didn't get rid of all my belly fat (although my belly did reduce).
It took quite a long time to find a plan that would really help me lose weight (and belly fat as well) and it was only successful because it was one I could stick with over the long term. The plan was The Mediterranean Diet. This diet worked for me because, for starters, I really enjoy Mediterranean food. It also worked because I never felt hungry while I was trying to lose weight and belly fat. Feeling hungry is one of the biggest reasons many diet plans fail and are so difficult for the average person to stick to. Another big factor in my success was that I felt satisfied at the end of a meal. Another challenge for many people trying to lose weight is that although they may feel full enough after eating, they don't feel satisfied, and often crave other foods. If a meal leaves you feeling comfortably full and satisfied, and keeps you satisfied for some hours afterwards, you're less likely to begin snacking or eating other inappropriate food.
Many people ask me if I lost weight quickly. The answer is yes and no. For starters, you have to ask yourself what it means to lose weight quickly. For me, it was losing between one and two pounds in an average week. That sort of weight loss is both noticeable and measurable, and is also realistic. Some people have followed this diet and lost much more (up to 20 or 30 pounds a month). Quite often, though, this sort of weight loss is achieved by people with a lot of weight to lose (and usually only occurs during the first month) and by people suffering from water retention. Following a healthy, nutritious diet often leads to a reduction in water retention, and thus a seemingly rapid weight loss. However, it's important to remember that this is weight loss, not fat loss. To really lose body fat, and keep it off, it's good to stick to a comfortable weight loss of around a pound or two a week.
Finally, many people ask me if this diet will work for them. The truth is, I don't know. I do know that many people have successfully followed this plan to lose weight, but there are no doubt many who failed. As I've mentioned previously, if you enjoy the food, you'll probably be able to stick to a diet plan, so if you like Mediterranean food, then give it a try, if you don't, then maybe you'll find your weight loss success somewhere else.
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