Everyone knows that adhering to a proper diet is one of the most important factors in maintaining a strong, healthy and well-toned body. If you want to lose that bulging belly and work your way to having six pack abs, you will have to be very particular about what you eat to go along with regular exercise. Unfortunately, for some people, it is quite difficult to determine exactly what kind of diet is good for them. False advertising and prevailing misconceptions about what kinds of food to eat and avoid can make the whole decision phase a lot harder to deal with.
To be successful in attaining the perfect figure with six pack abs and toned limbs, it is wise to pick out the facts from the myths first. One of the most common misconceptions is that of the harmful effects of saturated fats on the human body. Up to this time, many people still falsely think that this is a strong fact. This was started with a study conducted by Ancel Keys in the 1950s, which declared that high levels of fat in the diet are linked to a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease.
While this conclusion may have some degree of truth in it, it was still wrong in declaring that all types of fat are harmful. Keys’ study specifically caused an inaccurate perception on saturated fat which is in fact not harmful, unlike trans fats. Trans fats are unsaturated fats found in processed foods like cookies, doughnuts and chips. These cause the bad cholesterol known as low-density lipoproteins (LDL) to rise, while the good cholesterol or high-density lipoproteins (HDL) plummet in amount. On the other hand, saturated fats that are found in meat, coconuts and dairy products have an opposite effect. This means that there is no reason for you to avoid foods with saturated fats.
Another imperfection in Keys’ study was the limited focus on fat intake as a primary cause of heart disease. Other factors such as stress, smoking habits, lack of exercise and genetics were not taken into account, making the conclusion biased at some point. This was proven by the more recent studies that followed, all of which found no distinct correlation between dietary fat intake and occurrence of heart disease. Lifestyle factors actually have a heavier weight in determining the risk of developing heart problems, which are oftentimes linked to saturated fat intake.
Certain types of saturated fat, in fact, are actually beneficial to the human body. For instance, the stearic acid found in animal meat products is broken down into oleic acid, which promotes normal function of the heart. Without this, the heart may be devoid of essential nutrients vital to healthy performance. Another example is the lauric acid found in coconuts; this causes the HDL levels to rise in the blood, while boosting the immune system to help fight free radicals and disease-causing microorganisms. Saturated fats, therefore, have an indirect effect to optimize health.
If you have been thinking about adopting the Atkins regimen, you might want to double back and reconsider the effects of avoiding the healthy kinds of fats. There are already plenty of evidences showing that you will have nothing to lose—and even have something healthy to gain—when you include saturated fats in your diet. These fats are neutral substances, and taking in some of them is not as bad as most people think it is.
Even if achieving a perfect body shape with fantastic six pack abs is your main goal, it is still important to remember to take good care of your internal body system. So keep your heart, immune system and other essential parts healthy by eating right and exercising frequently without putting too much stress on your body.
A lot of people think that the only benefit of slimming down and shedding off excess fat is to look attractive to other people. Guys are often heard bragging about their six pack abs in the hopes of having women appreciate their fit appearance. Girls are also quite conscious about their bellies, hoping to be able to wear a figure-flattering dress or a swimsuit on the beach. Some even get to the point of starving themselves just to attain that flat stomach similar to what they see on models and movie stars.
However, only a few are aware that there should be another motivation in mind other than to attract others when working towards a fit body, and that is to be able to avoid diseases arising from accumulated abdominal fat. People who strongly insist that they do not need to look good to feel good, so to speak, should rethink their resignation from an active lifestyle. Otherwise, they will be on their road to health problems and their nasty complications.
There are basically two types of fats found on the abdomen. The first type is called subcutaneous fat. This lies beneath the skin and on top of the abdominal muscles, and is often what most people wish to get rid of because its saggy form is what makes it quite evident beneath thin clothing. The second type is known as the visceral fat, and it is found just underneath the abdominal muscles. You may have observed how beer bellies are firm and not saggy when touched, because the visceral fat is not directly palpable. What causes the protrusion is actually the layers of visceral fat right beneath the muscles. Nevertheless, having too much of both subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fats will heighten your risk for cancer, stroke, heart diseases and diabetes. Visceral fat, however, poses a greater risk because it produces inflammation-causing substances at a faster rate. When these substances are released into the bloodstream, there is a high risk of developing inflammatory diseases like heart conditions and bone ailments.
If you are thinking of purchasing infamous quick-fix products like body-building supplements and vibrating machines that guarantee to work out those muscles for you without requiring effort on your part, you should know right now that these are not as effective as they promise. None of these products are even approved by health experts. Hence, the only effective way to get those much-coveted six pack abs is through rigorous exercise and an adherence to a balanced diet. Not just any exercise will work, though; it has been said that the most effective methods are intensive exercises that utilize the entire body. With this, your body will be able to lower its insulin resistance to keep your sugar content in the blood at safe levels, as well as to produce the right hormones to burn your excess fat. In the long run, you can spare yourself from the risk of suffering from the most notorious lifestyle disease: diabetes.
With that said, the right kind of diet is that which consists mostly of fruits, vegetables and a spare amount of lean meat with no processed food if possible. It is wise to avoid eating many foods with high amounts of sugar, and to stop taking supplements because these are not as effective as most people think they are. It is much better to obtain your vitamins and other essential minerals from natural sources like fruits and vegetables, so that your body will be much more able to process them without accumulating toxins in your body.
You must realize that it is much easier to stick to an exercise routine if your motivation is not just for improving your physical appearance, but also for extending your lifetime by avoiding diseases. With the right mix of proper exercise and healthy dieting, you can eliminate all those unwanted fats from your belly and get that six pack abs in due time.
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