Belly Fat and Cardio Vascular Health – 5 Tips to Improve Both

While you’re most likely perusing this site for helpful tips on losing that muffin top that’s spilling out of your favorite jeans, you should also be concerned about the number one killer of both men and women in America – heart disease. Believe it or not, that extra fat around your waste is a major contributor of how healthy, or unhealthy, your heart really is, so it is crucial to take steps now to reduce that fat and your risk of heart disease simultaneously.






                                              Here are 5 tips to kill two birds with one stone:



1. Bye-bye cigarettes!

Considered to be the most preventable cause of premature death, cigarettes contribute to nearly 2.4 million deaths annually and are one of the leading causes of heart disease. And that’s not taking into account how many people die from secondhand smoke. Cigarette smoking also reduces your lung capacity which makes it doubly hard to exercise that spare tire away. So put down the smokes already!!

2. Walk yourself healthy.

Walking is the perfect way to begin any exercise regimen and is the perfect heart-healthy exercise. However, don’t just walk that same, flat route or do the same old routine every day. Mix it up by adding a few hills or, if you are a treadmill walker, increase the pace and the incline at varying points during your session. Try to build up to an hour of walking a day (at 20 minute intervals if you don’t have a one-hour block available) and you will see your belly decrease and your heart health increase.

3. Low-fat does not equal healthy. Saturated fat does.

I feel so bad for all those misguided individuals out there who are under the misconception that a low-fat diet or any food that claims to be low-fat are the best foods to eat. Fats are not the culprit to your weight gain and your subsequent unhealthy heart. Let me rephrase that, good fats are not the culprit. Good saturated fats include coconut oil, olive oil, organic butter, and fats from foods such as salmon, whole organic eggs, and walnuts. Anything that says “hydrogenated” are bad news, so stay as far away from them as possible.

4. Take a deep breath!

Staying calm and breathing deep does wonders for weight loss and heart health. Studies have shown that when we are stressed, not only do our arteries contract and reduce blood flow, but the belly fat hormone cortisol is released. See, stress is a bad, bad thing!! So do some yoga poses when stuck at home with the kids during those oh-so-long school breaks, or count to ten while closing your eyes as you’re stuck in a traffic jam and relax. Your heart and your belly will thank you.

5. Drink up!

There is a reason why our bodies are made up of more than 90% water – it maintains homeostasis in our body and rids it of all that’s bad. For belly fat, water helps to regulate our metabolism so we can burn those extra calories that would otherwise make their home in our love handles. As for cardiovascular disease, water helps to maintain proper hydration of the various vascular components in our body.

See, I guess the best way to a man’s or a woman’s heart is through their stomach! If you keep your heart healthy, you can keep those love handles at bay.