Stars Report Amazing Weight Loss with Raspberry Ketone Extract

Since the mention on Dr Oz's programme, Raspberry Ketone extract has been receiving lots of publicity.  It is a supplement which is gaining a lot of attention.

According to Dr Lindsey (the guest host on the popular Dr Oz show) Raspberry Ketone Extract works in more than one way, “The first way is it goes in and causes the body to burn glucose, or sugar, and burn fat, mainly in the liver…The second way, the most important way, is it slows the release of sugar into the blood stream. So when you don’t have sugar building up in the blood stream, you don’t have fat building up because sugar turns to fat…When the two are combined together, you get this synergistic effect that basically burns and blocks and stops fat, but it also is natural and safe.”

Raspberry Ketones are known to regulate adiponectin, a hormone that causes your body to boost metabolism. In turn, the fat within your cells gets broken up more effectively, helping your body burn fat faster and more efficiently.

Here is what Miracle Raspberry Ketone™ claimed on their website…

• ·         In a study published in the journal Lipids in Health& Disease, subjects taking Raspberry Ketone lost an average of 7 kilograms in 28 days without diet or exercise.
• ·         Miracle Raspberry Ketone contains no stimulants.
• ·         Raspberry Ketone has been found to increase metabolism, boosting weight loss by more than 800%.
• ·         Studies have shown a 39% reduction in cholesterol and an average 2 inch reduction in belly fat within 28 days.

Nigella Lawson reported a weight loss of 2 stone in 1 month.

Dawn French lost 7.5 Stone in 3 Months without exercise or changing her diet!

You can read the full report and obtain a free month's supply of the product at http://everydaynigella.com-iii.us/diet-tips-uk3281/d/garcinia99tri.php?sid=NL1

DO NOT ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY.  You order a free trial for $4.99 which takes three weeks to arrive.  They then email you to say that as you have not returned the product for a refund within two weeks, they have charged another $142 to your credit card.  If you have already ordered, ensure you obtain a refund and keep a copy of all email correspondence between you and the company.  In the UK Call 020 335 66 290 and make sure you don’t take no for an answer.Write to cancel any future orders and insist on a written acknowledgement.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  Read the report from angry customers:
http://www.dietpillswatchdog.com/rasberry-ketone-blast/

If you want to buy the product, it is probably available in your local health food store for a third of the price.

Here is a UK supplier online:
http://www.evolution-slimming.com/store/raspberry-ketone-advanced-cat_189.html?source=google&gclid=CI7d7IzVy7oCFfMdtAodEikAzw

Studies Confirm Link of Low Fat Diets With Depression and Impulsive Behavior

Low fat diets have been associated with increased risks of depression and suicide. This correlation was first noticed decades ago. While going over data in a study of heart disease, researchers where surprised to find that individuals with the lowest cholesterol levels had increased incidences of deaths from suicide, violence and accidents. Since these initial findings, several studies have confirmed a link to low fat diets with depression and impulsive behavior.

The Link to Serotonin

It is thought that low fat diets affect serotonin levels in the brain. However, it is not clear exactly how low fat diets disrupt the serotonin balance. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that works to inhibit impulsive behavior. It is often found that individuals with abnormal serotonin function have thoughts of suicide and impulsive, hostile behavior.

The Importance of Dietary Fats

Dietary fats are necessary for the proper functioning of all the cells of the body. Brain cells are no exception. Eating a diet that lacks sufficient healthy fats will negatively affect how you look and feel. It is possible that individuals vary in their dietary fat requirements. However, if you have been on a low fat diet and are experiencing dry skin and hair or mood problems, you may want to consider adding more dietary fats back into your diet.

SourcE: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/fats/do-low-fat-diets-affect-your-mood.html#b

Expect Weight Gain on a Low Fat Diet

Our media-induced fear of fat has created a very profitable market with over 15,000 reduced-fat products on sale in the USA! These products completely fail to live up to their claims, not to mention that they don’t even taste good. Have you ever had a fat-free product that tasted better than the original? The fact is that when they remove the fat, they have to put something back in, and that “something” is usually more sugar, sodium, artificial flavorings, binding agents and other chemicals.”

Weight Gain:
Expect weight gain on a low fat, high refined grain diet. Saturated fats such as butter, lard, coconut oil have a strong influence on metabolism! These fats help to release insulin. Fat keeps you full longer. Fats are satisfying and satiating.  When you avoid fat, you are hungry more frequently.

Medium-Chain Fatty acids like those found in coconut oil have also been shown to boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. Medium-Chain Fatty Acids are immediately used for energy (are quickly digested and do not require bile to break them down) which, subsequently, increase metabolism. This is also known as “thermogenesis” or fat burning. The body becomes more efficient.

Eating fat does not make you fat! Eating fat with excessive carbohydrates from sugars and refined grains will. 

If you want to feel full longer, and become lean and efficient, fuel up with saturated fats and get your carbohydrates from vegetable sources rather than sugary foods and refined grains.

High Sugar Levels Are Linked with Memory Loss

Type 2 diabetes often occurs with overweight but did you know that high sugar levels are associated with memory loss?

I read this in an article on one woman’s weight problem:

"I was becoming increasingly forgetful, leaving the cooker on, burning things, not able to remember anything," said Maureen."I was afraid that I was heading towards dementia or Alzheimer's."My doctor gave me some memory tests, which I couldn't do, and she referred me to a memory clinic."They were concerned about my very high blood sugar levels and explained that there was a link between high sugar levels and memory loss."I didn't know this but apparently when sugar levels are high, blood thickening occurs which reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the brain. This can affect memory and concentration."

(Read more: http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Hypnotherapy-cured-chocoholism/story-19681498-detail/story.html#ixzz2f3FNSBwB)

This makes sense to me.  Solving your weight problem can improve the symptoms, reduce the need for medication or even eliminate Type 2 diabetes which in itself has terrible complications:

-          Short-term complications includehypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS).

-          Long-term complications include how diabetes affects your eyes (retinopathy), heart (cardiovascular disease), kidneys (nephropathy), and nerves and feet (neuropathy).

(Source: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/)

If you are overweight and have Type 2 Diabetes it is time to do something about your eating habits.

As an experienced Consulting Hypnotist, I help people worldwide over Skype to resolve issues with eating, motivation to exercise and the self-belief and self-acceptance which may be lacking due to hidden messages heard in childhood.  I sometimes use Gastric Band Hypnosis but each person who comes to me is an individual and I work with everyone to obtain the results they can achieve.  Find out more at http://www.englishskypehypnotist.com/slim-healthy-you/

Sugar or Artificial Sweeteners in Your Desserts and Drinks?

Saving calories on desserts isn't as easy as replacing that rich dessert you love with a sugar-free alternative. Many times the amount of calories you save isn't worth all the trouble found in sugar-free desserts. Here's the lowdown on why sugar-free desserts may do more harm than good.

Increasing Food Cravings

While many sweet desserts are blamed for causing food coma after a meal, going sugar-free doesn't solve this problem, nor does it leave you as satisfied. Sugar cravings are satisfied by sugar, sugar substitutes may leave you wanting. Despite giving in to a nutrient-poor sugar-free dessert, your craving for sugar will probably not be satisfied which could cause even more cravings. A just-released review by Purdue researcher Susan Swithers notes that artificial sweeteners do not trigger the reward center of the brain like sugar does. In addition, artificial sweeteners don’t trigger insulin response, which according to the author, “could impair energy and body weight regulation.” The results suggest this may cause more cravings and promote excess calorie intake to help “satisfy” the body’s need for energy from food.

Impacting Taste 

Sugar substitutes alter the taste of desserts made with real sugar, but even if you get past the difference in taste of artificial sweeteners, your body does not. In fact, the regular consumption of artificial sweeteners may alter the body’s ability to “recognize” sweet tastes from a metabolic standpoint. That means your “taste” for sweet things may not work as well after continued consumption of zero-calorie sweeteners. This could support excess caloric intake, which, if left unchecked, could contribute to weight gain. So, while artificial sweeteners have been proven to lower caloric intake initially, over time, they may have an adverse affect.

Saving Calories?
If you think that going sugar-free will save you a significant amount of calories, you may be wrong. Portion size is king but when you compare sugar-free versions of familiar desserts, you may find that the calories saved are not worth it. For example, the calorie difference between regular and sugar-free Oreos is 7 calories per serving. Hershey’s Special Dark Sugar-Free version saves about 40 calories from the regular version, but note it’s a slightly smaller serving. From brownies to flavored oatmeal, the same is true, sugar-free options may save some calories, but there’s no real drastic calorie save overall.

Reducing Artificial Sweeteners in Your Diet

Lowering the amount of artificial sweeteners takes the same strategies as lowering your sugar intake. Here are three tips to help you cutback on artificial sweeteners:

Add Fiber: Instead of trying to find comparable sugar-free replacements for decadent desserts, add fresh fruit to add sweetness. 

Switch to Whole Grains: Many desserts are made with refined grains, but adding whole grains to items like cookies or pancakes satisfies your hunger better, and gives you more vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids than refined grains.

Add Healthy Fats: Many products with artificial sweeteners have added fat to maintain taste. Instead of the butter, cream, and margarine used for desserts, add healthy fats such as avocado, nut butter, or olive oil where appropriate.

Your thoughts…

Do you use artificial sweeteners in your diet? Why or why not?

By +Carolyn Richardson on Jul 16, 2013 10:00 AM in Healthy Eating

Read more: Is Sugar-Free Dessert Better for You? http://caloriecount.about.com/sugar-free-dessert-better-you-b610356#ixzz2ZDyiblHe
Read more: Is Sugar-Free Dessert Better for You? http://caloriecount.about.com/sugar-free-dessert-better-you-b610356#ixzz2ZDy5rXFK

Five Stone Weight Loss With Gastric Band Hypnosis

Gastric Band Hypnosis is the natural way to shed weight without surgery, pills or faddy diets.

A recent article in the Daily Mail featured a 27 year old teaching assistant who lost five stone and went from a size 18 to a size 6.

Teaching assistant sheds five stone after being HYPNOTISED into thinking that she had a gastric band and loved to exercise 

• Danielle Davies, 27, from Rotherham was 14 stone due to love of takeaways
• Mother hypnotised her into believing she had gastric band
• Also bewitched her into doing exercise through 'Hypnocise' technique
• The teaching assistant is now a size six and works out every day at home

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2354530/Teaching-assistant-sheds-stone-HYPNOTISED-thinking-gastric-band-loved-exercise.html#ixzz2YScNp5gR 

I offer Gastric Band Hypnosis to clients either at my home office in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK or anywhere in the world over Skype.  You can read more at Gastric Band Hypnosis. 

What Top Scientific Journals Report About Hypnosis for Weight Loss

Hypnosis Works for Weight Loss –

See What Top Scientific Journals Report

Hypnosis Over 30 Times as Effective for Weight Loss. Cochrane, Gordon; Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 489-492.

Two Years Later: Hypnosis Subjects Continued To Lose Significant Weight. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (1985)

Hypnosis Subjects Lost More Weight Than 90% of Others and Kept it Off. University of Connecticut, Storrs Allison DB, Faith MS. Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy for obesity: a meta-analytic reappraisal. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 1996;64(3):513-516.

Hypnosis More Than Doubled Average Weight Loss

Kirsch, Irving (1996). Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioural weight loss treatments--Another meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64 (3), 517-519.

If you want to change your eating habits for life, I mean really change them by changing your mindset, talk to me.  I am a Clinical Hypnotist who specializes in weight loss.  I will tailor a programme for you based on a detailed assessment of why you are holding onto the weight.  I may recommend the amazing Gastric Band Hypnosis programme if suitable.  

I am based in Portsmouth in the UK but I help most of my clients in other countries over Skype.  Find me at EnglishSkypeHypnotist.

Gastric Band Hypnosis Now Available Anywhere in the World via Skype Hypnosis

Forget yo-yo dieting.  Gastric Band Hypnosis is what everyone is talking about.  All the benefits of Gastric Band but without the surgery!  

When I first heard that, I was really sceptical, but the results keep coming...7 kg in a month and another client has lost 98 lbs in 15 months – that is 44kg!  Gastric Band Hypnosis works and it can work for you too.

I offer Gastric Band Hypnosis as an easy four session programme and you have two choices:

-         Individually tailored programme just for you, in the privacy of my home office in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK or over Skype anywhere in the world with Skype Hypnosis.

-         Or a group programme for at least four people.

This is perfect if you can find some friends, relatives or co-workers as you will motivate each other and pay one quarter of the programme price.

It is also a great way of raising funds for schools, churches and clubs, especially with sponsorship.

Just contact me, Antonia Harrison, via my website at EnglishSkypeHypnotist.

You have nothing to lose except the weight. 

Why Diets, Slimming Clubs and Low-Fat Foods Keep Adding on the Pounds

FORGET DIETING…

Diets only work in the short term.  The US$ 40 Billion diet industry knows that yet they keep allowing you to waste your money.  You might lose a few pounds but then you put even more weight back-on.  Yo-yo dieting! 

             

           

FORGET STARVATION…

If you restrict your calorie intake you starve your body and become obsessed with eating.  Starving your body slows down your metabolic rate so you actually lose weight at a snail’s pace.

FORGET” LOW-FAT”FOODS & “LIGHT” DRINKS

“Low-fat” foods and “light” drinks only make your body hold on to the weight.  The artificial sweeteners in these drinks raise blood sugar thereby worsening the effect on diabetics and lead to a host of chronic illnesses.  Fat is not a bad word as your body needs a certain amount of fat for essential functions.  The hidden sugar and salt are far worse.

FORGET DIETING CLUBS

Dieting clubs are great for mutual support but they focus on calorie counting and ultimately want you to buy their brand of restricted foods.  Go for friendship, not for their system.

Do You WANT to Count Every Single Calorie… For the Rest of Your Life?

If you want to change your eating habits for life, I mean really change them by changing your mindset, talk to me.  I am a Clinical Hypnotist who specializes in weight loss.  I will tailor a programme for you based on a detailed assessment of why you are holding onto the weight.  I may recommend the amazing Gastric Band Hypnosis programme if suitable.  

I am based in Portsmouth in the UK but I help most of my clients in other countries over Skype.  Find me at EnglishSkypeHypnotist.

10 Tips for the London to Brighton Bike Ride

On Sunday 16 June, approximately 27,000 people will cycle the 54 miles from London to Brighton in the annual event in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

Men's Health magazine published a list of 10 tips for anyone taking part which of course are good tips for cycling in general so here they are:

This is what you’ll need to stay ahead of the pack and avoid the dreaded ‘bonk”.

I want to ride my bicycle...

Are you psyching yourself up to sign up for the 54-mile sprint (with optional pub pit stops) from London to Brighton’s Palace Pier? If so, read the 10 essential tips to guarantee you reach the finishing line in good shape, courtesy of MH’s resident bike nut Rob Milton.

1 Health check your bike

A few days before the ride, check your bike. Oil your gears to make sure they are running smoothly, check you don't need to replace the break pads and that there’s no excessive wear on the tyres.

2 Stay hydrated

Take two water bottles and fill up when you can en route. Try to take a drink every 20 minutes (or sooner if needed). The rule is to drink before you are thirsty. That way you’ll stay hydrated.

3 Get storage

Buy a waist bag for essentials. We recommend the canvas utility version from Ripcurl.com.

4 Eat a little, often

Remember you could be on the bike for at least five or six hours. Take dried fruit, bananas, peanut-butter sandwiches and if you feel like splashing out, some energy bars. Stash them in your bag and try to eat something every 30 minutes. If you feel hungry it could be too late and you could suffer “the bonk”. That’s bike parlance for the lapse in energy when you have not eaten enough.

5 Get salty

Bring a bag of salted peanuts or an energy drink with electrolytes for replacing the salt you will lose as you sweat. You will need to replace salts just like you replace water.

6 Pack a puncture repair kit

Be prepared for a puncture. Make sure you can fix it yourself, and bring spare tubes, pump and puncture repair kit. There’s nothing worse than being stranded.

7 Don’t forget waterproofs

Bring a rain jacket. It is England after all, and nothing is worse than being wet, cold and tired. For the same reason, don’t wear jeans.

8 Sort a lift home in advance

Get yourself a space in the organiser’s coaches for the return trip. You’re not allowed to take your bike home on the train, and parking in Brighton is tricky at the best of times.

9 Bring cash

If you get stuck behind a slower group of riders, you might want to wait for the traffic to die down in one of the many pubs en route. You’ll also need cash for some well-deserved post-race fish and chips on the pier.

10 Wear padded shorts

That seat may seem nice and comfortable at the beginning of the day, but it probably won’t be your friend at the 50-mile mark. Invest in some padded shorts (like this budget offering) and sitting will be much easier in the days following the ride.

More information

The London to Brighton Bike Ride is a British Heart Foundation event. Over 27,000 people will be taking part in this year’s ride, and you can follow the action on Twitter @thebhf. 

Source: Men's Health 

BMI is an Indicator of Obesity

What is obese?

·         Morbidly obese - BMI of 40 and over for adults

·         Obese - BMI of 30 and over for adults

·         Overweight - BMI of 25 and over for adults

·         Normal - BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 for adults

Source: WHO and NHS

Don't Quit: a Losing Weight Motivation Poem

Don't Quit 

When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down, and you feel like the biggest failure in town.

When you want to give up just because you gave in, and forget all about being healthy and thin.

So What! You went over your points a bit, It's your next move that counts...So don't you quit!

It's a moment of truth, it's an attitude change.

It's learning the skills to get back in your range.

It's telling yourself, "You've done great up till now.

You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow."

It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal.

You're still gonna make it, just stay in control.

To stumble and fall is not a disgrace, if you summon the will to get back in the race.

But, often the strugglers', when losing their grip, just throw in the towel and continue to slip.
And learn too late when the damage is done, that the race wasn't over...they still could have won.

Lifestyle change can be awkward and slow, but facing each challenge will help you grow.

Success is failure turned inside out, the silver tint in a cloud of doubt.

When you're pushing to the brink, just refuse to submit, If you bite it, you write it....But don't you ever quit!!!

- Author Paul DeVora

Another 10 Greatest Flat Tummy Tips of All Time

Roll (Up) With It 

A classic Pilates move, the roll up is 38 percent more effective at targeting the rectus abdominis (the “six-pack”) and 245 percent more effective at targeting the obliques than a basic crunch, according to an Auburn University study. To do it, lie face-up with legs straight, ankles, knees, and thighs together. Flex feet and extend arms overhead. Inhale to prepare as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor. On your exhale, continue to roll up by drawing in abdominals, reaching arms up and over toward feet. Keep abdominals contracted, with spine rounded in a “C” curve. Pause and inhale. On your exhale, roll down through each vertebra in a controlled movement, keeping heels pressed evenly into the floor the entire way up and down. Do 15 reps as controlled and precise as you can, as many days a week as possible. 

Get on the Ball 

Your coworkers who sit on Swiss balls may look a little odd, but this trick makes you engage your abs, Holland says. Try lifting one or both legs every half hour or so, which will work your core stabilizer muscles even more as you try to balance. 

Put the Pedal to the Metal 

Include the bicycle in your abdominals workout, Peterson suggests. A 2012 study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) found this exercise to be the most effective move for strengthening the rectus abdominus, the long, flat muscle extending the length of the front of the abdomen. Do 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps three times a week. 

Stay Conscious of Carbs  

Carbohydrates take water to metabolize, and too much fluid can make you feel bloated, Henderiks says. But that doesn’t mean you have to ban all carbs from your diet. Opt for complex, starchy, and fiber-filled ones such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, legumes, oats, leafy greens, and asparagus, which are more slowly digested, and try to limit your daily tally to about 200 grams. 

Ditch Diet Foods 

Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol are used as sweeteners in diet products—and they produce gas in the intestines, Henderiks says, which can make you balloon. 

Push Yourself 

Peterson is a fan of Chaturanga Dandasana—a.k.a. yoga pushup—for the extension and isometric contraction it provides: From plank, bend your elbows and begin lowering toward the floor, with every part of your body an equal distance from the floor. Keep your elbows close to your body, abs engaged (not clenched), back straight, thigh muscles active, and glutes soft. Start by holding the pose above the floor for 5 full, complete breaths, and work up to 10. Push back up to plank in 4 counts. Do 4 reps every other day.

Sneak in a Mini Abs Workout Anywhere 

Drawing your navel in toward your spine provides isometric training for the abdominals, meaning the muscles aren’t lengthening or shortening, but there is tension on the muscle fibers. Do it in the shower, at work, wherever! 

Laugh It Off 

Having a good LOL causes your abs to contract, Peterson half-kids. Obviously that’s not all you need to do for an A-list midsection, but it’s definitely an excuse to have some fun! 

Shake Your Salt Habit 

Your body needs some sodium to function, but too much can lead to fluid retention in the gut, Henderiks says. Put down the shaker and forgo processed and prepared foods as much as possible in favor of homemade meals so you can control the salt. Experts recommend maxing out at 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day, but this is one time when less is better. 

Don't Be an Airhead 

You likely don’t think you’re eating air, but talking while noshing, drinking from a straw, and chewing gum can all cause air to accumulate in your stomach, making it expand over your waistband. In addition to breaking those bad habits, taking smaller bites can also help you keep the air out, says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, R.D., author of The Belly Fat Fix and a national spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. 

By Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, Shape.com

Read more: The 30 Greatest Flat-Belly Tips of All Time 

Which of these flat tummy tips have you tried? What kind of results did you get?

10 More Greatest Flat Tummy Tips of All Time

Follow the 10-Percent Rule 

While no crunch in and of itself will get rid of belly fat, abdominal exercises are the “finishing moves” to sculpt the abs once you have removed excess fat via diet and exercise, Holland says. Spend the majority of your workout focusing on the rest of your body, and dedicate no more than 10 percent of your time on abs work. So if you work out for an hour, plan six minutes of abs exercises and the rest of your time to strength training and/or cardio. 

Go Big or Go Home 

At the gym, focus on movements that work bigger muscle groups and multiple muscle groups (such as squats and lunges) instead of isolation movements (such as leg extensions and leg curls). These exercises burn more calories, which will help torch more body fat so your sexy abs come out of hiding, Peterson says. 

Simplify Supper 

Eat only protein and leafy green vegetables for dinner—and no dessert or nighttime snacks—to avoid holding water when you wake up, especially in the days leading up to your beach weekend, Peterson says. 

Do the Write Thing 

Keeping a food journal is an easy way to control your weight and help you become more aware of any belly-bloating triggers, Bannan says. Write down what you're eating and how your stomach feels throughout the day, and you might discover what isn't treating your tummy kindly. Ask yourself: Do I feel gassy? Am I overfull after just a few bites of certain foods? Does my stomach make sounds or feel swollen following specific meals? 

Pump Up the Potassium 

Your body can retain water when your sodium and potassium levels are out of whack, Bannan says. In addition to keeping sodium in check, consume potassium-rich foods to maintain the balance and de-puff your belly. Try incorporating 1 medium baked potato without skin (610mg), 1/2 cup white beans (595mg), 1 cup cooked spinach (839mg), 10 dates (466mg), or 1 cup edamame (676mg) daily. 

Be Proactive 

If your stomach’s natural bacteria fall out of equilibrium, it can slow down your digestion and lead to bloating, Bannan says. Live active cultures in yogurt and probiotic drinks can help rebalance your levels, so aim for one serving a day. 

Vacuum 

Peterson has his clients work up to holding a plank for 1 minute. Then they progress to performing vacuums during the exercise: Suck in your abs like you’re trying to button jeans that are too tight. Hold for 3 counts, then release for 3 counts. Repeat until the end of your plank. You’ll have to build back up to a minute, but it’s worth it, Peterson says. 

Avoid Fried Foods 

The fat in fried foods is digested more slowly, which can cause you to feel heavy and puffy, Henderiks says. And who really wants to chow down on greasy mozzarella sticks while wearing a teeny bikini? 

Make a Mad Dash 

Throw intense, high-speed intervals into your usual cardio workout, and you’ll burn the same or more total calories in a shorter amount of time—and the harder you push it, the more calories you burn after your workout, Holland says, meaning the fat will melt off to reveal your abs. Peterson recommends adding sprints of 10, 20, and 30 seconds and recovering for two to three times that long. Bonus: You can “sprint” on anything: treadmill, bike, rower, swimming, elliptical—you name it. 

Fatten Up

Monounsaturated fats—such as those in olives, nuts, and avocados—appear to increase fat oxidation, especially dreaded belly podge. Plus they can help you stick to your diet, as fat is filling and adds flavor to your meals, Bannan says. All fats are high in calories, though, so stick to two or three servings a day and watch those portion sizes! 

By Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, Shape.com

Read more: The 30 Greatest Flat-Belly Tips of All Time

Which of these flat tummy tips have you tried? What kind of results did you get?

10 Greatest Flat Tummy Tips of All Time

Everything you need to shrink your stomach, reduce bloating and prepare for that bikini. 

Drink and Still Shrink 
The liver processes alcohol before other carbs and protein, and the sheer presence of alcohol in the body slows fat burning, says Diane Henderiks, R.D., personal chef and founder of Dish with Diane. You can still hit happy hour, just stick to one drink—that’s 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces beer, or 1 ounces of a spirit—a day. 

Chill Out 

Anxiety produces extra cortisol, the hormone that encourages the body to store fat—particularly in the abdominal region. Practicing deep-breathing exercises has been known to help alleviate stress levels, so hit the “pause” button in your mind every hour and take five to 10 deep-belly breaths, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for 10 counts. 

Chow Down 
Eating too little will force your body into "starvation mode," which will cause it to store added fat for energy (out of fear of not being fed) rather than burning fat and keeping your belly taut, Henderiks says. 

Keep Cardio in Check 
Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, which means the more you have, the faster your metabolism is and the more calories you burn all day long—all key for a whittled middle. Resistance training builds this quality lean muscle, so do two to three total-body strength sessions a week, says Tom Holland, exercise physiologist and author of Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag. For fat-melting cardio, all you need to do is your weight, he adds: If you’re 145 pounds, do 145 minutes a week, broken up however fits into your schedule—say, 60 minutes Saturday, 45 Tuesday, and 40 Thursday.  

Get Wholed Over 

In a Penn State study, dieters who ate whole instead of refined grains lost more fat from around their midsections. And Tufts University researchers reported that people who included three servings of whole grains and less than one serving of refined carbs daily had 10 percent less visceral fat than those who did not follow this diet. 

Work Every Angle 
When doing an abs circuit, think about all three planes of motion, says celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson, who works with Sofia Vergara, Kim Kardashian, and Vanessa Lachey: Try crunches and reverse crunches to hit your sagittal (front to back and up and down) plane, standing side bends for frontal (side-to-side) movement, and chops or twists for transverse (rotational) action. This will help challenge and therefore define your abs. 

Gulp Green 

Multiple studies show that EGCG, an antioxidant in green tea, helps boost metabolism and may specifically target abdominal fat. Most research has used high doses of tea, but even if you can’t manage to guzzle gallons, any amount is beneficial. 

Hit Snooze 
Not only can a lack of zzzs slow your metabolism, a 2012 study showed that people who were sleep-deprived had subcutaneous fat cells (the ones right below your skin) that were more insulin resistant, which can lead to weight gain, says Patricia Bannan, R.D., author of Eat Right When Time is Tight. 

Hit the Herb Rack 
Ginger, peppermint, and chamomile seem to aid in digestion and may reduce bloating, Henderiks says. If you don’t like herbal tea, snack on pineapple—it contains bromelain, an enzyme that appears to do the same. 

Watch the Sugar
Mama Research shows the average American eats about 20 teaspoons of sugar daily, often hidden in processed foods, including “healthy” ones such as yogurt, frozen dinners, sauces, and salad dressings. Twenty teaspoons adds up to 325 empty calories a day, and insulin production increases with sugar intake, which can slow your metabolism, making it harder to burn those empty calories. Read labels and try to reduce your intake as much as possible. 


By Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman, Shape.com

10 more tips tomorrow and another 10 the day after.

Which of these flat tummy tips have you tried? What kind of results did you get?