Sugar alone contributes to belly fat?

[Anonymous]

Thinking of changing my diet, and maybe I should learn a little more but I'm mostly looking to lose this annoying amount of belly fat, it's not too much but enough that I want to change it.

I'm confused on whether I need to exercise more, or is it my sugar intake...I know exercising and a healthy diet should be apart of my lifestyle... I just want to know about sugar though

[candlewax]

Excess sugar is turned into storage which is what creates that fat. Excess food that isn't used for energy is stored as fat.

Sugar isn't the only guilty one here, basically.

You may want to figure out what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) to figure out what is essential to function.

link This can give you an idea of how the whole process works and what your specific needs are. From there, you can get a rough idea of what amount of calories are needed in order to lose weight (with exercise). (go from BMR calculator, to daily calorie calculator, to calories needed to lose weight on the site).

Keep in mind that belly fat is chemically different, which is why it's such a pain to get rid of. So don't get discouraged if you see fat disappear everywhere else first. It'll get there.

Assuming that you're in good health with no heart problems, moderate intensity cardio at least 40-60 minutes a day will be most effective in weight loss/burning fat. It's important to keep that time in mind (and work your way up to an hour if you're out of shape and/or start off at a slow pace/low intensity so you can reach an hour) because there's a specific point during exercise where your body switches from burning carbs (immediate stores) to fat (reserved stores).

link is also a good resource for information. We used it all the time to help us out with exercise prescriptions in class. ;)

[madmisskelly]

Diet is the majority of weight loss. Exercise is very important but if your diet isn't in place then exercise won't do that much.

Cut out added sugar- no soda, prepackaged stuff, etc.

Breakfast- yogurt, eggs, whole wheat toast, oatmeal (unsweetened)

lunch- fruit, veggies, some kind of protein and fiber

dinner- veggies, protein, fiber

throw in some snacks between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner.

strive for about 1500 but no less than 1200.

When you pick foods, look at the nutrients. Is it low in fiber? then you will just be hungry again soon, so that 200 calories you just ate for a snack won't have done much- the basics of what it means to be empty calories. Whole grain pita chips, an apple, etc, all great ideas for low calorie but nutrient dense foods.

[kheserthorpe]

Weight loss is primarily about diet. In theory, exercise can help create a larger caloric deficit if not fully offset by increased eating. In practice, dieters who exercise lose weight only a little more quickly then those who don't. Those who diet while strength training do the best.

On the other hand, those who exercise have been shown to keep the weight OFF better.

If you are creating a mild calorie deficit a balanced diet is in order. Sugar indeed would be the first thing to cut aggressively.

If you are creating a more extreme diet, I think you need to be more protein skewed then otherwise. Some fat is also essential carbs are actually not (though they are essential for maximal athletic performance, they are not essential for survival).

Stress and high glycemic foods (like sugar) are likely to result in more of your bodyfat being stored on your waist vs. elsewhere.

[Claretica]

This is the only answer that is pretty much on target.

[posted]

Well sugar turns into fat I hear, unused calories, bad carbs.

Something I read said eat 100 calories under your needed calories to help burn off fat.

Some people say multiply your weight by 10 for a rough estimate.

[udolipixie]

SUgAr alone contributes to belly fat?

No unhealthy carbs, unhealthy fat, and stress also contribute to belly fat.

I'm confused on whether I need to exercise more, or is it my sugar intake

Most likely you need a calorie deficit, more cardio then strength training focusing on your core, and to limit your carb/fat/sugar intake

[hotxos]

no , but it helps it for gaining!

[T00THpaste4]

Do some situps. It's that simple.

[Asker]

I hope so, I'd probably see better results if I left the sugar alone in combination with this.

[T00THpaste4]

If you ditch the sugar, then you're gonna crash, get all depressed, start eating more, and gain a ton of weight. Eat whatever you want in moderation. Just do situps too.

[T00THpaste4]

Whoever thumbs downed this can go f*** themselves. You clearly have no concept of fitness or good nutrition.

[Claretica]

Stop reduction doesn't exist.

By your theory, if I do pistol squats on a single leg, all the fat on the corresponding thigh will be gone.

That's not how things work.

[T00THpaste4]

I didn't say anything about eliminating any amount of fat. By nature, doing physical work will naturally tone your body. The reason humans are getting FAT is because we sit on our lazy asses all the time doing zero physical work. Everybody has muscle beneath layers of fat. Physical work tones those muscles and brings out their natural shape. Eating in moderation helps reduce the amount of unnatural things you're introducing into your body. This takes time and patience, things that society lacks.