Do you struggle with that stubborn belly fat, and can’t seem to get rid of it.  I know the feeling all too well, my lower back, sides, and lower belly have stored unwanted fat my whole life.  Just 4 weeks ago I started an amazing program, and I am FINALLY see that fat shrink.  I know it would be helpful for me to share it with you all what has been working for me, as women and moms we seem to store fat in the midsection more than any other area.

I was in a plateau for almost 7 months, I tried so many different things, I even started working out twice a day and literally was going NO WHERE!!  I found out I have a sensitivity to gluten, I was sick to my stomach for a week straight, I felt bloated and super gassy.  When I don’t feel good I tend to want to eat junk food more than fueling my body with good whole food.  I looked into the symptoms and found out that gluten can cause you to feel that way.  So first off I started cutting out gluten, and after a week I felt much better.  Then I decided to look into a few things and I ran across IIFYM or flexible dieting.  I read up on it, I have tried this before, even read a book about it but it literally all went over my head. I started by reaching out to a few friends that were more familiar with it than me, they lead me to a group of other women doing it, also sent me an E-book on IIFYM.   That is where it all started and I am so thankful I decided to give it a try because it has helped me get in control of my diet and really dial in my nutrition.  Once I started to get used to tracking my macros I felt so in control, I then was listening to a call from a mentor and she mentioned even though I am coach I should look into working with a nutrition coach or personal trainer this would help me get out of my plateau, also teach me more about nutrition and how to fuel my body correctly without over working it.  So 4 weeks ago I started a program with a personal trainer that incorporated carb cycling and intermittent fasting, I will go into more detail a little later.  Here is my list of 5 tips that has helped me lose the stubborn fat in the midsection.  This is the first time I have felt the fat shrink in those target areas.

1. I started using My Fitness Pal to track all my food, this gave me an idea where my proteins, fats, and carbs were at those are the components of our food.  Everyone is going to have different macro percentages, we all have different goals whether its to shed fat, gain muscle, or maintain a healthy weight.  I love My Fitness Pal because it actually will provide you with macros to begin with and then you can use a fancy calculator and get the exact number of macros.  I recommend using the percentages My Fitness Pal gives you at first.  I love tracking my macros for a couple reason.  One – I can have a treat every once in a while and not feel guilty and beat myself up about it.  Two – this makes you have to plan out your meals so .  it makes it easier to log all of your food each day.
2. I started looking into carb cycling.  What exactly does carb cycling mean  anyways?  I knew you would ask.  While it has a fancy name, carb cycling simply means eating more carbohydrates on some days and less on others.High carb days promote muscle growth and help you perform at your best, while low carb days encourage fat loss (or at least, minimize fat gain).  I eat more proteins, green leafy veggies, and healthy fats on my low carb days.  I feel my leanest on those days, but still feel super satisfied.

   Rule 1: On the days that you do your most intense workouts (like lifting weights or bodyweight exercises), eat starchy carbs (sweet/white potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, oats) and fruit along with protein, vegetables, and healthy fats (nut butters, raw nuts, raw seeds, olive oil).
   Rule 2: On the days that you’re either off from the gym or are doing some kind of cardio, don’t eat any starchy carbs, but continue to eat protein, vegetables, healthy fats and a limited amount of fruit.

3. Intermittent fasting, I know what the heck is this?  We are always told not to go without eating since our body would store fat by going into starvation mode.  Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. It does not say anything about which foods to eat, but rather when you should eat them. There are several different intermittent fasting methods, all of which split the day or week into eating periods and fasting periods.  I have been doing a lot of research on intermittent fasting and there are different styles to fast.  When I first tried it I was nervous because I am so used to eating every 2-3 hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.  The first day after fasting I felt great.
4. Cutting out all dairy and gluten is part of the plan I am following its called The All Day Fat Burning Diet.  It is a book and the author explains how our body works with our brain and talks about insulin and hormone levels. He also talks about fasting and low carb days that is incorporate into his 5 day cycle.  I recommend reading it, it is super interesting.  So I have cut out gluten and dairy for the reason that I usually end up having a belly ache when I do eat something in those food groups.  It actually causes inflammation in your stomach causing you to feel bloated, gassy, and just not right.  I cannot believe the difference it has made in my midsection on the inside and out.
5. I work out less like I said before I thought I needed to workout more and so I started working out 2 times a day, and I know for sure I wasn’t eating enough food.  I normally workout 4 times a week and take 2 rest days.  I used to not be able to  take rest day without going crazy.  Over working our body is not going to get us better results.  I have learned doing the right type of workouts and fueling my body the way it needs to be fueled is working best for me and my goals I want to achieve.  My body has been responding really well.

I was so excited to share these tips with you, and I truly hope to help as many women as possible reach their goals and live a happy and healthy life.   If you want to join me in this journey I offer an online program that starts with the basics of tracking your macros and I’ll teach you how to dial in that nutrition without feeling like you are on a diet.  Contact me through Facebook or email me at kyky_10@icloud.com for more details on my next program starting.