A lot of people have been looking into healthier alternatives to losing the tummy, as a result many of us are now realizing how important it is to consume less and move a lot more.

One of the biggest trends in vanity fitness is having nice ripped six-pack abs, and people are willing to do absurd and often mundane things to achieve it. Interest soon diminishes, and the result is a reversion back to the old self.

Before you feel you have tried everything, I suggest fasting. It's something that I preach about always, and there are many ways that it can get accomplished. I have long mornings and need extended amounts of natural energy without relying heavily on food consumption. I not only set an eating window for myself, but I also structure my eating based on the low carbohydrate fast that activates Ketogenesis. The principles behind it make your body eat away at unwanted fat and uses it as energy. This habit gives us a considerable advantage when the goals of staying lean year-round are wanted. Believe it or not, this is a practice already used by many elite endurance athletes who need sustainable energy during competition.

With Ketogenesis and Ketogenic style dieting paired with fasting, it is a simple principle of reducing carbohydrates. BUT WAIT THAT'S NOT ALL! The thought of lowering your carbohydrates may seem cliche, and it is unhealthy if done improperly, however with the ketogenic diet, you replace the calories lost from carb reduction with additional consumption of proteins and fats, which can both get converted into energy, to replenish the lost calories. The trade-off should be 1:1 calorie-wise, meaning that for every gram of carb taken away, replace it with either a gram of protein or about .4g of fats or a combination of both.

The Ketogenic diet refers to a way of eating that promotes the absorption of ketones for energy. These Ketones get created when your body uses fat to produce energy instead of doing that same process with sugar. Typically, when we eat foods high in carbohydrates, two things happen :
Food gets broken down into usable energy called glucose.
Insulin gets released to direct the glucose to be either immediately used for energy or stored for future use.
Since most of us eat a high carbohydrate diet, our body will get glucose from our foods, leaving no means to dig into our fat reserves. When you over-consume, any excess carbs that do not get used get added to our protruding belly's problem.

Reducing your carbohydrate intake can force your body to use your reserve. When this happens, we start to produce ketones, a kick-starter for ketosis, where usable energy derives from the breakdown of our body fat.
Our bodies are incredibly adaptive to the things we put in it, and with the principles of a ketogenic diet, our bodies will begin to break down body fat stores into a new primary source of energy.
Some benefits in taking on a ketogenic diet may include:

1. Increase in brain function by way of memory and learning
2. A larger portion of abdominal fat usage and breakdown
3. Decrease heart disease risk factor
4. Increase levels of good cholesterol
5. Can lose 2-3 times more fat in comparison to reducing the intake of fats or proteins
6. Can help reduce your appetite

Even though this process does not starve you of overall calories, it does starve you of carbohydrates, so those that suffer from blood sugar aliment should look into this. I advise you to please consult with your primary physician whenever starting a new wellness program. With anything new, always remember it takes practice.
If you need help with weight loss or are looking for a healthy lifestyle shift, please book your consultation. 

Weight Weight Fluctuating daily due to the amount of fluid we retain. Foods high in sodium, menstrual cycles, medications, and lack of bowel movements can all increase fluid retention and skew your weight. The good thing about working out is that with consistency over time, the real story gets revealed. If your weight creeps up after two or three weeks, you have been eating more calories than burning, and of course, this comes with the small exception where real medical attention might be needed.

When measuring progress, I like going about it by measuring the inches lost, expressed energy levels, fitting clothing, or body fat measurements if proper tools happen to be available.

Gaining lean muscle through strength training is another way to gauge progress. For example, if you have gained a pound of lean muscle, this is far different from gaining a pound of fat. Gaining muscle is beneficial to both your metabolism and overall strength. By consistently burning more calories than you consume, muscle gain will eventually taper off; however, fat loss will continue, and that scale will ultimately capture the results.

Weighing yourself at least once a week will help keep you in check to make proper adjustments. To minimize Weight Fluctuating follow these few tips:

1. Wear similar clothing before each weigh-in
2. Stay consistent with the scale that you use
3. Maintain the same eating and drinking habits before weigh-in
4. Be aware of relying heavily on Monday weigh-ins, as they tend to get offset because of poor eating habits and lack of tracking ​​over the weekends

Weight Fluctuating can happen due to many factors such as lack of sleep, dehydration, inconsistent eating, high sodium foods, and let's not forget losing the fight against self and will power. Keeping your eye on the prize will always help you stay away from any distractions during the process.
If you are having trouble with your weight loss program.
​Please feel free to reach out for your in-person or virtual consultation. Book by Clicking Here!