Archive for the tag - muffin top

How to Flatten Your Midsection.

August 16, 2012 By

Hey Davey,

First of all, I want to thank you. You and your blog have helped me lose 20 pounds this summer.

However, I have a problem. Despite my weight loss, I still have a muffin top! I’ve even been trying lower back workouts but nothing seems to work. How can I lose it?

Thanks,
Guillermo

These tips are your ticket to a flatter midsection.

Hey Guillermo,

Congratulations on releasing all that extra weight. You must feel fantastic.

Believe it or not, I’ve become something of a muffin top expert. In fact, your “muffin top” question is probably one of the most common that I get asked.

First things first, “muffin top” is a slang term used to describe excess fat around the body’s midsection. When this fat overhangs an individual’s pants, it looks like a muffin spilling over its casing. Descriptive, I know.

For most of us, the midsection - and often stomach, in particular - is the first place we gain fat and the last place we lose it.

You email also touches upon a popular myth about body fat. You mentioned that your lower back workouts haven’t helped. Unfortunately, there’s no way to target weight loss in a particular part of your body. Though your lower back workouts are likely increasing the amount of muscle in your lower back, they won’t result in you losing weight specifically in your midsection. When you shed fat, it comes off according to its own agenda.

Back in May, I shared five tips for getting rid of muffin tops. In a nutshell, they included:

  1. Not skipping breakfast.
  2. Getting regular sleep.
  3. Cutting back on alcohol.
  4. Engaging in high intensity interval training.
  5. Eating smarter.

If you feel like you’ve really reached a weight loss plateau and are already taking advantage of the above tips and are eating wisely, then it’s time to consider changing other variables in your workout routine:

  1. Increase workout duration and frequency. Depending on your workout regimen and current schedule, you may need to increase your time commitments. For example, you can start working out 4 days a week instead of 3.
  2. Up the intensity. You’ll always get out of your workout what you put into your workout, so add some gusto by increasing your cardio speeds, adding an incline on the treadmill, adding more weights to your repetitions or decreasing rest times.
  3. Add new exercises. Our bodies can adjust to our workouts, so switch things up. You can even consider working with a personal trainer to learn a new routine.

With some hard work, time and dedication, you’ll certainly be able to see some great results and a much flatter midsection.

Enjoy - and congratulations on your weight loss.

Love,
Davey

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5 Tips: How to Get Rid of a Muffin Top.

May 31, 2012 By

Hi Davey,

First off, I just want to say you’re such an inspiration. I read your blog and watch your videos as if they were the bible.

I have been working out and eating as healthy as I can, and I’ve been noticing good results. But how do I get rid of that horrible muffin top? Any tips would be appreciated.

Chris

Dear Chris,

Thanks for the kind words - and for following my blog posts and videos so religiously!

For those of you who don’t know what a “muffin top” is, Wikipedia defines it as:

A generally pejorative slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging fat when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirts in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing.

With the majority of Americans overweight, muffin topping is not an uncommon phenomenon - but there’s plenty that we can do to reduce excess body fat. The general prescription is pretty straightforward: A healthy lifestyle that combines a balanced diet with cardiovascular exercise and strength training. It’s not a gimmick or a quick fix, but - if you put in the time and energy - you will have real and lasting results.

But what are some more specific tips?

  1. Don’t skip breakfast - or any other meals. Many people try to lose fat by cutting meals. Unfortunately, this method backfires. The body will respond by releasing a nasty stress hormone called cortisol. A big and undesirable side effect of cortisol is the retention of fat in the body’s midsection. Cortisol also makes you crave fatty and sugary foods - which, once eaten, can lead to fat gain. Moreover, skipping meals slows down your metabolism, thus resulting in fewer calories burned each day.
  2. Get regular sleep. Cortisol can also be released as a result of insufficient sleep. Ensure that you’re getting 6 - 8 hours of sleep per day, and that your sleep schedule follows a regular pattern.
  3. Cut back on booze. They call it a “beer belly” for a reason. In addition to flooding your body with empty calories, lowering testosterone and causing blood sugar swings, alcohol hinders the process of protein synthesis (i.e., the production of muscle proteins needed to grow your muscles). By preventing muscle growth, you’re not going to make gains at the gym. It also prevents proper muscle function.
  4. Engage in high intensity interval training. Longer cardio sessions aren’t necessarily better. After about 45 minutes, your body will release cortisol as a result of the stress it’s experiencing - undoing all your hard work. Stick to short, effective and efficient cardio sessions. High intensity interval training, as featured in my new workout program, is the best bet.
  5. Clean up your diet. Avoid simple carbs like those found in sugary drinks and processed foods. Complex carbs, like those found in fruits and vegetables, are a much better bet. Eat lean meats, cut back on saturated fats and consume lots and lots of fiber.

Again, I’d caution against trying quick fixes or fad diets to get rid of your muffin top. Such gimmicks often yield no results or are entirely unsustainable. Be in it for the long haul!

Love,
Davey

P.S. In case you missed the big news, this week marked the launch of my brand-new fitness program: Davey Wavey’s Get Ripped Workout! Thank you for making it my most successful launch ever! If you don’t yet have a copy, use discount code “blog” to save 25% before June 7!

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , , , ,

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