The Case of the Stubborn Belly Fat…

Last week in the office belly fat was a big topic on my client’s minds. 

I too have frustrations in this department.

What the heck is it?

• food intolerance
• microbial imbalance issue
• too much fat or carbs in diet
• c-section scars interfering
• cortisol
• being more sedentary
• hormones shifting

With all the variables – where do you start your investigation?

At the root of everything listed above is inflammation (I’ll get to this in a second).

Fat builds up when your detox mechanisms slow and your lymphatic vessels overflow…

…driving the excess nutrients to your fascial tissue versus eliminating them.

Cellulite is extra fat trapped in your fascial tissue wrapping.

It shows up more when estrogen dips causing collagen and elastin levels to decline.

The longer it sits the easier it is for your body to reserve the area for storage. 

Good news…it doesn’t have to be this way. 

And the sooner you catch it the quicker you can get yourself back on track. 

What is it about peri-menopause and menopause that cause this belly fat phenomenon?

• drops in estradiol lead to decline of elastin + collagen allowing for fatty deposits to be visible on the surface
• insufficient levels of magnesium to promote carbohydrate burn
• higher carbohydrate to protein intake
• decreased workout intensity 
• increased sitting causing lymphatic vessel back ups
• microbial imbalance in the gut causing swelling in the abdomen
• toxins and carbs overloading the liver causing decreased fat burn

The common underlying theme of everything above?

Inflammation.

Counter that on multiple levels and you’ll see a change.

Below is my 90 day protocol to reboot the body’s fat flushing capabilities.

• Commit to stop putting toxic things in and on your body. 
• Grab the Yuka App and do an overhaul of your kitchen and hygiene products.
• Once you’ve lowered your toxic inputs it’s time to work out the systems that help you clear toxins and burn fat. 
• Ensure you’re drinking at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces of filtered water a day. 
• Start with a liver, kidney and lymph cleanse then a gut microbiome reset.
• I use Cell Core’s KL Support, Lymphactiv and Biotoxin Binder for a month – one bottle of each. (Click HERE to check them out – code to order: vK1FckRy)
• Then Biocidin Botanical’s Bioclear Reset (Click HERE for info) for a month. 

While you’re working on those two detox phases I recommend…

• Applying castor oil 3-5 nights a week to your liver or abdomen rotating the site every other application.
• Increase your protein to 30-40 grams per meal.
• Choose closest to nature carbohydrates – fruit, veggies, whole grains, potatoes/starches.
• For many 150 grams of carbs or less is ideal for fat loss.
• Carb sweet spots vary per person so this is where you’ll have to adjust and monitor progress.
• Same goes for fats – generally 75 grams or less a day. 
• Opt for fats that are unrefined and ditch seed oils. 
• Eat your protein first at each meal then move to the rest of the food.

If you want to dive in deeper on what your body needs for carb and fat fueling check out the Lumen device.

It senses carbon dioxide from your breath to tell you if you’re in fat or carb burn mode after meals. 

This helps you decipher if you’re doing ok or overdoing portions of carbs at any given meal. 

After you’ve dialed in your food it’s time to assess your movement. 

You’ve likely heard less intensity of workouts is better as you get older.

That’s true in general but it’s a broad statement that has confused some folks.

Get real with yourself about how much you sit during the day. 

This was a huge eye opener for me when I started to work more virtual. 

I gained 10 pounds rather quickly in the transition. 

Movement matters.

You still want to challenge yourself with workouts at least 2 days a week. 

Research has shown sprinting workouts twice weekly with daily 20-30 minutes of zone 2 cardio (heart rate 115-130 sustained) supports a healthy cardiovascular system and promotes fat burn. 

I invite you to look at your workouts and assess…

• do you sweat with each workout?
• are you getting out of breath at least twice a week?
• can you reach a point it’s hard to carry a conversation in a workout at least twice a week?
• do you feel challenged by your workouts?

If you are saying no to any of those it’s time to intensify your workouts.

This doesn’t have to be difficult.

If you’re walking – start adding in stairs or an incline and ensure your heart rate goes up a bit. 

For those who enjoy lifting weights start adding in jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or hops between lifts or at the end of a workout to get your sweat going. 

Floor work like bear crawls or crab walks can spike up the intensity. 

I invite you to use your child-like imagination as even dancing with a little more vigor can help fire up your metabolism. 

I’ve found twisting motions that open up the ribcage have helped my fascial tissue become more mobile. 

I can’t help but wonder if belly fat sets in because our abdominal fascial tissue traps fat because of sitting all day. 

Play with swinging your arms side to side and performing twisting motions.

I channel the modern dancer inside of me, pop on some music and twist turn and roll on the floor.

While I’m certainly not stage worthy – it gets my heart rate up and it’s fun. 

Allowing my body to move in a way that feels good is what matters. 

My pal Anna Rahe’s fascial work GST Body is similar to modern dance in a lot of ways.

If you’re looking for guidance check out Anna’s GST Body – HERE.

Say you’ve tried all those things and the belly just isn’t budging.

Or perhaps you’re dealing with chronic fatigue or an autoimmune condition keeping you from effectively working out.

You can use the combo of radio frequency for deep fat burning with electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) for muscle stimulation to kick things into gear.

There are devices like the InMode’s EvolveX. 

I had the pleasure of trying this out while in Shannon Keenan’s office in Tacoma last week. 

The EvolveX certainly contracted my triceps while providing heat and I wasn’t sore afterwards.

I can see how it would also help the abdomen to target stubborn belly fat – especially for those with a little bit of weight to drop. 

Kicking myself now for not having her put the device on my abdomen!

I have to get over my ticklish belly. 

Hopefully you now have some direction when it comes to tackling belly fat. 

I look forward to hearing how things go!

Here’s to your health,

Dr. J

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