10 ways to battle your belly bulge.

 Arinola Adeniyi - Nigeria

Abdominal obesity, belly pooch, spare tyre, belly fat, protruding stomach, pot belly, midriff bulge, central obesity...
I could go on and on, but it's just the nomenclature for a challenge common to a lot of us.

Long gone are the days when a robust mid section would be termed as a sign of prosperity or the size of a person's bank account.

Abdominal obesity raises the risk of some health problems-diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack or long term heart disease.

A tape measurement of 35'' or more in women is classified as abdominal obesity.

It is so easy to gain and difficult to get rid of.

Diet, starvation, abstaining from those things which you love best, two hours on the treadmill for those physically strong enough but alas! The fat is not shifting!

You are depressed, self esteem is low, feelings of discomfort, your belt can't stay on your waistline so you have stopped bothering to use one. You can't tuck in your shirts or blouses to show off the beautiful waistband of your skirt or pair of trousers.

The original purpose of belly fat is to form a protective layer around the internal organs but the sheer size of fat stored is strangling the life of the organs it was designed to protect.

Fat located around the belly is quite different from fat located in other places because of its proximity to our organs.

Let us look at 10 ways to battle the bulge and have a flat stomach:
1. Make long term lifestyle choices.

2. Cut back on calories. Reduce your caloric intake daily.

3. Eat less junk (comfort/convenience food) and sugar. This will translate into eating less as well as better calories.

4. Drink more water; sometimes hunger pangs are usually the body's need for water.

5. Start an exercise routine. Get plenty healthy exercise. Regular cardio exercise, swimming, walking, cycling. Just stomach exercise does not help lose belly fat, maybe not that much. Stomach exercises tone the abdomen, make them stronger but not to burn fat!

6. Cut out alcohol

Alcohol is a form of energy which adds to your caloric intake. It does not contain any nutrients at all, so the energy consumed turns into belly fat.

7. Shun late night meals/snacks.

This is because there is never much activity done after and you go straight to bed. This causes high sugar level in the blood, which turns into belly fat quickly.

8. Get a herbal steam therapy:

This therapy is concentrated on the belly and it improves peripheral circulation by vasodilatation. This opens the pores in the stomach, absorbs the fat burners, eliminates impurities through sweat, helps with inflammation and bloating and provides lightness to the body. The therapeutic effect of herbal steam therapy is undeniable. The effect is swift and tangible.

9. G5 - Deep power massager will assist in breaking down the stubborn fat.

10. Increase/boost your metabolism and build lean muscle tissue.

You need to embrace life and pay more attention to your core. Your health is your best investment, so safeguard your midriff.

A wise man, Adelle Davis, once said, 'everyday you do one of two things-build health or produce disease in yourself.' Regimen is superior to medicine. Make long lasting lifestyle choices that would improve the quality of your well-being.