According to the National Institute of Health, a waistline larger than 40 inches for men can signal significant risk of heart disease and diabetes.  In fact if your waist size isn’t closer to 35 inches then you might want to get to work on decreasing it.

What is scary is that the average American man’s waist  size is a frightening 38.8 inches according to the journal of Obesity Research. That means a lot of men are at high risk of myocardial infarction or heart attack. The facts are almost identical for the women as well. Women with flabby midsections are at an increased risk for the same health problems.

Although having nice rock hard abs is healthy it’s not a get out of the hospital free card. Studies do show that by developing a strong abdominal section, you’ll reduce body fat and significantly cut the risk factors associated with many diseases, not just heart disease.

It is a fact that the incidence of cancer among obese patients is 33% higher than among lean ones.

The World Health Organization estimates that up to one third of cancers of the colon, kidney, and digestive tract are caused by being overweight, eating unhealthy, and or inactive.

What Causes Cancer

Cancer is caused by mutations that occur in cells as they divide and fat tissue in your abdomen spurs your body to produce hormones that prompt your cells to divide. More cell division means more opportunities for cell mutations, which means more cancer risk.

Diabetes is another risk factor that is connected to your abdominal section. Currently, 13 million Americans have been diagnosed with adult-onset diabetes, and that doesn’t include all those who are not diagnosed. Many people believe that diabetes comes only from eating too much refined sugar, like the kind in chocolate and other candies, but that’s simply not true. Scarfing down a basket of bread and a bowl of pasta can do the same to your body as a tub full or sugary ice cream.

In the end a smaller waist equals fewer health risks, the choice is yours.

I’ve been there myself. For years I struggled with “trying to lose weight” and lack of motivation.

I knew I needed to lose weight. I wanted to lose weight but after a long day’s work I simply wanted to relax on the couch and order some take out food.

Getting some exercise or even having a healthy meal was just so hard to do. I’d then feel guilty and ashamed of myself for lacking any motivation or will-power.

I struggled with how to get motivated to lose weight until I discovered a few simple ways that got me off that couch, that stopped me from eating the wrong foods and got me to do the “simple things” I needed to do to lose weight and keep it from coming back.

1. I clearly identified “Why” I wanted to lose weight in the first place.

So, to follow in my foot steps ask yourself “Why do I want to lose weight?” Then write down the reasons “Why” you want to lose weight on a piece of paper or better yet in a journal. Go…do it now. And make this the first day that you absolutely start your weight loss process.

1. Be very SPECIFIC about your reasons.

2. Talk about it in the “present tense” like it is already happening.

The more SPECIFIC you get, the more REAL it will be for YOU. Relate your reasons to your present life rather than in the distant future. What do you want NOW and exactly why do you want it?

You should be able to PICTURE your reasons “Why?” visually.

For example:

I’m losing weight so I can have a slimmer face, clear and glowing skin.

Versus: I want to lose weight so I can look better.

My husband or my boyfriend or my crush notice and complement me for how great I look.

Versus: I want people to notice and pay attention to me.

I’m more confident when I talk to my boss at work and I can see how he appreciates the great work I’m doing.

Versus: I can be more confident about myself

See what’s happening here?… The more SPECIFIC you’re getting to “Why?” you want to lose weight and the more your reasons relate to your present life, the more you get motivated to lose weight and actually making it happen RIGHT NOW.

2. Surround yourself with the right PEOPLE that keep you motivated to lose weight.

Being around the right people all the time is critical to getting and staying motivated to lose weight.

You know there’s a saying that goes like…. “tell me who your 5 closest friends are and I’ll tell you who you are”

Who you spend time with and surround yourself with makes a huge difference in the actions you take and the habits you form.

Just hang out with slim people long enough and you’ll POSITIVELY see the difference in yourself.

If your 5 best friends are slim and fit and you surround yourself with slim people, then there’s only 1 of 2 things that can happen.

1. They develop the habits to put on weight or 2. You get influenced to lose weight and become more “like them”.

You will subconsciously do the things you need to lose weight from just surrounding yourself with the right people.

Be around positive, reinforcing people. People that support and re-assure you. Stay away from negative people even if they are your current best friends and family!

Negativity can pull you down. But positive vibrations from positive people will lift you up and keep you on track and motivated to keep losing weight and staying healthy.

Start today by associating yourself with the right people online. Your facebook friends, youtube friends and even weight loss support groups and communities online will help you with how to get motivated to lose weight and stay motivated.

3. Put together your 2 “What If?….” sheets NOW.

What if I do…? And What if I don’t…? On your What if I do…? sheet write down at the top…

“These are GREAT CHANGES that are going to happen to me starting 1) tomorrow, 2) within 2 months and 3) in 1 to 2 years.”

Then write down every single GOOD CHANGE you can imagine that will happen to you in the immediate, short term and long term time frames….if you START TAKING ACTION NOW to lose weight.

So for example:

On the What if I do…? sheet you could be writing things like….

- Tomorrow I will feel great about having started to take the actions to lose weight. I will stop feeling guilty. Instead I’m more empowered since I’m on the right track.

- Tomorrow I will simply wake up feeling better and more energetic since I’m going to eat right tonight.

- Within 2 months from today I will have lost XXX (enter your specific goal) pounds or kilos.

- Within 2 months from today, my boyfriend/ my husband will be telling me how I’m losing weight and looking great!

- Within 1 year I’ll be shopping for those new clothes that perfectly fit my hourglass figure.

- Within 1 year, I’ll be talking about my own weight loss success story and inspiring so many others to follow in my foot steps.

- Within 1 year I’ll have so much more energy to play with my kids, spend more quality time with my husband and do so many more fun activities.

Now on your 2nd sheet, write down all the THINGS you can imagine that will happen if you DON’T TAKE ACTION NOW to lose weight…

At the end of each sentence also write….. I will not let this happen.

So for example:

On the What if I don’t…? sheet you could be writing things like….

- Tomorrow I will feel guilty again for not doing anything to start losing weight. I will not feel good knowing that I’m not on the right track. I will not let this happen.

- Tomorrow I will wake up feeling tired and lethargic again! I’ll have a hard time getting out of bed and feel low energy. I will not let this happen.

- In 2 months from today I will be the same. Worse, I could have gained more weight. I’ll be scared to stand on the scale and embarrassed with myself. I will not let this happen.

- In 2 months from today my husband will still not see any changes in me and I’ll be the same weight and have the same body. I’ll feel like I’m letting him down and myself down again. I will not let this happen.

- In 1 year’s time I’ll still be wearing clothes to “try” to hide my weight and appear thin. I’ll be self conscious about going in public and meeting new people because of my weight. I will not let this happen.

- In 1 year’s time my boyfriend may not find me physically attractive anymore and may want to leave me. I may have a hard time finding a “significant other” that thinks I’m attractive and wants to be with me. I will not let this happen.

Now that you’ve written down all the things you can imagine, you have a vivid and clear picture for getting motivated to lose weight. Be aware of your 2 “What If…” lists. Read your lists 3 times a week.

See what’s happening? Yes, you’re getting motivated to lose weight NOW even as you’re reading your lists.

Keep doing this and you’ll find yourself taking ACTION. Then your habits are changing quickly. Then you start SEEING RESULTS.

As soon as you see RESULTS, you REINFORCE your actions and that in turn motivates you to take more action. And this is a powerful positive cycle to be in.

I, Dr Ashok Patil guarantee you that you will:

1. get motivated to lose weight

2. start taking the right actions to lose weight and keep it off

3. never want to look back – so you’ll stay motivated.

-By: Dr. Ashok Patil

I’m committed to helping you lose weight and helping you live your best life now. I’m here to inform you, encourage you and be by your side as you get motivated to lose weight. Talk to me, leave comments and share your results with me on my blog post http://www.topweightlossdoctor.com/how-to-get-motivated-to-lose-weight/

Dr. Ashok Patil has dedicated several years of his life towards coaching and mentoring thousands of people worldwide to lose weight, keep it off, increase their energy levels and lead an optimally healthy life. He has implemented what he teaches himself, introduced it to his own family with results and is on an ever growing mission of helping people worldwide lose weight and live a healthier and longer life.

It is important to learn the science of losing weight. When we learn the science of losing weight, we empower ourselves through knowledge and we can enjoy permanent and healthy weight-loss.

Losing weight is a science therefore we must take a scientific view of how we gain weight in the first place. For instance, did you know that 80% of all people who are overweight are food addicts and emotional eaters? Did you know that food addiction and emotional eating is the result of chemicals found in the foods you eat? The science of losing weight explains how this happens. From day 1 of our lives, not only was food associated with emotional comfort in our mother’s arms, it also induced our brain to secrete a “happy feeling” chemical that is a hundred times stronger than some alcohol and drugs.

Unfortunately, this resulting physiological factor can overwhelm anyone’s willpower effectively and quickly. This makes losing weight very difficult. In our society, we celebrate with food. Birthday parties, we have food. Holidays, we have food. But what makes losing weight a task for many is those highly addictive processed foods full of sugars, starches, and empty calories. These foods were designed to be addictive. A certain brand of potato chips declared, “you can’t eat just one.” We are addicted to the fat, starches, sugars, and other non-living chemicals found in breads, pastas, thick rich sauces, cheeses, meat, cured meats, processed meats, flour, treats, potato chips and a myriad of other dead foods filled with empty calories and void of nutrients.

As one can see, these foods are called “comfort” foods for a reason. As you eat these foods, a “feel good hormone” is released called serotonin. However, the release is sharp and unregulated which causes us to crash soon afterwards. There are foods we can eat in certain combinations and quantities that will release serotonin. As such, we will feel ecstatic throughout the day without a dreadful crash and loss of energy.

You cannot pile on the chemical laden comfort foods and expect to lose weight. The food industry has played on our love for comfort foods and cause an epidemic of obesity especially in America. Consequently, this is the law of chemical affinity at work in the worst way.

Let’s look at another scientific component to weight-loss. Did you know that properly combining your food will trigger the chemical reaction that promotes weight loss and keep it off? There are specific ways in which we can combine our foods that will help us quickly metabolize fat, carbohydrates, and proteins, use them for energy, and prevent storing additional fat in the body. If you have a proper metabolic rate, then losing weight will be steady and faster.

In fact, proper food combinations help to keep our body at proper pH levels for burning fat stored on the body. With these efforts, your body will better respond to your exercise and fitness program. Losing weight will be a natural process without losing energy. This will allow you to literally reshape your body!

Have no fear! You can eat plenty of food and still lose weight. The science of losing weight demands that you do eat. The key is to eat 6 small meals a day that are properly pH balanced to enhance your body’s metabolism. Your body contains a natural fat burner that just needs to be charged up.

In order to know what to do and when to do it, we must get accurate information. We need to learn more about how our bodies work and how we can keep our bodies healthy, fit, vital, and strong.

Empower yourself with knowledge and wisdom about the science of losing weight. Get control over your life and your body.

-By: Carmellita Brown

Carmellita M. Brown is an Author, Wellness Coach, and Success Coach who has lost over 60 pounds and kept it off for 5 years using her “Simple Science to Losing Weight” also known as pH Vitality. Ms. Brown is also the online instructor for “Lose Weight While Becoming a Wellness Coach” available at http://universalclass.com/i/crn/9478.htm and the Online Course “Abundance Training 101: The Universal Law of Abundance available at http://universalclass.com/i/crn/14056.htm

Though most people talk about regulating food intake and having an adequate amount of exercise, there is another way which is equally important like the two factors mentioned. All these three factors are interdependent with one another.

Eat the Right Kinds of Food

Food is a major aspect that contributes to the rising of cholesterol levels. If you love to eat fatty food like sausages, hamburgers, cheese, hams, and all that then for sure your bad cholesterol will go sky-high. So you need to switch your diet to a much healthier meal. You have to be conscious eating more fibrous foods. Why? It is because it cleanses your body and keeps your weight trimmed down.

Those who are suffering with hypertension, which is the physical state of having more cholesterol levels in the body, can not afford to gain weight. Taking food which contains high fiber can help you achieve the purpose of being in good physical shape, meaning with a lower cholesterol and maintaining an ideal weight.

Of course, you also need to have more carbohydrates to give your body more energy, so that you can be active and get sufficient workout.

Exercise Regularly

Flexing those muscles, especially your heart muscles, is very crucial. When you exercise, it keeps your blood flowing in your arteries. This reduces the chances to have your heart’s blood vessels clog or inflame. Having a healthy heart is a primary objective when a person shows sign of having high cholesterol. This working out must be done regularly. Ideally, you need to jog or brisk walk, or any form of cardio-exercise, at least 30 minutes a day. That is not too much to do for sure. You only need to manage your time.

Natural Cholesterol Supplement With Policosanol

Lastly, you must take a dietary supplement. There are essential nutrients that you can not just get adequately from your healthy serving of food. For instance Policosanol, this is a natural substance that you can get from bees wax and raw sugarcane. This notably helps reduce the bad cholesterol level and raise the level of good cholesterol as well as lower the total triglycerides, without raising blood sugar levels. So when you are searching for a natural cholesterol supplement, find one that contains Policosanol. Nutritional supplement can also enhance your immune system. So that is something you should invest in your body to live a happy and healthy life.

-By: Xylene Belita

When looking for the best natural cholesterol supplement to balance your cholesterol levels, always make sure the product contains natural ingredients, like Policosanol. Protect your heart the right way. Know your options.

By carrying that few extra pounds, you’re actually putting yourself at a lot of risk. Don’t worry you’re not alone many men find it hard to keep that unwanted belly fat off. This is one case where following the crowd isn’t a good idea. Carrying extra weight, especially belly fat can be risky, very risky.

Why is belly fat a major concern for men?

People who gain belly fat are at greater risk of serious health problems than are people who accumulate fat in other areas. I bet you didn’t know that, but get this; men are more likely to gain that extra weight around the waist than women. Having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of many things, take a look below:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Some types of cancer
• Type 2 diabetes
• Insulin resistance
• High triglycerides
• Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol
• Metabolic syndrome
• Sleep apnea

What is too much Belly Fat?

Your waist size is the indicator, whether you have too much belly fat or not. Although measurements that compare your hip and waist circumference (waist-to-hip ratio) or compare your height and weight (body mass index) are more precise, your waist size alone can give you a good estimate. For most men, the risk factors for heart disease and other diseases increase with a waist size greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters). (Advice: Try and stay below 40 inches and you decrease your risk, that’s how I see it.)

(Fact: As you age, you lose muscle, especially if you’re not physically active. Muscle loss can slow the rate at which your body burns calories, make sense right. If you don’t burn those calories, than you will gain them. If you don’t limit your calories or increase your physical activity as you get older you will gain weight.)

Don’t forget about your Genes

Your genes can affect your chances of being overweight or obese, as well as where you carry extra fat on your body. For most men, however, the problem likely has more to do with lifestyle than inherited traits.

Do Sit-ups Really Work?

Sit-ups do help your abdominal muscles get stronger, but sit-ups alone won’t specifically reduce belly fat. The best way to shrink your waist size is to lower your total body fat through healthy eating and intense exercise routes.

How do you get rid of belly fat?

Whether you’re trying to lose belly fat or trim fat from another part of your body, weight-loss basics remain the same:

• Start by reducing your calories.
• Reduce your portion sizes.
• Replace your usual snack foods with healthy foods that contain fewer calories.
• Increase physical activity.
• After you shed excess pounds, maintain your weight loss with a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

For more information about losing excess belly fat do checkout The Truth About Six Pack Abs.

Don’t think this post is here to scare you, it’s just here to help you understand that health eating and exercising does have benefits. Don’t worry ladies I didn’t forget about you…

As you read through Six Pack Ab Training you will notice that I talk a lot about changing your lifestyle. If you want to lose weight, build some muscle, or start leading a healthier life style you have to be willing to make a few changes.

What do I mean by a few changes, checkout these examples below:

1. Sitting in front of our TV’s or Computers for hours is something that should be changed. Is it just me or do people seem to stay in the house more and more? (Fact: I spend a lot of time in front of my computer, but that is simply because I work online, but because I spend so much time on the computer, I don’t watch a lot of TV. I think I watch about 2 hours of Television a week.) There is nothing wrong with staying inside, but you shouldn’t all the time.

It’s a good thing to try and get outside in the open air, maybe go for a walk, see if you have an old bike in the garage. Go to the park, go swimming, I personally enjoy hiking. When you get home don’t go right inside and plop down on the coach, you know once you do you won’t want to get back-up.

2. Hungry want to grab a quick bit from Mc Donald’s or Wendy’s. Maybe not, again nothing wrong with these fast food chains, but you don’t need to go all the time. Try something a bit healthier, maybe a deli-sub or a Salad. (Advice: If you find that you get hungry throughout the day, buy a small cooler and keep it in your car. Fill it with a few fruits, veggie’s and dip, maybe some chips, whole wheat bread sandwiches.)

Those fast food restaurants aren’t built everywhere for your convenience, they are there to make money, don’t fall victim!

3. Long day at work, too tired to go to the gym, you’re thinking maybe tomorrow. Don’t do it, you really have to try not to let yourself of to easy. It’s OK to be hard on yourself, if you start skipping days at the gym, you will find that eventually you’re not going at all. Go to the gym, trust me when I say this when you get there and start working out you will find that you weren’t as tired as you might think. Our body’s are extremely tough and will work if you force them. (Advice: It’s nice to find a gym that’s close to your home, that way you don’t have to make long trips just to go to the gym.)

Think about it this way if you can get use to an unhealthy unfit lifestyle, then you can get use to a healthy and physically fit lifestyle. I will be returning to this topic in the near future so please check back every once and a while.

Thanks for visiting Six Pack Ab Training, be sure to leave and comments of questions you might have.