Guest Blog: Belly Fat – 5 Belly Busting Foods

ByDorothy M. Neddermeyer Ph.D.

February 1, 2012: Dr. Travis Stork, co-host of the Emmy Award-winning talk show THE DOCTORS, tackles a topic of great importance to him—the size of a patient’s waistline!. As an ER physician, one of the first vital signs Dr. Travis checks is the amount of belly fat a patient is carrying. This quick assessment helps to determine whether a patient will easily recover from illness or injury, or are in detoriating health like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, pain and disability.
 
In his first-ever solo show on THE DOCTORS, Dr. Travis shares his secrets on how to get rid of that gut, the latest belly-busting food and fitness tips as well as statistics on how extra pounds really do affect your health.  Please feel free to share this information with your friends:

  • Shoppers guide to a flat stomach:
         o   Top 5 belly-busting foods are:
         §  Beans – They fill you up without filling you out.  Choose dried    beans over canned whenever possible.
         §  Eggs – Full of muscle-building protein, the B12 in egg yolks are great energy boosters and keep red blood cells healthy.
        §  Berries – Fibrous and full of antioxidants, it’s always better to eat whole fruit rather than drinking juice.
        §  Dairy – Just three lean servings a day (yogurt, almond milk or cheese) decrease your chances of being overweight by 60%.
        §  Whole grains (NO wheat) – Make sure you read the packages.  The less processed and more fibrous, the better.

                o   Don’t be scared of the snack aisle!  Good choices include:
                §  Dark chocolate – This treat is full of heart-healthy and mood-  enhancing phytochemicals and antioxidants.
                §  Popcorn – Fibrous and low calorie, this crunchy snack has only      93 calories (3 cups, air popped).
                §  Nuts – All types of nuts are inexpensive, easy to store or tote and are jam-packed with heart-healthy nutrients.  Just stick to a small handful, as calories can easily add up.

  • The little things DO make a difference:
    o   Burn three times more calories taking the stairs versus using the elevator.
    o   Just 20 minutes outside a day can increase your energy by 20%.
    o   Eating together as a family can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease.
    o   Walking 30 minutes a day can increase lifespan by 30%.
    o   Drinking ice water (vs. water without ice) can burn up to an additional 500 calories a week.
     
    Also featured in this episode:
  • Bodyviz technology – Through this interactive 3D projection, Dr. Travis shows a cross section an unhealthy, overweight person’s abdomen to get a better understanding of how subcutaneous and visceral fat “hugs” organs and creates an unattractive “beer belly.”  Also, take a look into THE DOCTORS’ anatomy lab where Dr. Travis shows the differences between a health and unhealthy heart, liver and aorta (photo below).
  • Sculpting abs – Once the kitchen is stocked with healthy foods, learn the number one exercise that torches belly fat and helps sculpt and tone the abs.  Hint – it’s not crunches.
  • Stress and Weight Gain – Is stress making people fat?  Learn how chronic stress can cause a frustrating cycle of increased cortisol levels, storage of body fat and more stress.  One woman undergoes a saliva test to check her body’s reaction to stress and learns how to break the cycle for good.
     
    For more information, please visit www.thedoctorstv.com.