That bothersome paunch
Dear Donovan,
I recently attended a health forum where the presenter suggested that we eat fish, nuts, cherries and drink milk to lose weight and blast belly fat. I am five feet 11 inches tall and I weigh 202 pounds. I am 30 years old, but I have a little paunch that I really want to get rid of. I have incorporated these into my diet and I exercise for an hour each day. Unfortunately everywhere seems to be trimming down except my belly. How can you help?
— Roxine
Good day Roxine,
I am very happy to hear that since you have made some changes in your eating habits and exercise programme you have been trimming down nicely. However, it would have been nice if you told me how many pounds you have lost since you started your programme.
At 202 pounds, there still might be some weight for you to lose. But your bone structure and body composition should be assessed going forward. In losing weight, the weight on the scale is important, but how you’re looking and feeling are also important. In order to lose weight, your calorie intake will also have to be less.
So in having your milk, fish, cherries and nuts, it is quite possible that your calories would have gone down. You are also exercising for an hour. However, in order for weight loss to be continuous, you will have to continue to make changes over time in your diet and exercise programme.
That aside, I see where your main concern is your paunch. My thought is that you have lost some inches from your entire body in weight, but your paunch was always noticeable compared to the rest of you. There are some questions going through my mind.
1. Do you have diabetes in your family history?
2. Are you eating late at night?
3. Are you constipated?
Don’t allow your stomach to get out of control. It is not only about the looks, but a large tummy is associated with many health issues, for example, diabetes and stroke. In order to get your tummy down, I would suggest you continue with your weight loss programme.
If you lose weight, you will lose it from your entire body including your stomach. In addition, I would suggest you do a nine-night detox programme. This will help to remove some unwanted food material and fat. The aim is to get the stomach down to a situation where it is skinny and soft. The next stage would be to tighten your core muscles by doing exercise, including crunches, sit- ups and others. Cosmetic surgery is also an option.
Good luck!
We will answer your weight- related questions
Are you struggling to lose weight or just need some advice on living a healthier life? Tell us about your health issues and we’ll have nutritionist and wellness coach Donovan Grant answer them for you. Grant has over 12 years experience in the fitness industry and is the owner of DG’s Nutrition and Wellness Centre, Suite 16, 39 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5. Send your questions to clarkep@jamaicaobserver.com.
