I read a shocking statistic the other day about belly fat. It said that stroke risk is 4 times higher in women whose waists were larger than 35 inches and men whose waists were larger than 40 inches than those with normal waists.
This is personal for me because my grandmother died of a stroke when she was only 47 years old. And in my “before” picture, I looked very much like she did – short woman, big belly.
Not only does waist size increase your risk of stroke, but also your risk of developing diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
So women, if your waist is above 35 inches and men, if your waist is above 40 inches, make it your top priority to get your waist out of the danger zone. I did because I did not want anything keeping me from living out my God-given purpose.
To measure your waist size, use the smallest point with your stomach relaxed; if you lack a waist, then measure around your navel. I use a Myotape (you can find one on Amazon.com) to make it easier to get an accurate measurement.
What are some things you can do to reduce belly fat? First, eat mostly real foods the way God made them. Decrease fake food – foods processed and packaged by man. I’ve come to learn that big bellies mostly come from eating a diet high in sugar, white flour products (white pasta, cookies, crackers, bread) and other processed foods.
When you eat sugar and simple carbohydrates like most breads, pastas, fruit juices, and sugared drinks, your body breaks them down very quickly into glucose, flooding your bloodstream. Your body then releases insulin to try to restore balance. Insulin not only moves the excess glucose into the cells but it is also a fat-storing hormone.
So if you are trying to lose belly fat and still eating a diet high in sugar and other processed foods, then it is like trying to start a fire with damp wood! Eating sugar and simple carbohydrates also can increase food cravings. The more you eat, the more you want. But eating real food gives your body the nourishment it needs.
Turn up your fat burning furnace by swapping sugar and simple carbohydrates for increased fibrous vegetables, especially the green ones like Turnip greens, Mustard greens, Collards, Cabbage, Broccoli, Spinach, Watercress, Kale, Bok Choy and all types of salad greens (go easy on the salad dressing because many varieties are loaded with calories), high fiber fruit like apples, pears, and oranges, and lean protein like fish, chicken, turkey, beef, and eggs. These keep your blood glucose stable – no insulin overloads!
Drink water or herbal teas, especially green tea. You can sweeten with Stevia if you like (a natural sweetening herb). Don’t substitute fruit juice…you need the whole fruit. The fiber in the whole fruit satisfies your sweet tooth and because the sweetness is naturally packaged with fiber (God is so smart), it does not cause the sharp spike in glucose like the fruit juice does.
Foods and drinks with high fructose corn syrup will also make your belly size increase. Soft drinks are loaded with it. Eliminate those from your diet. In addition, go through your refrigerator and cabinet and eliminate products with high fructose corn syrup. When I did this, I was shocked at how many products contain it – products like salad dressings, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, meat marinade, and others. You can always substitute brands without it.
If you want to know more about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup, then this video will blow you away: Sugar: The Bitter Truth. It’s long and the doctor’s language is colorful at times, but it is great information.
Remember, experts say that waist size is now the best indicator of your risk of disease. So eat real food in reasonable amounts – vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and limited amount of whole grain products – and your waist will love you for it!
Be blessed with health, healing, and wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author/Christian Life Coach of the Take Back Your Temple program
P.S. When it comes to weight loss, do you often know what you should do but have a hard time doing it?
I struggled with this issue on my own weight loss journey, but I discovered that “Nothing is different until you think differently.”
The value of the Take Back Your Temple program is that you will learn how to think differently through using Biblical keys to overcome obstacles. You’ll discover how to win the Spiritual and mental battle that often causes us to become inconsistent and get off-track on our weight loss journey.
Join a community of like-minded Christians losing weight and keep it off.
Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program
I really agree with this, we should not be super focused on food but by no means should we make bad choice either. I made that mistake and my stomach has been huge despite my small frame. I have really struggled with bread and I know that whilst Jesus is the bread of life but I do not think he had mans overproduced goop in mind when he made the comparison. I think he was talking about a good rye bread, whole, rich and nourishing just like him.
I found the link to your website on Marianne Williamson’s website – A course in Weight Loss. I, too, have been a fan of Geneen Roth for many years, but was disappointed that Geneer Roth left our God out of her book – just used the word….What are your feelings about Marianne Williamson’s book. I soooooo need to end tyranny food has had over my life. I accepted Jesus when I was 16 years old, and am now 63. I know my God is all power and love, but it seems no matter how much I have prayed asking for Him to help me, deliver me of the food I use to take care of my fears, and other emotional needs, I am still unable to lose that connection for good. I am only thru Chp. 7 of Marianne’s book, so have a long ways to go. Tell me if you have a suppport group here? I so need someone to walk this road with me. I know Marianne speaks of a support system, but I really don’t have one. My husband has Parkinson’s Disease, and I am his caregiver in addition to my working 40 hrs a week and taking care of everything in our life because he cannot, so I have little time for social interaction…..I would love a support group or someone in my corner to help me thru this…..Thanks for having your site. Donna in North Carolina
Thanks for your review of Women, Food and God. I saw it on Oprah the other day and as soon as I heard her give her definition of god, I was quite disappointed, I thought this is what I have been waiting for, I am still torn over whether to get the book and still read it knowing that God is the ultimate truth, I’ll still think about it some more before I decided. Infact, I was irritated when Geneen mentioned that the god in her book had nothing to do with the religious God that I wanted to see who else out there were just as ‘outraged’ as I was and that is how I came upon your review. Thanks for sharing. Thanks also for sharing the link on the Sugar: the bitter truth, which I just finished watching a few minutes ago. I am outraged! Cannot believe what I just heard. Anyway, thanks for sharing – I now have some work to do tonite – i.e throw out all items in my pantry with HFCS!!
Stella, you are quite welcome! It was my pleasure to share. I too was disappointed because I was interested in another viewpoint that I thought would address the role of God in healing eating disorders. But when she said that it didn’t matter if you didn’t believe in God or many gods, then my conscience would not allow me to read further. It reminded me of this scripture in Jeremiah 2:13: “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
The prophet was talking about people forsaking the one True God and going after false gods that have no power. Only God is the source of true healing and anything else is counterfeit.
As for the Sugar the Bitter Truth video…wasn’t that shocking? I too was outraged when I first saw it and got rid of products with HFCS. And I was shocked again when I saw how many products contain it. That is why when we talk about compulsive eating, it is not always an issue of self control; the person could be sensitive to sugars and simple starches. When they eat them, it interferes with their brain’s ability to tell them they’ve had enough to eat. So you have to figure out if that is your problem first because it really could be a physical issue you are dealing with in addition to an emotional and spiritual one.
There are similar stats for people with these measurements about getting diabetes. I did a post about this just the other day.
Check: weighdownsouth.com
Thanks!!
Rob
Thanks for your comment, Rob. Checked out your website too. Nice job!
Great post, but htere’s no link to the video…I’d love to see it, if you could send me the link! Thanks, I appreciate it, & all you’re doing on your site for the Lord & his people….by the way, I posted a post on my blog today (& a few raw sites I visit) inspired by & linking to your article “Does God care what I weigh?” I hope you’re alright with that!
Blessings,
~Anastazia~
Hey Anastazia, I was just on your blog and commenting on your post! Of course it is okay for you to link to my post. I appreciate it. Here is the link to the Sugar: The Bitter Truth video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM. I’ll update the article with the link as well. Thanks for letting me know.