image via howtogetridofmuffintop

Muffin top, spare tire, whatever you choose to call that extra weight in your midsection--if you have it, you know it, and I know you want to get rid of it. What is the magic bullet? Could it be one of those countless products that promise a six-pack in anywhere from eight minutes all the way down to eight seconds?

I am sorry to tell you that a quick fix will never work unless you’re prone to receiving miracles. If you are really interested in losing that midsection, then put down those potato chips and beer, clean out your ears, and listen up!

First of all, let’s get one thing straight: You cannot spot-reduce. You can do 500 crunches a day, but if the rest of your exercise plan isn’t consistently in control and your diet stinks, your six-pack will hide underneath layers of fat never to be seen. It would be nice to attribute one area of exercise for a person’s weight loss success, but to see real results you must have a combination of aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, elliptical, etc.), resistance training (weights, or other weight bearing exercises), and good dietary habits (high fiber, complex carbohydrates, lean proteins). If you don’t know exactly what these three components are and how to incorporate them into your life, get help!

Diet plays a HUGE role in the reduction of belly fat. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast or this will impair and chronically slow your metabolism down. If you don’t know why that matters, ask a trainer! Also, I hear a lot of people say they eat “pretty good”. Our individual perception of “pretty good” can be very different. If you’re unsure about your own diet, ask us and learn to take control. Record everything you eat or drink with approximate serving sizes for a week, and let one of us look it over for you. The trick is to learn how to reduce your calorie intake while eating more food.

If a string bikini isn’t your goal for reducing this muffin top, then let your health be. Fat around your midsection is more harmful than fat carried anywhere else like your bottom, arms, and legs. Why? Think about it. All of your internal organs are in your midsection, and now they are trying to compete with the fat for space and nutrients. Also, you are much more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other risk factors associated with coronary artery disease. The good news is that as soon as you make physiological changes to your abdominal fat (a.k.a omentum fat) your body begins to see these numbers get better…within days! So how do you know if you are in the unhealthy range? The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends measuring your waist size. For men they recommend less than 40 inches and for women, less than 35 inches.

If you’re ready to measure your waist size or have any further questions on how to reduce belly fat, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 913-498-1535.

 Courtney Thomas is part of the team at Excel Wellness Studio that provides health, fitness and wellness tips exclusively for Good Health KC.