Big Belly Syndrome

I read an interesting article today about the dangers of having a big belly. It's particularly dangerous the older you get. Apparently, having a large waist will take up to 10 years off of your life. That's pretty sobering as a majority of Americans are considered to be obese.

I don't happen to have a tape measure right now or I'd do a quick measurement of my waistline. Of course I wouldn't post the results on this blog, but I would share if I was "worried" or not at the results. I realize that I'd be in good company if I was. However, as I continue to develop more conscious eating habits, the problem is quickly fading away.

Too many people that have the Big Belly Syndrome and don't know what to do about it. Let me give you a hint about why stomach fat occurs. (By the way, let me put in the disclaimer that I don't know if there is such as thing as a "Big Belly Syndrome"; I just made it up. But that stomach that sticks out past your breast is what I'm referring to).

Let me give you an example of why this could happen. I just went through a 7 day raw foods cleanse and detox of coffee. In that time, my digestion improved, taste buds became more sensitive, food became a new excitement. It also helped me to get over the cravings for white sugar.

Well, I had company over the weekend and they wanted to try the cakes at the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, so off we go, four of us ordering a slice apiece of the type we each wanted. I thought I was being good because I ate my slice over two days. Well tonight, I have a first hand knowledge of what brings on big belly syndrome - white sugar.

As of tonight my stomach is growing bigger again and I'm so disappointed. All of that hard work seems to have gone down the drain. I guess I have to confess to sneaking some baked potato chips too. Even though baked, it was too much sodium.

All of this white sugar and artificial seasonings is death to a flat stomach. Don't eat these - I tell you, if there's any motivation to get off of white sugar it's to keep a flat stomach.

Well, I immediately went back to watching my eating and getting off of the white sugar with great results. This is an example of why it really pays to be attentive and think "health" prior to stuffing anything into your mouth.

The questions to ask are:
* Is it worth dying 10 years early just to eat sweets?
* Is it worth being sick?
* Is the temporary taste of white sugar worth a big belly?

Now, I know there's more to the problem than just white sugar. Stress plays an big role in the situation along with increasing the cravings for sugary foods. Managing stress is an important part of managing the cravings for sweets. Being aware of stress is a step towards managing it and the effects it has on your eating. For instance, start charting what makes you go for that piece of cake. It's not just because it was Sunday and everyone was around. It was because of the conversations happening that day, the stress of what was coming on Monday and the result of feeling out of control. Right?

Learning to take control of your health means learning to chart behaviors, recognize them and change them. You'll be more aware although it might take some time to realize that real behavioral changes. More later.