There Are Two Kinds of Fat

Did you know that you have two kinds of fat? One is the kind you can grab and the other is the kind that gave me Type II Diabetes which I cured by getting rid of it to keep it from blocking my pancreatic C-cells which product insulin. I learned how to do that from the New Castle University in England.

The kind of fat that you can grab, that inner-tube around your waste or belly fat is called by Web MD subcutaneous fat. It is the fat we see in the mirror when we get out of the shower.

The deadly fat that forms around vital organ and secrets toxins to our body organs is not visible. You can be as skinny as a fashion model and still have it. It is called visceral fat. The very word sounds dangerous to me. It is dangerous. However if we can follow some tips to lose belly fat, then we can reduce the amount of both. That is our objective, to reduce but not totally eliminate fat from our bodies. Then we will be healthier and perhaps more attractive to boot.

It is probably wise to think about activity first. You need some type of exercise to keep your metabolism up.

So what is metabolism?

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. Burning up food and fat are such reactions. That is to use up the body’s resources.

Walk around the school track a few times a week or just take a walk in the woods or down the street. Take a radio or such to provide the music. If you feel like you want to jog, then take it easy to start. You may want to have your family doctor check you out first.

You can take a camera or binoculars if you feel so inclined. I wouldn’t want to miss a bird.

Also, there are exercises to remove body fat and they are readily available on the Internet. You can also talk to any trainer or physical therapist. Most of these exercises do not require special equipment like boards or belts or large belly balls. Some do. The main thing is to start out easy. You do not want to create a new problem.

If there is a local gymnasium, then drop in and chat about it. Just don’t sign any contracts you don’t need. The gym teacher at the high school can give you some tips too.

We Are What We Eat

Next think about food intake. I suggest that you buy a little notebook you can slip in your pocket or purse. When you eat anything other than a sprig of celery, write it down. If you are using one of those small notebooks about 4.5 by 3.25 inches restrict yourself to one food per line and to one page per day.

O.K. You can use a page and a half at first.

But reduce the number of food items you eat every day. Just writing things down will make you aware of your intake. Don’t worry about what you are eating or how much at this time. Just concentrate on eating less.

My Big Fat John Diet

I ran off a computer form which I called “Big Fat John.” It was printed in landscape and there was a column for each day of the week to list the foods I would eat. I had some foods listed on the form and their calorie contribution. I pasted this thing on the refrigerator door. At the end of the week, I would go to the computer and make a graph of my daily calory count. I am a retired engineer so I do crazy things like this.

Just get your little notebook.

Thinking about your food intake, think about the amount of fat that is in a food. Get yourself one of those tiny diet books that lists the foods you eat. Stay away from dairy fat and other saturated fat.

We are the only species of mammal that feeds cowe-baby milk to an adult. I drink almond milk, the kind without crappy additons to make it taste better.

I Know You Love It But...

Limit ice cream and cheese. Pick low-fat varieties or no-fat varieties. Stay away from trans-fats all together. Look for unsaturated fats.

Read that label on the margarine. I use yogurt-based margarine. Butter is better than trans-fat margarine but use little of that.

Got Any Eskimo Blood in You?

Now I know that Eskimos that live on seals and narwhales eat tons of saturated fat and do not suffer from it. Besides, when it’s thirty below outside, you need some fat. Now their diet is not all fat even though there is no greenery in site. They eat what is in the intestines of the animals they eat to gain some nutrients from plant sources which prevent scurvy.

Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. My father and his dead had scurvy right here in Idaho when they were homesteading on “Ten Mile Pass” near Soda Springs at the turn of the last century.

If you haven’t been getting your vitamin “C” and you are tired and fatiqued with muscle pain, your teeth are falling out, and it takes a cut forever to heal, you may have scurvy. Well, you just feel like heck and to boot, your skin and hair is all dried out. Internal bleeding affects the muscles.

Now why can the Eskimos tolerate a high saturated-fat diet and we can’t. The reason is that they have been on that diet for thousands of years and their bodies have been adjusted to coping with fat. Studies have shown that diets indigenous to a people are safe diets. But crossing over to a non-indigenous diet can be harmful.

Back When I Was in the War

In Korea, we had ROK soldiers serving with us. Out food caused them to have ulcers and other ailments. We said the food was too rich for them. Why it really caused ulcers and such I don’t know. Maybe it didn’t. You can’t imagine how much stress these men were under. They had been fighting for a long time and their families were also in jeopardy. They were use to fire-hot food and ours was bland. I mentioned in another article how the health of the Ute Indians was destroyed when we forced them on reservations and gave them our food which was bland and had no nutritional values.

Are Your Teeth Crooked?

Dental research has shown that wavering from a traditional diet can cause crooked teeth, caries and other dental problems. Mexicans don’t eat white bread and usually have good teeth. My dentists when I was a kid called me a white-bread eater. There was nothing I could do about it. Well, I could have stopped putting sugar on everything. My dad put in in his creamed corn.

The bottom line is that we must watch what we eat. But also we need to eat the right foods. I mean foods that have been processed and loaded with chemicals and drained of nutrients should be dumped permanently. If it is in a box, read the label.

Some Good Foods

Foods that are good to eliminate body fat are oatmeal, nuts, berries, calcium rich low-fat cheeses, legumes (beans), dark leafy vegetables, peanut butter (natural is best), non-hydrogenated oils like olive oil, fiber. Substitute whole grains from refined rice and flours. Use whole wheat spaghetti. You need some fruit. Fruit juices are often high in sugar so keep your eye on the label. Soda pop is loaded with sugar and some are now saying that diet drinks are not very good for you and should be shunned during dieting.

And a Little Meat

Now you need some meat (or not). They say it is good for the brain. Now I haven’t seen any dumb vegetarians, have you? Any way, cut back on red meat. (Wait, I live in Idaho and the cowpokes are shooting at me.) Use is as a garnish or on shish kabob. Leave the cheese of that hamburger. No need for double jeopardy.

Now is is all common sense, isn’t it? Eat in moderation and eat a natural diet.

Now Back When I Was a Boy

During the Great Depression, we lived on beans and bread and the vegetables we could buy from our neighbor’s produce truck and fruits in season. Like my daughter-in-law here in Idaho, my mother use to bottle about 1000 quarts of tomatoes and fruits every year. I helped her to can and carried all the bottles up from the basement and back down again. Now that is exercise.

These were some tips for losing belly fat. There are many programs available but the best ones are based on good nutrition and exercise.

Be Healthy!

Note: Pic are flowers planted for my wife to enjoy by her caregiver. I am going to paint some of these shots for my granddaughters.