The Best Way to Lose Mid-Life Pounds

The bulge of fat known as mid-life spread is not just unsightly but it also makes a person more vulnerable to age-related diseases. Dr. Marilyn Glenville, author of "Fat Around the Middle," attributes this fat this to the fight-or-flee instincts that kept our ancestors alive. Today's stress triggers the same chemical reaction, but the stressed person responds by eating unhealthy foods instead.

The Source of Belly Fat

• The body stores the fat near the liver as a natural energy reserve for the next fight-or-flight event. This gave early man the strength to avoid danger, but in modern life there is rarely a natural release of that energy. Instead, stress produces adrenaline and cortisol, which in turn deposit fat and glucose around the waist. Additionally, constant stress prompts people to feel hungry and their body urges them to eat foods high in sugar and fat to store more energy, according to Dr. Glenville. People under this type of stress typically: gain fat around the tummy, chest, back and hips; have blood sugar swings; grind their teeth; and experience tiredness without the ability to sleep.

Tips to Burn It Off

• Dr. Glenville suggests several rules to counter middle-age spread. Stop dieting, which prompts the body to raise stress levels and store more fat. Instead, eat little and often, meaning three meals a day, plus small snacks in between. Eating every three hours controls the cravings, keeps blood sugar in check and levels out the stress-induced cortisol. Avoid carbohydrates after 6 p.m., and sugary drinks, including coffee and alcohol, should be reduced or eliminated altogether.

  Daily meals should not include sugars and refined carbohydrates, which quickly bring up blood sugar levels, only to crash them soon after. Reading labels will help identify refined carbohydrates; if the nutrition facts include sugar, corn syrup, white or "wheat" flour at the top of the list, they contain simple carbohydrates and should be avoided. Eating them triggers the adrenaline and cortisol cycle that is storing up all the fat. Instead, add protein to a meal, which slows down the stomach's food processing and produces glucagons, which increases blood glucose and encourages the body to burn fat for energy.

  The new diet should also include essential fats, because they boost metabolism. Essential fatty acids do not make a person "fat," but rather serve as important building blocks of the body's cells. They can be found in foods such as nuts and fish.

Don't Eat In a Hurry

• A rushed meal only contributes to stress and tells the body that the dieter is under pressure. Sitting down and calmly chewing food helps digestion and discourages the body from storing that extra fat.