A muffin top is not from overeating muffins!

Okay, you know by now I am an old-fashioned girl. There is one fashion statement that I detest - and it's the tight tops that creep up - exposing the belly area. And not only exposing the belly - but the excess belly fat - which no one seems to mind showing off these days.

What's up with that? 

First of all, when I had a tire around my middle, I did everything I could to hide it! Really! This included:

• Wearing maternity pants with the little pouch in front
• Wearing long shirts to cover my opened-button jeans
• Tying a jacket around my waist to cover waist and butt area

Ever do any of those? Are you doing any of them now? Please, don't tell me you've succumbed to the dreaded "muffin top" styles of today...

The first thing I wanted to wear when I lost the weight was a belt. I told myself that I would NEVER again wear a long shirt to cover my belly. I would wear a belt and actually be able to use it. But even now, after 9 years of being fit and healthy, I haven't succumbed to the newer fashions of showing my belly. Some things never change.

So, how did the "muffin top" happen? 


From eating too many muffins???

Well, that could be one problem. I love muffins too! Belly fat - in women or men - is dangerous. It's dangerous to your physical health - your blood pressure, your cholesterol levels, your overall health. However, it's also dangerous to your emotional health. Seriously? Uh, yes. A muffin top, or a tire around the middle, is not normal. It is a sign to you, or it should be, that something is wrong. Our bodies are not meant to have a tire of fat around our middle. It is meant to be flat and lean.

A "muffin top" is excess body fat. It is considered dangerous for women to measure more than 35 inches in waist, men to measure more than 40 inches. A "muffin top" affects more than just your measurements. It affects your weight, your clothing size and most importantly, your body fat%. This all must be taken into consideration when looking at the big picture.

So, how do you lower your body fat%? 

Three simple ways:

• A good strength training program
• An effective cardio program
• A healthy nutrition program

All of these done at the same time. I highly recommend working with a trainer/coach to do this. Lowering your body fat% will bring your body into a healthy range. It will bring your weight down. It will help you fit into your clothes. And it will get rid of the "muffin top". So, what are you waiting for?