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What is Visceral Fat?

The fat tissue under the abdominal muscle layer.

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There are times where you feel that no matter how you adjust

your diet, you still do not see weight changes and sometimes

you still experience weight gain. Perhaps you should consider

what your daily life stresses are doing to you.

Stress causes our bodies to release a hormone called "Cortisol"

to prepare our bodies for physical responses to stress. Excess

cortisol causes an agent in the body to increase fat absorption in

our visceral fat layer (the layer under the abdominal muscle).

This type of weight gain increases chances of developing type II

diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic abnormalities.

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To reduce visceral fat:

1. Avoid the stress! Find ways to

cope with the stress or stay away from stressors.

2. Eat healthy – have at least one rich monounsaturated fat per meal. Ex. Nuts; avocado; canola, peanut, sunflower, and olive oils, seeds

3. Eat small frequent meals throughout the day to maintain optimal metabolism

4. Exercise 3-5 times a week, hour long intervals combining strength and cardio.

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More Nutrition related information: Speak with a live nutritionist (paid services)

• http://www.livedynamic.ca/welcome.html

Email, call or meet a dietician (mostly online, many free meal planning tools)

• http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/default.aspx City of Toronto nutrition resources

• http://www.toronto.ca/health/nutrition/adult.htm#4

Exercise ideas: Boxing Exercise with Tiffany Rothe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85WUbYQSbI&feature=relmfu

**See YouTube for more workout videos, it’s a great free source

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred: Level 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pc-NizMgg8 BeFiT

http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit?feature=watch

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Health, Weight,

and

Stress.

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NAME

BMI GOAL

WC GOAL

WHR GOAL

TIME OF COMPLETION

Check your numbers at:

http://www.bodycalc.com/

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NAME Triangle Squares

BMI GOAL 23

WC GOAL 34

WHR GOAL 0.88

TIME OF COMPLETION 5 months

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Some important definitions:

Classifications: BMI Risk for developing health problems

Underweight <18.5 Increased

Normal weight 18.5 – 24.9

Least

Overweight 25.0 – 29.9

Increased

Obese Class I 30.0 – 34.9

High

Obese Class II 35.0 – 39.9

Very High

Obese Class III >= 40.0 Extremely High

**Sometimes those with high BMI values may also be very muscular at the same time; therefore using BMI alone is not sufficient enough. For a more accurate measurement, BMI is combined with WC values to determine whether or not you fit under the above classifications.

BMI (Body Mass Index):

Used by the Canadian weight classification system. The BMI formula produces a value based off of your weight-to-height

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WC (Waist Circumference):

The circumference of your midsection.

For Men Wrap tape measure around the body while aligning the bottom edge of the tap with the top of the hip bone. The normal range of WC for men should be a value under 40 inches

For Women Wrap tape measure around the smallest part of your midsection

The normal range of WC for women should be a value under 35 inches

WHR (WAIST-HIP-RATIO): this value helps to determine the ratio of waist

circumference to the hip circumference, as this has been shown to be related to the risk of health and heart disease.

** For hips: Wrap tape measure around the lower trunk and measure where gluteus maximus peaks.

** For Waist: Wrap tape measure around the body while aligning the bottom edge of the tap with the top of the hip bone.

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Your current

values: Interpretations:

BMI

WC

WHR

Go to page 1, what are your goals?

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Your current

values: Interpretations:

BMI 25 At risk of being

over-weight

WC 37

Within normal

range (men)

Overweight

(women)

WHR 0.91

Unacceptable

(men)

Extremely

unacceptable

(women)

Go to page 1, what are your goals?

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Canada's Food Guide:

Food Groups

Recommended daily intake (servings per day for adults)

Women Men

Vegetables and Fruits Choose at least 1 dark green and 1 orange vegetable with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.

7-8

8-10

Grain products Make at least ½ of your grain intake whole grain. Ex. Wild rice, quinoa, oats.

6-7 8

Milk and alternatives Drink skim, 1%, or 2% milk. Select lower fat dairy alternatives. Ex. Soy beverage, yogurt.

2

2

Meat and Alternatives Eat at least 2 servings of fish each week. Choose lean meat and alternatives with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt.

2 3

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How much is a serving?

Groups 1 Serving Equivalent to

Vegetable and Fruits

Grain Products

Milk and alternatives

Meat and Alternatives

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Create your own food guide: What are your favourite recipes? Make notes below on ways you can make this dish healthier.

My Favourite Dishes

Vegetables and Fruit

a.

b.

Grain Products

c.

d.

Milk and alternatives

e.

f.

Meat and alternatives

g.

h.

Healthy snack

i.

j.

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Create your own food guide: What are your favourite recipes? Make notes below on ways you can make this dish healthier.

My Favourite Dishes

Vegetables and Fruit

a. Thai Mango Salad

b. Chickpea and Red Quinoa Lettuce

Grain Products

c. Salmon Ginger Rice Bowl

d. Spaghetti and Meatballs

Milk and alternatives

e. Mulberry Almond Parfait

f. Strawberry Vanilla Hazelnut frozen yogurt

Meat and alternatives

g. Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad

h. Bok Choy and Pork Stir-Fry

Healthy snack

i. Chocolate Pear Ginger Smoothie

j. Mango Mint Avocado Smoothie

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Thai Mango Salad

½ cup coarsely chopped peanuts

2 firm mangoes

1 sweet red pepper

2 carrots, coarsely grated

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint

DRESSING

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tsp grated lime rind

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp of fish sauce or soy sauce

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp minced seeded hot pepper

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

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Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 oz green beans, trimmed

4 cups torn Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce

1/3 cup pitted black olives

FRENCH DRESSING

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp herbes de Provence or dried thyme

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

- Marinate chicken piece for 10min with dressing

- Blanch green beans

- Grill chicken over medium-high heat, turning once until no longer pink

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It's important to maintain your metabolism and reduce excess weight gain or loss. Using the table below

to create set meal times throughout the day, incorporate your favourite recipes into the table (ex. put "c & a" for the 5-7pm). Aim to have smaller proportions and frequent meals throughout the day. For

example, most people eat 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner), try to have small meals every 4 hours throughout the day instead (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack).

** do not schedule a meal 4 hours before sleeping. This is to prevent heartburns from occurring or developing.

Time Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

6-9am

10am-

12pm

1-4pm

5-7pm

8-10pm

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It's important to maintain your metabolism and reduce excess weight gain or loss. Using the table below

to create set meal times throughout the day, incorporate your favourite recipes into the table (ex. put "c & a" for the 5-7pm). Aim to have smaller proportions and frequent meals throughout the day. For

example, most people eat 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner), try to have small meals every 4 hours throughout the day instead (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack).

** do not schedule a meal 4 hours before sleeping. This is to prevent heartburns from occurring or developing.

Time Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

6-9am

J E I J F E A

10am-

12pm

B A C H D G C

1-4pm

D C B F A I E

5-7pm

H G D C H C G

8-10pm

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There are times where you feel that no matter how you adjust your diet,

you still do not see weight changes and sometimes you still experience

weight gain. Perhaps you should consider what your daily life stresses are

doing to you.

Stress causes our bodies to release a hormone called "Cortisol" to prepare

our bodies for physical responses to stress. Excess cortisol causes an agent

in the body to increase fat absorption in our visceral fat layer (the layer

under the abdominal muscle). This type of weight gain increases chances

of developing type II diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic

abnormalities.

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Here is a list of how stress maybe affecting your weight, can you identify which category you

fall under?

Metabolism

Do you feel like you're prone to putting on more weight when you're

stressed, even if you're eating the same amount of food as you always

have? Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight

gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more

difficult.

Cravings People experiencing chronic stress tend to crave more fatty, salty, and

surgery foods. These foods are typically less healthy and increases weight

gain.

Blood Sugar

Prolonged stress can alter your blood sugar levels, causing mood swings,

fatigue, and conditions like hyperglycemia. Too much stress has even

been linked to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health concerns that can

lead to greater health problems, like heart attacks and diabetes.

Fat Storage Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat.

Emotional

Eating

Increased levels of cortisol can not only make you crave unhealthy food,

but excess nervous energy can often cause you to eat more than you

normally would. How many times have you found yourself scouring the

kitchen for a snack, or absently munching on junk food when you’re

stressed, but not really hungry?

Fast Food

Experts believe that one of the big reasons we’re seeing more obesity in our society these days is that people are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home, often opting to get fast food at the nearest drive-thru instead.

Too Busy to

exercise

With all the demands on your schedule, exercise may be one of the last things on your to-do list. If so, you’re not alone. North Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle than we have in past generations, yet our minds seem to be racing from everything we have to do. Unfortunately, from sitting in traffic, clocking hours at our desks, and plopping in front of the TV in exhaustion at the end of the day, exercise often goes by the wayside.

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Using the chart on the right, schedule your work out routines and label on your personal

calendar the routine you would like exercise. Having more than one option will help keep the

exercises interesting and fun.

Aim to do moderate-intense exercise at least 3 days a week, and make time to do low intensity

activities such as walking, on a daily basis.

Sunday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Monday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Tuesday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Wednesday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Thursday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Friday

Exercise: Time Spent:

Saturday

Exercise: Time Spent:

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Using the chart on the right, schedule your work out routines and label on your personal calendar the routine you would like exercise. Having more than one option will help keep the exercises interesting and fun.

Aim to do moderate-intense exercise at least 3 days a week, and make time to do low intensity

activities such as walking, on a daily basis.

Sunday

Exercise: 10am Wii Fit, 10:30am Wii-Just Dance Time Spent: 30min each

Monday

Exercise: 7:50am Bike to work, 5pm Bike Home Time Spent: 30min each

Tuesday

Exercise: 6pm YouTube Exercise Video, 6:30pm Yoga Time Spent: 20min each

Wednesday

Exercise: 7:30pm Evening Run Time Spent: 50min

Thursday

Exercise: 7:50am Bike to work, 5pm Bike Home Time Spent: 30min each

Friday

Exercise: 6pm YouTube Exercise Video, 6:30pm Wii–Just Dance Time Spent: 30min each

Saturday

Exercise: 8am Tai Ch, 10am Mixed Martial Arts classes Time Spent: 45 min

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Track your Progress:

Date: BMI WC WHR

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Track your Progress:

Date: BMI WC WHR

(Start date) April 1

25 37 0.91

April 15 25 36 0.91

April 29 24.9 35.5 0.90

May 7

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References Best recipes ever. (2011). Montreal, Que: Transcontinental Books

Epel, E.S., McEwen B, Seeman, T., Matthews, K., Castellazzo, G., Brownell, K.D., Bell J. &

Ickovics J. R. (2000). Stress and body shape: Stress-induced cortisol secretion is

consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62(5).

Retreived from http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/62/5/623.long

Health Canada. (2005). Canadian guidelines for body weight classification in adults. Retrieved

from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/weight_book_tc-

livres_des_poids_tm-eng.php

Health Canada. (2011). Eating well with Canada’s food guide. Retrieved from http://www.hc-

sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

Nordqvist, C. (2005). Dangerous visceral fat builds up if you don’t exercise, can go down if you

do. Retrieved from http://www.medical newstoday.com/articles/30641.php

Rosmond, R., Dallman, M.F. & Björntorp, P. (1998). Stress-related cortisol secretion in men:

Relationships with abdominal obesity and endocrine, metabolic and hemodynamic

abnormalities. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 83(5). Retrieved from

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/83/6/1853.full

Scott, E. (2012). Stress and weight gain: How stress can affect your weight. Retrieved from

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/weightgain.htm

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The Health Communication Unit. (2001). Introduction to health promotion program planning

(v3.0). Center for Health Promotion University of Toronto. Retrieved from

http://www.thcu.ca

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