Upgrade Your Diet - Downsize Your Waistline

Reading Time: 3 Minutes

Hey Brothers,

Welcome back to the LenDentonThrive Letter. This is where I write every week about the ThriveLife - my food-first, gym-optional approach to lose weight, get fit and stay fit for life!

This week, let’s begin with some quick Q & A:

Q: Which is a better indicator of your overall fitness: big biceps or a trim waistline?

A: A trim waistline

Here’s why… a trim waistline indicates an absence of visceral fat, also known as belly fat. While visceral fat is unattractive, the problem goes much deeper than mere cosmetics. That’s because visceral fat is biologically active, meaning that it is actively giving off hormones and other harmful substances. Plus the fact that it is physically situated right next to your sensitive internal organs like your heart, liver, and pancreas. 

Over time, the visceral fat and it’s problematic hormones can lead to all kinds of serious medical problems such as general inflammation, insulin resistance, arterial sclerosis (blockage of your arteries), heart attacks and dementia. The longer you carry visceral fat, the higher the likelihood of developing these serious problems.

So, the less belly fat we are carrying around, the healthier and more fit we are. Big biceps are nice, but a trim waist is essential for our long-term health! (And…it looks better, too!)

The best way to determine if you have excess belly fat is to do a simple self-check called the Waist-Hip Ratio (or WHR).  You can find a simple WHR calculator here.

Your WHR can give you a good indicator of your belly-fat- based risk:

• WHR below 0.9: reduced average risk

• WHR between 0.9-1.0: increased average risk

• WHR above 1.0: high risk

(See more on WHR here.)

I encourage every guy to check his WHR regularly (quarterly) to determine if he has an issue with excess belly fat. And, if you find that you have a WHR greater than 0.9, you should start taking action to reduce the amount of fat you are carrying. 

If you are 15, 20 or more pounds overweight, the problem is most likely your diet. Our Standard American Diet is filled with fast food, quick-fix meals (frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals, chips and snacks), and sugary drinks. These foods are typically high in calories and low in nutritional content. They’re also highly addictive (due to the sugars)! 

I think of the Standard American Diet as a legal form of poison!

So, do this 3-step alternative instead:

Step 1: Stop eating food containing these six ingredients:

• Sugar

• White flour

• White potatoes

• White rice

• Corn

• High-fructose corn syrup (and industrial sweetener)

(I call this eating smarter, and you can learn more about it here.)

Step 2: Weigh yourself daily - there is power in measuring what matters. If you want to lose weight, make it a daily ritual to weigh at the same time, in the same way, every day. This will engage your brain to help you make better decisions every day. You can read more about how daily weigh-ins are a Jedi mind trick here.

Step 3: Walk 30 minutes every day - spend 30 minutes every day walking at a brisk, comfortable, but not frantic pace. Aim for 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. This is called Zone-2 cardio, and it’s the most effective way to burn stored fat. You can walk at any convenient time. But walking before eating (in a fasting state) is the most-effective, and most fat-burning, way to do it. Bring a friend to double the benefit! Read more about the fat-burning benefits of walking here.  

Do these three simple steps for 30 days and you’ll be amazed at your results. Here’s the key point: when you get your food right, fitness becomes a lot easier. 

Your weight loss battle will be won in the kitchen, not the gym! 

Thanks for reading!

Don’t forget… God loves us. He wants us to thrive! So, let’s go!

Thanks for reading this week.

I write this newsletter to make a positive impact on the lives of men and their families. If you found this information useful, please consider subscribing to receive new editions each week. And, please share this with friends or family that would benefit from the ThriveLife!

If you’d like to share a thought, a question or comment with me, you can simply reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you!

Follow me on the socials for daily tips and strategies for living your ThriveLife: