Let’s say you've been eating right and exercising regularly. Sure, you go out with friends and indulge on occasion, but for the most part, you feel like your nutrition is on track. You really aren’t too overweight, but are about 5-10 pounds shy of where you think you should be. It seems like no matter what you do, you can’t get rid of these last few pounds. And really, it’s just those dang love handles (thighs, hips, belly, etc) that are the problem… you’re happy with everything else. And that one trouble spot just won’t budge, no matter how much dieting you do. I refer to these as “sticky spots” So what gives? Why is that layer of fat so stuck to these stupid sticky spots?!
Fat storage is driven by hormones. Certain hormone responses tell fat to camp out on your thighs and others tell your fat to accumulate under your shoulder blades. You can diet and exercise all you want, but until you bring these hormonal responses back to a healthy balance, these sticky spots will remain sticky, while other areas of your body may continue to lean out. Here’s a quick run down of the most common sticky spots and some suggestions of what you can do to fix them:
Belly
The belly “pouch”. Or “pooch” as some refer to it. You hate sitting down while wearing low rise jeans because the waist band forces the extra fluff up and over and makes you feel especially scornful.
Why?
Stress. Cortisol tells your fat to take up residence around your belly button. It’s like a constant reminder of how much stress you're holding every time you look down. Even if you don’t FEEL stressed out, you need to take measures to get your cortisol under control. Try to work on breathing techniques, connect with friends, laugh, exercise, and practice gratitude. Physical stress can play a large factor, too, even if you don’t feel like you’re under stress. For this type of stress, it’s important to get adequate quality sleep, avoid foods you are sensitive to (you may need to be tested), eat protein at every meal (especially in the morning, for you non-breakfast eaters!), get in healthy fats, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and be sure that you aren’t over training.
Sides of Waist
Ah, the muffin top. Love handles. It’s your favorite part of an actual muffin, but when it’s hanging over your yoga pants, you’re not so fond of it.
Why?
This one is kind of ironic, because what you call it (the muffin top) is directly what causes it! Not only muffins, but carbs in general. I’m not saying that carbs are inherently bad… not at all. But in certain instances, you benefit from avoiding them. If love handles are your sticky spot, you are probably releasing large amounts of insulin when you eat. To keep those insulin spikes under control, you need to avoid simple carbohydrates and switch to high fiber carb sources. This means no processed carbs, no sugar, lots of vegetables, some fresh fruit (not too much!) and only 100% whole grains on occasion. Focus on protein, healthy fat, and plant matter at every meal to keep those spikes from happening.
Back
If you’re a girl, this is that awful roll that likes to peek out from under your bra strap. You hate wearing tank tops with large arm holes, because they just seem to show off that “flap”. With this spot, at least you don’t see it every time you look down, but it’s even worse sometimes when you can’t see it, because you just know it’s back there taunting you.
Why?
This one also has to do with your insulin. Your love handles come from a spike in insulin, but back fat comes from your body not “listening” to your insulin. When your body doesn’t hear the insulin signal, your insulin has to get louder (which means releasing more insulin) to be heard. To fix this situation, you need to turn the volume down! You need to get your body to hear the message so the insulin volume can back off. Try limiting carbohydrates, adding in fish oil, and getting in some high intensity interval training a few times per week to promote insulin sensitivity.
Chest
I’ve heard this one referred to as chicken wings. Whatever you want to call it, this is the roll of fat that that peeks out between your chest and armpit. Being self conscious of this spot is another reason you may tend to shy away from tank tops.
Why?
Low testosterone levels have been linked to this one. Yes, even women have (or should have) some testosterone. To remedy this, you need to be sure you are taking in enough calories, and getting in adequate amounts of healthy fats. Alcohol consumption can lower testosterone and increases estrogen for a period of 24 hours, so avoiding alcohol is important, too. If you’re a guy with man boobs, go back and read that last sentence again!
Triceps and Thighs
Bingo arms, as the wobble on the back of the upper arms is lovingly referred to, commonly goes hand-in-hand with a stubborn layer of fat on the thighs.
Why?
These spots are related to high levels of estrogen in the body. You absorb “bad” estrogens, called xenoestrogens, from your foods and environment daily, and your body has a hard time getting rid of this excess. These xenoestrogens aren't actually estrogen, but they act like it inside your body. Xenoestrogens come from plastics, artificial fragrances, chemical cleaners, flame retardants, among other things. To help your body flush out the xenoestrogens and “unstick” these spots of your body, avoid eating or drinking from plastic (time to by a glass water bottle!) and especially avoid heating your food in plastic containers. Choose natural, organic cleaning products for your home and natural body products for your skin. Eat plenty of leafy green veggies and include flax seeds in your diet, as they both contain a compound that help rid your body of excess estrogen. A supplement called DIM does the same, as well.
Hopefully this helps explain why you can't seem to lose those last few pounds in your sticky spots! But before you even try to tackle unsticking them, make sure your eating and lifestyle habits are on track. Focusing on eating real, nutrient dense foods and taking care of yourself by balancing work, fun and sleep, are often enough for most of us to get those hormones balanced and achieve the body composition we’re after.
On September 2, Octane will be launching a 12 week BodEvolve program! Join in and learn how to incorporate healthy eating and lifestyle habits into your daily routine. This is intended to help you stop dieting, cleansing, detoxing, wrapping, juice fasting, and whatever other nonsense you’ve been trying in your desperate efforts to drop some fat. You will work on one new habit each week and you will stop obsessing over calorie counting. You’ll also still be able to live your life while doing this! This isn’t a 30 day quick-fix and it’s not a fast. You will learn real life habits that you can follow forever. You don't have to be an Octane member to join us, and you don't even have to live close by!
If you’re interested in getting more information about how the 12 week BodEvolve program will work, add your email address to the list below to be sure you don’t miss any updates or registration dates. Don't worry, your information is never shared, and you can remove yourself from our list at anytime!