Burn Your Belly Fat
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The Complete Proven Guide to Melt Belly Fat No Matter How Busy You Are.
Losing weight is not easy.
It requires some knowledge of how the metabolism works, and an effort on your part to act on that knowledge on a daily basis. Your perseverance and dedication is put to the test every day.
One of the hardest parts, however, is getting started.
I have been immersed in health and fitness for many years. I have collected much knowledge on how to reach your optimal state of health through diet and exercise.
I’m not a dietitian nor do I have a PhD in exercise physiology. However, I do rigorous research on fitness/health topics and showcase the proven solutions. I specialize in how this material relates to people in their daily routines.
The purpose of this guide is to show you clear and PROVEN ways that will shrink stubborn belly fat. This is why this guide is different than 90% of the content out there.
I can’t tell you how many times I read or watch something, and they do not reference where they received the information. After I perform further research on it, I come to find out that what they said was completely false and had no scientific merit.
As I had said, I am no scientist, but you’ll see throughout this guide that I provide many science backed research that is legitimate and credible.
The other thing that is different about Burn Your Belly Fat is that I personally follow every single recommendation outlined in this guide. Every step. Every tactic.
This is the second thing that frustrates me about other health and fitness sites. They do not follow their own advice.
It’s like this story I heard of a woman who went to the doctor for a checkup. The doctor says she is in good health. The doctors says, “The only thing I want you to focus on is to kick your bad habit of smoking.”
She agrees, and after the checkup, she catches up on some phone calls outside the doctor’s office.
Five minutes go by and the same doctor that gave her the checkup goes outside, and lights up a cigarette.
This story illustrates the hypocrisy that exists with so called “health experts”, who say one thing but do not follow their own advice.
As I said, I am proof that you can do every single fat burning tip because I do them each and every day. As I read and learn more, I will make changes to this guide.
To make it easier and quicker for you to know what updates I’ve made, simply click the box “Recent Updates to Guide” at the top of this page.
And lastly, even though this is a guide to help you see your abs again, the tips in this guide go WAY BEYOND weight loss.
They have other positive effects on your internal health, too many to name in this comprehensive guide to burning fat.
These tips have helped me personally overcome hereditary high blood pressure and get off blood pressure medicine that I have been on for 2+ years.
Yes, me, the guy who works out, eats healthy foods and avoids salt and processed food like they’re the plague, has (or should I say had!) high blood pressure.
I’ll explain more about the foods that I thought were healthy but were actually doing more harm than good.
The foods that when I took them out of my diet made my blood pressure plunge to the lowest it’s ever been and even got my eye pressure down!
I am about to pull back the curtain and unveil what my thousands of hours of research and two decades of personal trial and error has led me to.
So even if you don’t need to lose weight, this book will help you get healthier in so many ways.
One last thing…
This is a gold mine of information. It’s possible that I’m biased because I wrote it, but I truly believe this information has the power to change the health of so many people. I’ve literally invested thousands of hours and over 2 decades being a guinea pig for supplements, powders, and diets.
You may note that this is longer than most articles out there.
I could have easily just made this guide a few paragraphs long, or a list of what I recommend you do. Trust me this would have been MUCH easier for me.
Let’s say I did that. Would you believe me? Would you be like OK Joe I’m going to do that right now? I’m guessing you would have read it, thought it was interesting, and then continued to scroll on by. Along with all of the rest of the info on the internet, it will go in one ear and out the other.
The way to truly make it stick in your head and make a lasting impact is by building a case for each of the recommendations. When you know the why, you have the necessary citations, and you hear stories of why I recommend it, that right there is how I can get you to buy into what I’m saying.
I’ve decided to keep this guide free, so millions of people can have access to it. I believe there is no greater gift than your health and family/friends. Feel free to send this to those who are closest to you.
Together we can spread the word on how we can make a big impact on our health!
Keep pulling ahead,
Joe Sans
Inventor & Founder of Tension Toner
Certified Personal Trainer
Embarking on Your Journey to Burn Belly Fat and Reveal Your Abs!
We all know that it is important to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. So why is it that we are faced with a growing number of obese people in the United States? Some experts go so far so as to call obesity an epidemic.
Is that an exaggeration? Hardly.
The fact is that one out of three adults are obese. [1]
That is a staggering number!
Even worse is the obesity amongst children and teens. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association , the obesity rate in children (ages 6–11) in the United States increased from 7% in 1980 to just under 18% in 2012. Furthermore, adolescents (ages 12–19) increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same time span. [2,3]
This is concerning because obesity can increase the risk of many types of cancer, heart disease and other health conditions. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing well over a half million people each year. [1]
With the obesity rate so high, it is easy to see why the deaths from heart disease are so high as well. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Being obese or overweight puts children and adults alike at risk for a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, asthma, certain cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and more.
There’s a big disconnect from what we know and what we take action on.
As Thomas Edison said, “Knowledge without application is useless. ”
We have so much information literally in the palm of our hands. Our phones are mini-computers that have access to the ever-growing information on the internet. However, with all that knowledge of how to lose weight, there is no action being taken. This is evident by the previous statistics I referenced. I believe people are not taking action for two reasons.
First, it is overwhelming to navigate through the sea of weight loss information out there. There are countless of websites and articles promoting how to lose weight. When you first embark on your weight loss journey, you have a positive outlook that you will accomplish your dream and get to your destination easily. But along the way, the ocean gets a little choppy.
You start to read more and more articles, some advocating opposite viewpoints. The headlines ring through your head like a gun shot fired in an alley.
“The Carb Only Diet!”
“The Max Protein Diet!”
“Eat Fruit before Your Meals!”
“Fruits Make You Fat!”
I can go on and on listing headlines of articles that contradict one another, but I think you’re probably as aware as I am.
We are in a day and age where information overload has reached an all-time high. Many think they have to do all of what they read. The rate that people are consuming information makes it difficult, if not impossible to take action on.
Additionally, at least half of the information you hear or read in popular health shows/magazines contain superficial content that is mediocre at best. Think about it from the standpoint of big media companies that put out this information. They have to keep producing content or else they would lose their audience/advertisers and go out of business. Consequently, people like you and me continue to be exposed to SO much health material.
After sifting through hours of useless content, I usually stumble upon something worth trying. Unfortunately, I come to realize their tips are impractical because it’s too time consuming, expensive, or taste bad. I have certainly had my share of the latter. 🤢
No matter how healthy something is, if it is not practical people will not do it.
It makes me wonder if the people publishing this content actually use any of the information that they talk about, or if they just regurgitate what they hear from a second hand source.
The culmination of wasted time trying impractical tips, the confusion from being exposed to so much information and the failed health programs start to send waves crashing against your metaphorical boat.
In an effort to make progress, you decide to do a fitness program you came across on the internet. You are not sure if it will work, but hey, it’s better than trying to separate the important information from the millions of hours of “fluff” out there. You finish week one, and you feel good about the small progress you have made so far.
But then, the choppy waters turn into mounding waves when the storm of life comes into the picture.
You have a tight deadline for work.
You have meals to cook, laundry to wash, bills to pay, and kids to, well, do everything for.
You think, “Let me just get takeout food this one time because I’m so busy.” The next day you start on that to do list that has been building on your desk for weeks now. You justify that you can skip today’s workout because you’re just physically and emotionally drained.
I have been there myself plenty of times myself.
As the days go by, your metaphorical boat is violently pushed off course from its destination. You may try to paddle against the strong currents by drastically cutting calories or doubling the time you workout.
The problem is you can’t sustain the intense change of pace and you get burned out.
Your boat eventually washes up on the same island you’ve been trying to escape from; the island of low self-esteem, poor body image, and mental aggravation.
You may feel stranded and nervous to make the trek out another time. Some people venture out again only to get swept back to where they started.
Others throw their paddles down in frustration and start building a huts on the island. They think their struggles with weight and poor muscle tone will always be the same, so they start settling there permanently.
I am here to tell you it is time to burn your hut and pack up your belongings. You deserve more than to live on an island of despair and settle for just good enough.
I get it. I have been here many a times before. Exhausted and feeling like I’m barely treading above water as I try to manage life responsibilities while taking care of myself.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” Can I tell you what you already know? You’re working your butt off! You’re constantly going going going, but seemingly getting nowhere. You’ve made some progress but not as much as you’d like.
You deserve to be healthy. You deserve to have a body that you are 100% comfortable in. You deserve to be there for your family, friends, and kids for years to come.
I want people to say to you, “How are you so fit and vibrant when you’re busy doing so many other things? What’s your secret?”
So let’s set our navigation again to the land of a healthy, defined body.
We depart now!
Jump on board with me and I will help guide you the whole way through so we can all enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Why is Belly Fat is Dangerous?
Did you know that fat stored around your belly could be detrimental to your health? There are two types of belly fat. The first is subcutaneous fat which lies between the skin and abdominal wall. The second type of fat is much more dangerous- visceral fat. This fat mainly sits around your stomach area and surrounds your organs.
The fat stored in our midsection is thought to be broken down into fatty acids. When these excess fatty acids flow into the liver, they trigger a chain reaction that raises bad cholesterol and lessens the effect that insulin has on controlling blood sugar. [5]
Belly fat can be a contributing factor of an imbalance of hormones. One such hormone is leptin. Leptin is normally released after a meal and dampens appetite. Excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and functioning of these hormones. [6]
It’s important to first think about what will happen once you lose the weight. This will help drive you and motivate you to complete your goal.
It will not take long for you to start receiving benefits from exercising. You’ll start seeing some noticeable physical changes, like a slimmer waistline, less joint pain, increase in energy and more muscle definition.
Even more, your internal health will benefit in a big way. By losing weight, you can reduce your risk of diabetes, cholesterol, cancer and Alzheimer’s. The best part is that you can start to drastically reduce stubborn belly fat quicker than you probably thought possible.
In a Finnish study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, a weight loss diet followed for 6 weeks trimmed the bad abdominal fat by 25% and abdominal subcutaneous fat by 16%. You cannot undo years of weight gain over night, but you can make huge progress in just 6 weeks!
With the straightforward, actionable advice and guidance provided in Burn Your Belly Fat, you will be on your way to shed inches in no time!
Do you or someone you know have extra weight hanging around the belly area?
If so, listen closely.
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say they need to lose weight but they are behind in the "genetics game."
While our genes do play a role in your overall body composition, it is in no way the end all be all.
Don’t believe me?
Have you ever heard of a term in biology called epigenetics? The word is derived from the Greek prefix ‘epi’ meaning “on top of.” The word literally means on top of genetics.
In a nutshell, it’s the study of how your body has certain genetic tendencies, but remains inactive. In effect, you have a certain gene that makes you likely for something, but it never does anything.
How cool is that?
For instance, a quarter of the population has a gene called ApoE4 which is linked to Alzheimer’s. Just because you have this gene means that you will have Alzheimer’s. It just makes you more susceptible to having it later in life. [6.1]
I am at an increased risk for developing heart disease. High blood pressure runs in the family, and my grandpa had a heart attack when he was just 44 years old. Scary!
I have consciously eaten healthy since before I was a teenager (around 11 years old). I had changed my diet because of an autoimmune condition called Vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin condition where skin pigment cells are destroyed and leave milky white patches.
People said my willpower of eating healthy was incredible. But truth be told will power had little to do with it. I just didn’t want to have white splotchy patches on my skin anymore! So the pain of not eating healthy far outweighed the pain of living with an autoimmune condition.
I was able to stop the progression of this condition and eventually re-pigment most of the affected areas.
I tell you how this story because I want you to know that I have been eating healthy for a long time.
Even though my diet was fantastic however, I still developed high blood pressure. I’ll talk more about this experience in another post on how I ditched blood pressure medicine and naturally lowered my blood pressure even though it looked hopeless.
I am proof that it is possible to turn off some of the genetic dispositions!
And it’s not just me. There are countless stories out there that you can find if you look for it.
In the same way just because you may be genetically prone to carry extra weight around your midsection, or thighs, or wherever else, does not give you an excuse.
Even though your entire family may be overweight as far down the family tree as you can see, it does not mean the same has to be true for you.
Breaking the False Belief Pattern
If you have ever watched the popular weight loss series “The Biggest Loser” or “Extreme Weight Loss,” most of the participants were faced with a poor line of genetics- everything from heart disease, thyroid issues, and diabetes to name a few.
They fell victim to their circumstances, believing there was no skinny body in their future.
Their weight ballooned to dangerous heights, in many cases nearing the 500 pound mark. But by changing some habits and behaviors, and with consistent hard work, they saw tremendous results. In several cases, the participants had not seen numbers like that since they were in their early teens.
Your lifestyle, not your genes, determine your weight. Period.
If you ever feel doubtful that you can lose weight, I suggest you watch past episodes of the shows I mentioned. You'll definitely become a believer when you see the incredible transformations that these regular people undergo. But it goes to show you that just by changing their lifestyle, not their genes, they were able to get down to a healthy weight.
Not only were they healthier, but they were attractive and filled with confidence that poured out from ever square inch of their skin.
As an aside, you’ve most likely heard that many of these contestants gained most if not all of their weight back. While this may be the case, it is not because of genetics. It is because they were burnt out. They literally were doing two workouts a day and eating like a rabbit.
I will teach you the principles of how to create long term weight loss success, so that you too do not fall victim to fluctuating weight.
Good Body Fat versus Bad Body Fat
Fat is essential for survival. It helps protect our bodies from external impacts. Additionally our body uses stored fat to produce energy, especially when food is scarce.
On the other hand, the bad type of fat is called visceral fat. This fat sits around your abdomen and presses against your internal organs.
This creates an unhealthy environment inside your body and can lead to a higher risk of diseases, including cancer. A good clue of how much visceral fat you have can be figured out in under a minute by calculating your waist-to-hip ratio.
For this, you will need a flexible tape measure and a calculator. If you don’t have a flexible tape measure, get a string and measure your waist, then measure the rope on a ruler or retractable tape measure.
Use the image below to help you locate the areas to measure.
You waist measurement is right around the upper portion of your belly button.
Your hip measurement is around the fullest part of your buttocks.
Do this quick calculation to see if you’re at an increased risk.
Your Waist-to-hip ratio is Waist (inches or cm) ÷ Hip (inches or cm). You can measure it in inches or centimeters, just keep it the unit measurement consistent for both numbers.
WHAT WAS YOUR SCORE? The magic number for women should be below .85 and men should be below .90. If you got a number that was above the threshold, then you should take this seriously.
This fat can have detrimental health consequences if nothing is done. The good news is that you can flip the switch so your body goes from fat storing, to fat burning. You can dramatically decrease deadly visceral belly fat with proven solutions that I lay out in 10 steps.
You may be saying to yourself,
“My score was good but I still want to lose body fat around my midsection and other parts of my body. Will this guide still help me?”
Yes, yes, yes. A resounding and emphatic yes. This guide is for losing weight and reducing body fat anywhere on your body. Despite what you might hear, you cannot spot treat fat loss. This guide specifically calls out belly fat because it’s the most common problem and the most dangerous fat to have.
Why Do People Fail on Diets?
I was debating whether I should include a statistic here on how many people fail on diets. I decided not to include this for two reasons.
First, the data out there is very unclear on the percentage of people that fail on diets. There have been dozens of studies trying to answer this question, but what it really comes down to is that not everything can or should be answered with a study. This is the second reason I didn’t insert a statistic here.
Sometimes people get so wrapped up in the failure rate that it often clouds their vision of what is possible. They start to equate their chance of success as a spin of the roulette wheel or roll of the dice at a casino. In reality, the true measure of your success is not a gamble; rather, it is how consistently you act on a proven plan.
We’ll go over this more in How to Make Habits Stick.
How Often Should I Weigh Myself?
Ah the age old question of scale or not to scale? Should you weight yourself every month, week, day, or multiple times a day?
Undoubtedly, people have so many opinions on how often you should weigh yourself. I say jump on the scale. Write down your weight, and stow it in your closet or basement. Don’t bring it out until, well until months from now. Yes MONTHS.
People become obsessed with weighing themselves. I believe this could be a good motivator at times, but do more harm than good. Weighing yourself is not the best predictor of fitness success.
Implement what’s in this guide and the weight will take care of itself. Trust the process!
To get a better understanding of your weight loss progress, pick up a flexible measuring tape and measure your arms, chest, hips, waist, thighs, and calves.
After each month, jot these same measurements down on the same page so you can see the progress you’re making.
How is this Information Different from Other Sites and Health Resources Out There?
I was growing tired of the nonsense being published on the internet and TV. These self-proclaimed gurus spewing out bogus claims and faulty advice to hook unsuspecting people who just want help losing weight.
That is where the idea for creating this resource, Burn Your Belly Fat, was born. I want it to be the authority resource for losing stubborn belly fat that provides proven, practical recommendations. The advice is free, and not laden with late night pitchmen garbage.
Burn Your Belly Fat is different because it provides references from scientific studies, reputable sources and my own personal experiences.
It is not easy. It is not quick. But it is a critical component for long-term weight loss and fitness success.
Which Is Better for Weight Loss - Diet or Exercise?
As the fitness legend Jack Lalanne once said, “Exercise is King, nutrition is Queen, put them together and you have a Kingdom.”
Planning to lose weight through diet or exercise alone is like having an umbrella made of cotton.
It may shield your body from becoming wet at first (metaphorically speaking keeping you from gaining fat), but it will not work in the long run.
Eventually that cotton umbrella will stop working. It will become increasingly wet and heavy, and the rain will start trickling through.
After a while, the heavy, saturated umbrella becomes unbearable to hold up anymore.
This is what happens all too often with getting into shape.
People start an exercise routine thinking all they have to do is follow a workout plan. They ignore the true body-shaping part that comes from eating healthy.
Burn Your Belly Fat gives you a balanced plan and equips you with ongoing resources. We swap out that saturated, heavy cotton umbrella with a nylon umbrella that is proven to keep you dry.
Even though we give you a new umbrella, you have free reign to go wherever you choose. You can go down the same path you have for years; battling weight loss alone and carrying the burden without a proven plan.
Or, you can take the second path. The path to a better, healthier life. You can start going down this road today by taking accountability of where you currently are and staying accountable of what you do every day.
I can assure you that when you do this and have a proven plan guiding you along the way, you will successfully lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life.
The Truth About Diets and Weight Loss
There are many diets out there that place too much emphasis on restricting caloric intake. As a result, dieters starve themselves thinking that the less they eat, the more fat they will lose.
That is so far from the truth and this myth must be dealt with now.
Everyone has a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) that is specific to them. BMR is the amount of calories you burn if your body was at rest the whole day (yes, your body burns calories all day even if you’re not doing anything).
It is very important to hover around your BMR, meaning that you shouldn’t go over or too far under. If you go over your BMR, your body will store the unused calories primarily as fat for energy reserve. If you restrict your calories too much, by 500 calories or more, it can have a devastating effect on your weight loss.
A series of reactions happens internally when we reduce our calories below our BMR. Your body needs calories to feed your body, from organs down to the tiniest cell. This is where your calories needed.
Your BMR is what your body needs to survive and function properly. When calories are restricted significantly, let’s say by 1,000 calories in a person that has a 2,000 calorie BMR, that person is forcing their body to look for those 1,000 calories internally.
You have to realize that our bodies are extremely smart and will do whatever is necessary to survive.
This 1,000 caloric deficit alerts your body that food is scarce and therefore the body breaks down muscle and fat to get the remaining calories. If you continue on this 1,000 calorie diet, your body will acclimate to a new BMR so that it can survive getting fewer calories. As a result, any amount over 1,000 calories is a surplus, and your body will store it away as fat.
As your BMR lowers, your body realizes that it can save so many calories by getting rid of muscle as opposed to fat. It takes about 7 to 10 calories to maintain a pound of muscle and around 2-4 calories to maintain a pound of fat. [6.1,6.2]
Having more muscle does burn up slightly more calories than fat but that it is hardly enough to make a huge difference.
Where the true difference lies is in your body’s search to efficiently get calories when it is severely restricted of calories, like in many crash diets. If your body senses it is not receiving enough daily calories, its instinct will be to protect itself by storing fat, and burning muscle for energy instead.
That’s why people that diet the wrong way often appear frail and chubby. Not the combination you want to have.
Here’s what I want you to do…
Do you have an idea of how much weight you want to lose?
Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start. We’re about to figure it out together.
Below you’ll see a calorie calculator.
In column 1, About Me, fill in your stats. If you plan on starting a workout plan like Tension Toner, then put Moderate in the Activity drop down.
In column 2, My Weight Goal, put your goal weight and the amount of weeks you want to achieve that by. If the amount of weeks is too aggressive of a goal, a red box will appear with warning. Please increase the amount of weeks so that your goal can be safely attainable.
Alright, now that we went through so some important items, let’s get into the first belly burner tip.
Disclosure
We independently research and recommend the best, cost-effective products. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Disclaimer
The information in this guide is for informational purposes only. It is in no way intended as medical counseling or medical advice. The information contained herein should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent a disease or medical condition without the advice of a medical professional. Talk to your physician before you make any changes in your lifestyle. I am not a doctor. You should always seek the advice from a physician / healthcare provider. Chisel Perfection LLC is not responsible for any injury or loss that result from using any of the material in this program. You are responsible for seeking medical advice and attention as appropriate. By reading this guide you agree that myself and my company are not responsible for any damage or injury alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information herein. Results may vary. We are not responsible for the success or failure of your weight loss goals relating to any information presented in this guide. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing in this guide are the property of their respective owners.
© 2023 Chisel Perfection, LLC DBA Tension Toner All Rights Reserved
References
1 "Adult Obesity Facts." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 Sept. 2014. Web.
2 Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. Journal of the American Medical Association 2014;311(8):806-814.
3 National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2011: With Special Features on Socioeconomic Status and Health. Hyattsville, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2012.
4 Hennekens, Charles H., MD, DrPH. "Increasing Burden of Cardiovascular Disease." Increasing Burden of Cardiovascular Disease . American Heart Association, 1998. Web.
5 "Abdominal Fat and What to Do about It." Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Dec. 2006. Web.
6 "Abdominal Fat and What to Do about It." Harvard Health Publications. Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Dec. 2006. Web.
6.1 https://www.beingpatient.com/apoe4-gene/#:~:text=%E2%80%94Susan%20Hahn%2C%20Genetic%20Counselor&text=But%20the%20ApoE4%20gene%20is,the%20ApoE4%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Hahn.
6.1 http://www.acefitness.org/fitnessqanda/fitnessqanda_display.aspx?itemid=358.
6.2 Wang Z, Ying Z, Bosy-westphal A, et al. Evaluation of specific metabolic rates of major organs and tissues: comparison between men and women. Am J Hum Biol. 2011;23(3):333-8
