If you want to burn belly fat, there are 10 key strategies to implement, and most involve food. These are the same strategies that I applied to my own body to cut visceral fat. So I decided to up my omega-3s, particularly since an omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, seems to reverse the harmful changes to belly fat produced by fructose. In fact, DHA doesn’t just change one or two genes, it pushes an entire block of genes back to normal. Purslane offers the richest source of omega-3s and melatonin that you can obtain from a green vegetable—mostly alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which can be converted into DHA. One chef calls it a miniature jade plant. I call it a super food, a weed worth eating, because its nutrient density strengthens synapses, or connections in your brain, and enhances memory and learning. I grow it in my garden, then chop it in salads or add it to soups at the very end. You can grow it too, or buy it at your local farmer’s market, next to the sorrel and nettles. After a bit of research, I had an epiphany. I needed to burst train, or repeatedly exercise at a high intensity for 30 to 75 seconds, separated by two to three minutes of recovery. Burst trainers have far more fat loss compared with endurance trainers. The main culprit for most Americans is excessive amounts of high fructose corn syrup—the Department of Agriculture estimates that Americans consumed an average of about 27 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup in 2014—but I found that I probably have a problem with even higher-fructose fruit such as bananas, dates, and dried apricots. The main takeaway is that in contrast to glucose, fructose doesn’t trigger insulin secretion or leptin production. These two hormones dampen appetite by telling your body you’re full and to put the fork down. Limit your fruits to lemons, limes, avocados, and olives. Dial down the fructose to lose belly fat. What works best is a daily practice of 30 minutes to reset stress levels in the body. Stress raises your pesky hormone cortisol, which breaks down muscle and stores fat. Listen to a guided meditation by Tara Brach on the free app Insight Timer, get a massage, have an orgasm, or walk your dog around the block. Figure out what works for you and do it regularly. To raise adiponectin, eat pistachios and pumpkin seeds, get 35 to 50 grams of fiber per day, and consider taking a magnesium supplement.
