Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “How do I exercise and eat to reduce belly fat that has become a growing problem? I am a 54 year old perimenopausal woman and have been underweight my whole life. Thanks.” — Robbie B., Green Bay, WI

A. Dear Robbie, First, know you are not alone – the same concerns are voiced by many other women. I do have three suggestions that, when used in combination, can give you the best possible opportunity to change this condition.

I have developed menu suggestions and a simple workout routine to serve as guides as you start on losing those excess pounds. Follow Terry’s Traditional Diet. Often, people in your situation are consuming too many carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates, sugar and soft drinks. My diet will help to give you good strength and better muscle tone. For weight loss and aerobic conditioning, I highly recommend interval training. You can click on Terry’s Exercise Plan. Read the information on “short burst exercise.” Develop a regular routine that has you exercising for 12 minutes two or three times a week.

I also recommend adding the following formulas to your supplement regimen:

Look for an adrenal support formula that contains DHEA, adrenal extract, L-tyrosine, licorice, P-5-P and Rehmannia root extract, along with other adrenal-healthy ingredients. Take this formula twice daily. The adrenal glands are responsible for secreting important hormones, including cortisol, that help the body respond to stress. Many of us are living lives full of stressful events – work, family, commuting, finances and more. All this stress may cause our adrenal glands to work overtime, leading to what is often called adrenal fatigue, or adrenal exhaustion. In cases of adrenal fatigue, the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands drops. This can lead to a lack of energy, weight gain, sugar cravings, and reliance on stimulants like caffeine to get moving every day. When the adrenal glands are functioning properly you will have more energy to work out, decreased cravings for unhealthy, sugary foods, and an easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

I also suggest taking a blend of chromium, vanadium, mulberry leaf, apple extract (standardized to quercetin and phloridzin) and a special herb called purslane. Adding this blend of ingredients helps to reduce or delay the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates, thereby suppressing the appetite and reducing binge eating. The quercetin and phloridzin in the apple extract have similar effects on glucose receptor sites and are also able to help prevent the uptake of sugar and thus limit the conversion to fat. You should take this formula daily.

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a magic pill for weight loss, so be realistic. We all want immediate results. But a major weight gain doesn’t happen overnight and neither does significant weight loss. It takes time to correct what took time to go wrong. Allow time for your body to adjust. It may take several months to see results, so don’t get discouraged! Let me know how things go. Good luck!

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally