You have seen it.

You may have it.

You may not like it.

If you are a man it is not good for you…

Women can tolerate much more body fat and stay healthy. Women are the survivors. That extra body fat helps women reproduce and helps them make breast milk. You may be in sync with your wife and gain some pregnancy weight too, but she needs it, you do not.

Essential body fat for men is only two to five percent (2-5%), which means you can still make hormones with less than five percent (5%) fat. Women need twice that much body fat to stay alive and three times that to reproduce. Super fit male athletes have up to thirteen percent(13%) body fat. The average man has eighteen to twenty-four percent (18-24%) body fat which is similar to a body composition for a fit woman. The average man makes too much estrogen. And that is where his pudge comes from.

You see, testosterone can be converted to estrogen by an enzyme in your fat cells called aromatase. The more fat you have, the more aromatase you have, and the more estrogen you make. In fact, if your body has too much estrogen, then you will develop gynecomastia otherwise known as man boobs. It is a metabolic issue. And it will kill you. So time to get in shape. And keep your testosterone in balance. Supporting your hypothalamus nutritionally will help by raising your metabolism, burning that belly fat, and preventing your testosterone from converting to estrogen.

Hormone Healing Tip: Men, Carbs Are Not Your Friend

Exercise is key to burn the energy you are storing in your belly fat. But you must use stop filling up the pantry. Carbohydrates are what you are storing in your belly fat. So stop eating starchy and sugary carbs. And definitely stop drinking sweetened drinks. If you don’t give your body the fast energy from sugar and starches, your body will use the energy you’re storing in your belly fat.

So here is a quick list of the carbs you need to avoid to lose that belly fat:

• Anything white – white rice, white potatoes, white bread, pasta, white flour, white sugar, fries
• All drinks with sugar natural or added including juice, sodas, alcohol, beer
• Baked goods – donuts, cookies, cakes, breads
• Snacks – chips, candy, ice cream, frozen treats

Forget low sugar snacks or artificial sweeteners. You’re just going to induce an insulin reaction and stimulate your fat cells to produce more aromatase. Whole grains are fine… but eat them in moderation. One cup is a serving. Measure it.  Fill up your plate with vegetables. You can eat all you want of non-starchy veggies. Limit starchy vegetables to one cup. That includes yams, winter squashes, corn, peas.

Be sure to get enough protein: twenty grams (20gm) per fifty pounds of lean body mass. Read labels, a three to four-ounce chicken breast is about twenty grams of protein. For those who do not know their lean body mass and you want an easy measurement tool, I will post a link in the comment section.

Good luck, men. And blessings for the women who love you. You may be a bit grumpy at first, making these adjustments. Go take a walk, play basketball, ride a bike, and work it off. You will survive and be able to enjoy carbs in moderation again.

Check out Part 4 of Hormonal Weight Gain – Cortisol and the Apple Body – coming soon!