In March 2012, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that student debt had passed the eye-popping $1 trillion mark. Combined with?a weak job market and record low interest rates hurting investors, that means current students and recent graduates face an uphill battle when it comes to getting their financial lives in order. For some, it might take a long time before they can be debt free, saving for retirement and able to maintain the?necessary cash flow to handle emergencies, home payments and a lifestyle that they may have been accustomed to under their parents? roofs.
Four local professionals and three financial gurus weighed in on the problem and some possible solutions. There is no golden ticket, but all agreed?that spending needs to be reined in and education must be rethought. Also, some speculated that perhaps today?s new students and young professionals have gotten a bad rap; they might be learning from the mistakes of their parents and grandparents and wising up to the modern marketplace.
Greg Kasten:?Get tough on debt
?Most college debt is unnecessary, but the system has persuaded America that it?s normal,? said Kasten, a fiduciary. ?I actually believe it?s perfectly possible for a middle-class family to be able to put children through college and not have any debt.?
Making smart decisions and ignoring the lure of ?the college experience? will go a long way in preparing for a successful financial future out of school. Fortunately, he thinks some of the younger generations are starting to realize now that they need to save more after seeing what their parents and grandparents have gone through with low stock returns and home foreclosures.
His first order of business for a debt-ridden graduate, though, is debt elimination through a very disciplined budget. Then ?come to talk to me? about investing, he said.
?You don?t want to put any money in the stock market unless you?re going to have it in there for at least five to 10 years,? Kasten said. ?People are putting money in and then going, ?Oh no, I need to pay my bills.? You get a guaranteed rate of return when you pay off your debt.?
Kasten observed that recent graduates have not really seen good stock performances and are accustomed to low rates and low returns. Fortunately, there is a chance to start off right and reap the benefit of time. That?s not the case for folks in their 60s and 70s looking for good retirement income after years of investing. Kasten pointed out that investors in their 40s and 50s are ?frustrated, because they would like to see the stock market perform better, but they?ve seen that it hasn?t delivered much in the last 10 years.?
Regardless of age, debt status and investing savvy, Kasten said to follow the 80-10-10 rule ? live on 80 percent of what you make, give 10 percent to charity and save 10 percent.
Chris Lee: Education needs to improve
?I challenge educators, politicians, everyone,? he said. ?If I had a magic wand wand today, I would make it mandatory that every student in Kentucky, before they can graduate from high school, they have to take a financial management course.?
The education also needs to come from home, Lee noted. And on that note, recent graduates and 20-somethings have perhaps seen their parents or grandparents lose a lot of wealth because of a weak market ? a blessing in disguise that is beginning to create a breed of young people eager to take their finances into their own hands.
?A lot of younger people are much more open to investing in stocks and that type of thing, whereas their grandparents might have thought investing in stocks was only for rich people,? he said. ?In general, they are less cautious because they understand there needs to be more risk.?
He also sees many young people in a mess of student-loan debt, struggling to figure out a plan.
For this crowd, he recommends a three-pronged approach: debt reduction, a retirement savings plan and building an emergency fund. He said this balance gives young investors the benefit of time for their money to grow, rather than waiting until their debt is gone before they saving for retirement.
?If they?re doing all three of those things, then, in theory, they?re not having to go into more debt to fix their car that breaks, and they?re able to build up money, to put money down for a house, and they?re saving for retirement,? Lee said. ?There are those that are younger that are completely disengaged with saving; they are just out of school, a lot have debt, they are so eager to get a paycheck and disposable income, and all of that money goes to support a lifestyle. But for every one of those who is putting saving off, there are those who are extremely dialed in.?
Matt Briggs: Young people face uphill battle
?The cost of a college education has increased, housing has increased, and the cost of living in general has increased overall at a higher rate than salaries have,? said Briggs, the marketing and fulfillment coordinator at IMG College. ?There are always exceptions, but I feel like overall my parents and their generation had an easier time finding a good-paying job at a younger age than my generation is having, allowing them to cover their living expenses and begin saving for retirement easier than young people can today.?
All he can do is his best to plan and save, and he thinks 401K and IRA investing plans are reliable for people his age with plenty of working years ahead, especially since Social Security will probably get even less dependable, with higher eligibility ages.
The new father also expects current students and future students to have a tougher time with debt.
?I expect the students graduating now and in the last few years will have a harder time with their student loan debt,? he said. ?Hopefully, as the economy improves, students graduating in the future will have better job prospects coming out of college than recent graduates.?
Young adults now riddled with debt, he said, should pay off credit cards first.
?Retirement saving should take priority over student loan debt, if the student loan rate is lower than the expected return on your investment, especially as long as tax deductions are available for student-loan interest,? Briggs added.
Jennifer Quillen: Retirement is up to the individual
?We can be less likely to seek professional advice regarding how to proceed with our savings,? she pointed out. ?Removing the emotional buy-low, sell-high with every market swing and continuing to focus on long-term goals are where an advisor?s role should be.?
Quillen identified ways that each generation is dealing with retirement savings and debt in an ever-changing market and why getting help is good.
For the 60-plus crowd, ?they?re facing living in a low-interest-rate environment, trying to keep up with rising costs, and protecting their financial well-being?in the face of increased longevity. But some of the advantages are the opportunities for rising income, tax-free investments and tax-deferred investments.?
For the 40-to-50 crowd, the challenge is keeping long-term strategies in play and focusing on staying invested in light of bleak predictions for market performance, she said. Their general advantage is their ability to obtain and maintain a well-balanced portfolio and ability to grow wealth.
For the younger crowd in their 20s and 30s, Quillen said one challenge is information overload.
?They are living with an onslaught of information from multiple sources and need to be able to discern whom to trust versus what is just hype,? she said. ?Also, during these decades, many life decisions are taking precedence over long-term financial goals.?
However, they need to create the opportunity to save a little in tax-deferred accounts. On the other hand, student-loan debt can be a big hindrance to tailoring a good retirement plan.
?The goal is finding balance among debt reduction, saving for retirement, and living within their means today,? Quillen said.
She said keeping a liquid emergency fund also is a must.
Laura Kihlman:?Students should seek alternatives?in education
And consequently, employers? expectations will shift if and when the majority of young people cannot afford a traditional education.
?This same university cost has been an issue in the United Kingdom, and they?ve seen a rise in apprenticeship programs provided to individuals by certain industries to train them appropriately, instead of expecting a university degree,? Kihlman said.
On the bright side, she thinks this will create more educational options coming out of secondary education.
More opportunities will be key, because getting ahead is not easy.
?I think it?s definitely harder for 20-somethings and 30-somethings to get ahead financially than it was for our parents? generation,? she said, even though she and her husband?s debt only consists of minimal student loans. ?The cost of living has increased exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years with the introduction of personal Internet, cellular telephones, smart cars and other tech-savvy gadgets. People need more to keep up with the culture around them, and it has pushed most young professional?s focus away from saving for retirement.?
Barry Barret: Give school a second thought and get out of debt
?Too many kids go to school, and I know that sounds crazy,? he said. ?But even if they know what they are going for, odds are that doing it will make them more successful. Unless you want to have a professional trade where you need the training, then sometimes it is a better idea to just go work.?
He said these days too many kids seem to go to school for the sake of going to school; meanwhile they are racking up debt and are still unclear of a career because they have little work experience.
?I think it?s going to be easier for kids to go to college, but I think they?ll be in debt up to their eyeballs if we don?t pay for it,? Barrett said. ?Colleges are going to make money ready for anyone who wants it, just like they do today.?
For those young adults already out of school riddled with debt, Barrett thinks becoming debt-free should trump retirement saving.
?Interest and inflation catch you from behind when you have interest going against you,? he said. ?[Younger generations] are inundated with debt. They are taught that debt is the way to financial security. That?s counterintuitive, and their parents at least had a chance at not getting into debt.?
Then saving can start, and it is of utmost importance, since Social Security is a wild card.
?It?s social insecurity,? Barrett said. ?I couldn?t care less about that. I believe more in martians than that ? and I don?t believe in martians at all.?
Instead he said, look at things like Roth IRAs, if you qualify.
Gordon Walls:?Prepare for anything and plan?earlier for college
?These are uncertain times,? said Walls, 55. ?We have to walk by faith, not by sight.?
A father of two with three grandchildren, he sees some turbulent waters for folks like himself who are nearing retirement, as well as younger generations. Issues like Social Security will look different than they currently do, he said, and younger generations should be responsible and not plan for stability from programs like Social Security.
The other big issue he sees is debt. Whether it is from college or living beyond one?s means, debt is a growing problem for younger people.
?They have much more college debt, as many spend time on multiple degrees and battle rising tuition,? he said. ?They are entering the workforce later in life.?
And for parents with young children at home, a college education will take more planning.
?I think it will be much harder for them to go to college,? Walls said. ?Parents will have to start saving and planning and equipping their children earlier.?
The discipline to do that could be a problem, because ?this generation is troubled by tremendous marketing pressure, available credit, instant gratification and the desire for more,? Walls said.
But there is a silver lining ? there are more opportunities to learn about investing and finances.?
Source: http://bizlex.com/2013/01/a-graduating-debt/
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Exercise and Diet will in most people get results, and specific?s can be altered to achieve perhaps greater results, although frankly this method is a bit ?hit and miss?. If a client is paying a premium for a service to reduce specifically belly fat then a programme taking into account their Oestrogen levels, one which will promote the storage of fat cells in the abdomen, how well their gut is functioning and testing their Cortisol, Leptin and Ghrelin levels will make sure your client achieves outstanding results.
Change your?diet?(eating patterns) and your?exercise?routine (if you have one).? Cut down on salt and sugar intake, increase w/foods that will keep you feeling ?full? for longer such as veggies, fruit, and include some fiber.
To begin reducing belly fat immediately: Eat clean ? cut refined carbs, caffeine, alcohol and processed food from your diet. Sleep well ? have 8 hours good quality sleep every night. Stay hydrated ? drink at least 2 litres of filtered or bottled water daily. Exercise regularly ? be consistent but mix it up, just have fun!
My top tip to reduce belly fat is to take longer breaks between eating meals, effectively going into a semi short fast. During this fasting period wonderful things will happen to your body, like switching to burning fat to fuel your activity, stabilise hormone secretion, improving insulin?sensitivity, and a whole host of other health benefits.?
Eliminate sugar and manage your carbohydrate intake.? Fat loss is a hormonal process and I teach all my clients to understand the role of insulin as the chief mediator of fat storage.? Knowing what foods have the greatest impact on insulin (ie simple sugars and processed carbohydrates) is key to loosing belly fat and keeping it off.
Increase your metabolism, and your body will burn fat FOR you! The #1 way to do that? Increase your lean muscle tissue. ?In other words, pump some iron ladies!
First you?ll need to eliminate all simple carbohydrates from your diet while you are trying to reduce belly fat. ?This includes not just candy and alcohol, but fruit, juice and carbs that break down quickly like pasta and bread.
Most people know that exercising and eating clean will help reduce body fat. ?Sometimes exercise and eating the right foods aren?t enough especially when dealing with reducing fat in the mid section. ?Now I?m not here saying that you can target fat loss because that is not how the body works , but you can guide your body in the right direction by doing the right things. ?
Change your breakfast to a protein breakfast.
Balance your hormones
My recommendation is to focus on health first and fitness second. For the workouts, I highly recommend high intensity interval training. But what you do on your off days is probably more important. When you?re exercising at a high intensity, recovery is key. 
I?ve competed in 3 Natural bodybuilding shows so honestly, it?s 100% diet!? I don?t honestly agree with calories in, calories out because I feel that any excess protein will turn into waste and excreted.? I could have 3 twinkies all day and yes, I?d lose wait but if you continue this practice you?ll begin to lose LBM bc your body will go into starvation mode. Those are also empty calories with low amino acid profile.? 
The best way to reduce belly fat is controlling what foods you put in your Body. 80% of getting fit and staying there is food consumption. The other 20% is exercise? ?I tell my clients you want a six pack eat clean! Don?t eat anything from a bag, can or box. Eat unprocessed foods, Lean proteins, veggies, fruits, good fats and whole grains. Keep it balanced keep it clean.
The best way to help reduce belly fat is by eating less dairy and breads. These foods go straight to your abdomen and make you look bloated. By avoiding these foods in your diet you will see a great improvement to your stomach. 
My top tip for reducing belly fat is to have a daily greens drink. I use one which contains wheatgrass, alfalfa, barley grass and peppermint, both for myself and with my clients. As well as many other benefits, greens drinks help digestion and alkalise the body, making it more efficient at removing toxins and excess fat. 
If you are struggling with that stubborn belly fat and you?ve tried everything but nothing seems to work (especially doing those 1000 sit ups you keep doing 
Don?t follow the latest weight loss diet. The reality is that only 2% of weight loss diets (eat less, exercise more principle) are successful for long-term health [all diets have their benefits but the reality is that they are all high-fad diets where the weight loss is not sustainable.?There is no diet that is going to be the perfect diet for everybody
Reducing abdominal fat requires a combination of intense anaerobic circuit training (i.e., upper-lower body circuit), short high-intensity cardio interval training (HIIT), and a healthy, clean diet of minimally-processed foods. ?Training legs at a relatively high-intensity level (e.g., 70% 1-RM) while performing circuits can go a long way toward leaning out one?s midsection. ?
Eat a minimum of 4 cups (pushed down and packed) of a mixed salad (minimum 6 different veggies: eg. lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, cumber, red onion, celery, red, green or yellow pepper, snow peas, etc.)?AND?a minimum of 2 cups of steamed mixed veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.)?EVERYDAY.
Don?t think you only need to do stomach exercises, you?ll be greatly disappointed. If you really just want to focus on losing stomach fat, do full body weight training with light weight for higher reps and do lots and lots of cardio. If you have an hour to train, do 20 minutes of weights with short rest periods followed by 40 minutes on non-stop cardio.
1. Water!!! It?s an old one but true!! You can guarantee if a person is dehydrated they will be carrying a few pounds. I?ve seen it time and time again when using my body analysing scales. So get drinking.
In most adults who are overweight, the protruding belly is often due mostly to visceral fat. This is fat that has built up over a period and surrounds the stomach and other organs causing a swell at the abdomen. This fat is different to the subcutaneous fat that sits just below the dermis and is evenly distributed all over the body within fat cells.
1. Eat breakfast?.Most people neglect breakfast thinking they will lose weight, but?eating a healthily breakfast helps your insulin levels thus helping keep your LDL cholesterol?(bad) levels low.
The best means of reducing fat is to increase the intensity of gross motor function exercises.For example the cornerstone of many of my training programs is the deadlift.
The resistance workout should consist of multi-joint exercises using short rest periods (less than a minute) and non-competing exercises (i.e.,supersets, circuit workouts) using challenging weight.
The reduction of Belly fat is a mine field of possibilities. This question highlights perfectly why diets don?t work. A blanket reduction in belly fat is possible to achieve but how best to achieve belly fat loss can vary dramatically from one person to another.
Get motivated, be committed and determined to make a lifestyle change.
The best way that I?ve come across to burn belly fat involves a combination of a high protein and moderate carbohydrate diet and the use of interval training.
Looking to blast belly fat?? Excess belly fat is a signal your body isn?t processing your food (particularly high glycemic carbs) efficiently.? It can also mean your liver is getting tired and toxic!? What to do? Learn how to eat to balance your blood sugar.? Blood sugar gets balanced by eating 5 ? 6 small, balanced (balance of lean protein/low glycemic carb) mini meals a day.? This will allow your body to balance blood sugar and turn off that insulin pump that makes you hungry, tired, cranky and craving sweets.? It will also allow your body to shift into a ?belly fat burning? mode.
In addition to exercising more, I tell my clients to try and change first the things that are the most easiest to change (as opposed to attempting to turn everything in your world upside down and trying to change everything at once, which is very difficult to sustain).
The million dollar question is, ?What is the best way to reduce belly fat?? My students and clients ask it daily, ?How do I lose my gut, spare tire or beer belly?? In the end, they all want that goddess and/or herculean shape! My answer usually mystifies them, ?When do you think you were in the best shape of your life?? So begins the much needed thought process for clients to understand that this goal will take time.
The best way to reduce belly fat is to find a strong enough REASON to?make the changes to your diet and lifestyle you?re going to need to make?in order to burn fat, flatten your stomach and build a lean, toned body.
My best advice for reducing belly fat is to reduce your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate is the body?s preferred energy supply and can be found in foods such as bread, cereals, pasta, sweets, fruit etc. Carbohydrates are not ?bad? but in order to burn fat we need to replace carbohydrates with protein & healthy fats. Carbohydrates are also NON-ESSENTIAL to the body so there is no harm in removing them from your diet.
Reducing belly fat is best accomplished with a combination of proven techniques. First, and foremost, is proper nutrition. No matter the clients age, or respective metabolism, this is priority #1. It would be beneficial to measure RMR (resting metabolic rate) to get the exact daily caloric requirement. Then daily meals can be planned using this figure, minus no more than 20% of this figure to create a caloric deficit.
We are all unique both inside and out. The huge array of diet and fitness books is testament to the fact that just one standised blueprint does not work. If you really want to lose your belly then you need to look inwards. You need to connect with your dreams, motivations and desires. You need to discover what really makes you tick. This is the true essence of happiness and ultimate secret to achieving a healthy looking body.