Abdominal Fat

Abdominal fat and what to do about it.


Though the term might sound dated, “middle-age spread” is a greater concern than ever. As people go through their middle years, their proportion of fat to body weight tends to increase — more so in women than men.


Extra pounds tend to park themselves around the midsection. At one time, we might have accepted these changes as an inevitable fact of aging.  But we’ve now been put on notice that as our waistlines grow, so do our health risks.


Abdominal, or visceral, fat is of particular concern because it’s a key player in a variety of health problems — much more so than subcutaneous fat, the kind you can grasp with your hand. 


Visceral fat, on the other hand, lies out of reach, deep within the abdominal cavity, where it pads the spaces between our abdominal organs. Visceral fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.


In women, it is also associated with breast cancer and the need for gallbladder surgery. Fat accumulated in the lower body (the pear shape) is subcutaneous, while fat in the abdominal area (the apple shape) is largely visceral. 


Where fat ends up is influenced by several factors, including heredity and hormones. As the evidence against abdominal fat mounts, researchers and clinicians are trying to measure it, correlate it with health risks, and monitor changes that occur with age and overall weight gain or loss. The good news is that visceral fat yields fairly easily to exercise and diet, with benefits ranging from lower blood pressure to more favorable cholesterol levels. 


Subcutaneous fat located at the waist — the pinchable stuff — can be frustratingly difficult to budge, but in normal-weight people, it’s generally not considered as much of a health threat as visceral fat is. Research suggests that fat cells — particularly abdominal fat cells — are biologically active. It’s appropriate to think of fat as an endocrine organ or gland, producing hormones and other substances that can profoundly affect our health. 


Although scientists are still deciphering the roles of individual hormones, it’s becoming clear that excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, disrupts the normal balance and functioning of these hormones. Scientists are also learning that visceral fat pumps out immune system chemicals called cytokines — for example, tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 — that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. 


These and other biochemicals are thought to have deleterious effects on cells’ sensitivity to insulin, blood pressure, and blood clotting. One reason excess visceral fat is so harmful could be its location near the portal vein, which carries blood from the intestinal area to the liver. Substances released by visceral fat, including free fatty acids, enter the portal vein and travel to the liver, where they can influence the production of blood lipids. 


Visceral fat is directly linked with higher total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that your body’s muscle and liver cells don’t respond adequately to normal levels of insulin, the pancreatic hormone that carries glucose into the body’s cells. Glucose levels in the blood rise, heightening the risk for diabetes. 


Now for the good news...so what can we do about tubby tummies? A lot, it turns out. The starting point for bringing weight under control, in general, and combating abdominal fat, in particular, is regular moderate-intensity physical activity — at least 30 minutes per day (and perhaps up to 60 minutes per day) to control weight. 


Strength training (exercising with weights) may also help fight abdominal fat. Spot exercising, such as doing sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles, but it won’t get at visceral fat. 


Diet is also important. Pay attention to portion size, and emphasize complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) and lean protein over simple carbohydrates such as white bread, refined-grain pasta, and sugary drinks. Replacing saturated fats and trans fats with polyunsaturated fats can also help. 


Changing your lifestyle is never easy but certainly worth persuing.

Fastest Way to Lose Weight

What is the fastest way to lose weight?

This is probably the most asked question in the health and fitness industry around the world. The answer is a lot more complex than you think. There are many quick ways to lose weight, such as diet pills and fad diets, but are they really that good for you? Weight loss can be both fast and healthy, and I will explain how in the following few paragraphs.

The whole process of losing weight can seem daunting as there is a lot of information out there. It is much easier if we break up the different areas of weight loss and discuss them separately. They are Diet, Exercise, Goal Setting and Taking Action.

1. Changing Your Diet!

The first step to fast weight loss is of course changing your diet. This doesn’t mean immediately excluding all the foods you love from your diet. The change from an unhealthy diet to a healthy diet must be a slow and gradual process. The reason why most people fail and give in to cravings is that they make the change to suddenly, and naturally miss the food they used to eat more! Begin by making your breakfasts fat free for a week, then minimise the calories you eat for lunch the next week, then finally start preparing healthy dinners the week after. It is a good idea to have one cheat meal a week, this will keep the cravings at bay!

2. Add an Exercise Programme!

The next stage of the answer to the ‘fastest way to lose weight’ is to start an exercise programme. Again this does not have to be painful and strenuous. If you fitness levels are low, you will burn enough fat to really make a difference just by going for a walk. Research has proven the minimum requirements for effective fast fat loss is to exercise continuously for half an hour, at least 4 days a week. Try to get into a routine, such as exercises every afternoon as soon as you get home from work, or going for a walk every day after dinner. Walk with a friend, or grab you iPod and the 1/2 hour will be over before you know it. You will lose weight as well as decreasing your chances of many heart conditions and diabetes.

3. Set Your Goals!

The last step is to set some achievable goals. This will keep you motivated and help keep you on track. Start off by setting your long-term goal, which may be to lose 40 pounds in the next two months. Then break this down into smaller goals, such as to lose 5 pounds this week. Then work your hardest to get this.You will have some weeks better weeks and some weeks where you wont lose the five, but keep trying to hit that weekly target as best you can. Before you know it you have lost the 40 pounds you always wanted.

4. Take Action Now!

In conclusion, the fastest way to lose weight entails a combination of low-fat diet and moderate regular exercise.