In the late 1990s, Ginger Moore was in a crossroads of health. Like many others in their 40s, it packed in a few extra pounds around the middle.
She is the first to admit she ate "for all the wrong reasons." The biggest: "To console me emotionally after a bad day."But her experience with her parents was enough to tell her that she was also on the way to heart disease and diabetes. Moore was beginning to worry about what could be ahead for her.
Even if she was not seriously overweight when she read in the local newspaper on a diabetes prevention clinic, she decided to take a look. She discovered that she was prediabetic, and there was a good chance of having diabetes in the next 10 years.It was when she decided to lose her "spare tire". What she did not know at the time was that not only she would be preventing diabetes and heart disease, she could also lower her chances of some types of cancer.
Weightlifting Fat Loss - The Risks of Belly Fat
The fat that is just below your skin in most of the body - the type you can grab with your hands - is called subcutaneous fat. In his belly, he is called visceral fat because he accumulates in the spaces between and around his viscera - internal organs, such as his stomach and intestines.
This visceral fat in its medium makes toxins affecting the way your body works, says Samuel Dagogo-Jack, MD, President of American Diabetes Association. Among them are chemicals called cytokines that increase their chances of heart disease and make their body less sensitive to insulin, which can bring diabetes.
Citokines also cause inflammation, which can lead to certain types of cancer, says Eric Jacobs, PhD, researcher at the American Cancer Society. In recent years, he says, scientists discovered bonds between belly fat and colon, esophagus and pancreas.
. Belly fat is sneaky. By being hidden inside your body, Dagogo-Jack says, you could have "false sense of security" about how healthy you really are. You may not be seriously overweight, but that does not mean that you do not have a problem.
How can you tell if your belly fat is putting your health at risk? This part is easy. No special blood tests or exams are required. All you need is a tape measure. The size of your waist says it all.
The larger the number, the greater the danger of your belly poses for your health.
- For women, a waist measurement of 35 inches or more is cause for concern.
- For men, a waist measurement of 40 inches or more could spell problems.
"If you have to move to a larger pant size, even if your weight is considered normal for your height, or even if you did not notice much weight gain, this is an important signal, it's time to start eat better and exercise more, "says Jacobs.
Most of the time, it is easier to say than to do. Is it worth the effort? Dagogo-Jack points to several studies he says show the "spectacular" effects of still modest weight loss in the prevention of the beginning of diabetes and other problems.
This should be a great news for the 54 million people who have high blood sugar levels that put them in the pre-diabetes category. After having it, diabetes type 2 will probably follow within a decade.
Belly fat can be a challenge. If you feel that your efforts are not giving you the desired results, here are 7 ways to change things:
. Skip the fruit juice. It may seem like a healthy swap for sugary glues, but it is not. All fat reduction fiber in the fruit was removed, leaving only the pure fruit sugars that go straight to your waist.
. Eat your vegetables . They should fill at least half of your dish, especially at your biggest meal. Choose more non-scaled varieties (think of leafy vegetables, broccoli and beans) than the relative full of carbohydrates (potatoes, corn and carrot).
. Go natural. processed foods are not your friends. When you are in a hurry, it is easy to ignore the fact that packaged foods are often loaded with trans fats, sugar and salt - all guaranteed to increase belly fat.
. bulk up . The muscle burns more calories than fat, then the more you have, plus pounds you are playing, even when you are still sitting. Do force training exercises twice a week. This is upon at least half an hour a day for 5 days a week of a moderate activity, such as walking or riding a bicycle.
. rises and moves. Despite what grandmother said, the restlessness can be good for you. Sitting all day and all night is not. Even if you have enough exercises during the week, you will not do so much for you if you are at your rear end for 8 to 9 hours a day. If you sit too much:
- Take short pauses every hour and move your body. Stretch on your desk or take a walk through the office.
- Gesture While you are speaking and touch your foot when you are sitting.
- Skip the elevator and take the stairs.
- When you get home, keep the TV and do something more active.
. Do not save sleeping. Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, diabetes and other health problems. Four or 5 hours per night is not enough. Try to stay between 7 and 8.
. Keep your cool. Stress hormonal cortisol can replace your diet and training. When it goes through your body, the fat deposits move to your belly area. Exercise and meditation can be great ways to dial stress for non-toxic levels.
seventeen years after joining the Daagogogo-Jack program, Ginger Moore is still strong. Despite hip replacements and cataracts, it still exercises every day. And she never has diabetes.
Hiking, Yoga and Zumba classes help keep your body, mind and spirit in shape. "And I try to be aware of every bite that I put in my mouth. This is the biggest challenge," says Moore. When she shatters this comfort food, she learned to reach a banana instead of a biscuit, or a slice of watermelon instead of ice cream.
This boils down to personal choice. "You have to decide that this is what you want to do. There is no magic. You just have to decide that you will deliver it," she says.
