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Risk Factor |
Amount |
Waist circumference |
>40 inches (or 102cm) in men |
|
>35 inches (or 88cm) in women |
Weight gain |
≥5 kg since age 18-20 yr |
Table 1: Data from the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults—The Evidence Report. Obes Res 1998;6(suppl 2):51S-209S.
Research indicates that the reason for this increased health risk is because abdominal fat cells tend to produce special hormones such as estrogen. In menopausal women, this unusual estrogen production can have a stimulatory effect on breast tissues resulting in growth of cancerous cells. Fat cells also contribute to insulin resistance, which can progress to diabetic disease if not detected early and managed appropriately.
Getting rid of belly fat
Unfortunately, there is no wonder pill or formula to rid of belly fat for good. Like everything else, it requires consistent work and more work. Scaling up your exercise routine to increase total body fat burn is the best way to target abdominal fat since it is usually the first place to shrink during weight loss. Try to build more body muscle by engaging in strength training such as lifting weights or incorporating light dumb bells into your aerobic exercise routines. Basically, the more muscle mass you have, the greater your metabolism – even at rest – which means you burn fat faster. The ideal exercises to tone your abdomen are pelvic tilts and abdominal hollowing.
Abdominal hallowing – take a deep breath and suck in your tummy muscles; then let the air out while slowly relaxing your tummy. Good for working the deeper abdominal muscles.
Pelvic tilts and Pelvic lifts —lie flat on the ground and either rotate your hips towards your upper body or lift your whole lower half off the ground. Good for toning your lower abdomen.Of course, exercise always needs to be supported with a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and high fiber foods. Make it a goal to decrease your consumption of refined foods and limit fast foods to once per week to start. As always, have a discussion with your doctor prior to starting any exercise routines or diet plan especially if you have a health problem that limits activity such as heart disease or diabetes.
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