Pot Belly Is Not Just About Your Tummy By Sharon Bell At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Having a big abdomen that is not due to pregnancy is something that can really put down anybody's self-confidence. Not only is beer gut unsightly, it is also an indication that you may be suffering from serious diseases, including heart problems or diabetes.

A study conducted in 1993 has confirmed that those who have visceral fat, or those that have an apple shaped body, have higher risk of developing serious heart ailments than people who have pear-shaped body, or whose fat deposits are concentrated on their thighs and buttocks. Other conditions that can be associated with beer belly include, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, hypertension, and some forms of cancer.

Dangers of Belly Fat

A huge fat deposit in the belly or abdomen is dangerous because it usually cramps important internal organs and blood vessels. People who have beer gut do not only have fat under their skin, but also big fat cells inside their abdominal cavities.

Aside from encasing internal organs in big fat cells, having beer gut is also bad for your liver and portal vein. Because of the proximity of huge amounts of fat in your liver, toxins and fatty acids released by fat cells can adversely affect liver functions. Increased production of bad cholesterol, insulin resistance, and even inflammation are just some of the effects of having too much visceral fat.

What You Need To Know About Visceral Fat

It is a known fact that if you eat a lot, there is a big chance that you will get fat. When a person gains weight, fat is usually equally distributed to several parts of the body. However, a recent study shows that individuals who have high saturated fat in their diet are more at risk at developing beer belly. Foods that are rich in saturated fats include processed food, meat, butter and many junk foods.

Another major cause of high visceral fat is the lack of exercise. People who live sedentary lives are usually the ones who are plagued with beer bellies. One study confirmed that individuals who do not perform regular exercise are twice more likely to have potbelly than those who have high fitness level.

Another important fact that you need to know about visceral fat is that liposuction does not erase the risks connected from having beer belly. Thus, liposuction may be effective in making your abdomen look smaller and firmer, but it does not help in reducing your health risks. A research released in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that liposuction did not have short-term impact on the blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure of 15 obese women who had 23 pounds of abdominal fat removed.

Ways To Get Rid of Beer Gut

One way to lose weight is to reduce your intake of food. If you want your total body fat to be greatly reduced, you need to eat a balanced diet and avoid fatty foods, especially those that are rich in saturated fats and sugar. However, no matter how much you decrease your food intake, this will not have a huge impact in the elimination of your abdominal fat.

One sure way of eliminating beer belly is through regular exercise and strength training. It has been found that strength training like walking and using weights done at least two times a week will result in more reduction of abdominal fat. However, people who pin their beliefs in sit-ups and the countless abdomen workouts being sold on TV may be met with huge disappointments. These fad belly exercises just can't take the fat out of your abdomen because you need to involve the whole of your body, and not just your tummy area, in your strength training.

Above all, remember that no matter what you do, keeping your belly flat means keeping off unwanted pounds. It is as basic as that!

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