The presence of fat in the abdomen proves to be a very serious and unhealthy situation, it has been found through research that abdominal fat plays a major role on the overall health of the body and its presence can lead to many chronic and even fatal diseases. Abdominal fat does not refer to the typical tummy fat everyone has. Everyone has some stomach fat to cushion their organs, as a source of backup fuel and to maintain your body temperature internally. It is the type and the location of the abdominal fat that has to be taken into consideration in order to tell if it leads to bad health.
The subcutaneous and visceral fat constitutes abdominal fat. The extra fat that we see and pinch is the subcutaneous fat while visceral fat is the fat that provides protection to the soft organs found in the abdomen. Both look similar, with the same consistency and color, however, they function differently. Subcutaneous fat is passive and is mainly a fat storage repository. However, the visceral fat is active as it acts as a gland itself, this form of fat can break down and release fatty acids which the liver metabolizes to produce bad health. This liver metabolism leads to increased blood sugar and insulin levels and increased inflammation that can lead to diabetes and some types of cancer and stroke. Moreover, though visceral fat is found in the abdomen, it can cause damage in other parts of the body, other than the belly. No other fat can do this; and this is the reason abdominal fat has to be kept under control. Without any control, you find a belly full of fat with little pinchable fat on the surface.
There are many reasons for a person to develop a pot belly. It is based on the genetics of a person, hormones, stress and food habits. The body tendency of some people tends to deposit more fat in the abdominal region and this leads to those pot bellies or beer bellies; modern junk food which is fatty and unhealthy is a main contributor to pot bellies. It is often said that a pot belly is a beer belly which grows with the increased consumption of alcohol. However, research has proven that there is not much difference in a person drinking alcohol and one not drinking alcohol to develop a paunch.
Stress is also an evil for many diseases, and abdominal fat is one of them. Women tend to develop a paunch after menopause when there is a reduction in the female hormone estrogen, in the body. Whatever the reason is, as abdominal fat is very bad for health, it is better to adapt some lifestyle changes to tackle the problem of abdominal fat. It is quite difficult to attempt to reduce abdominal fat through spot remedies like crunches and crash diets. This is because though crunches may tone your back and abdominal muscles, it does not affect abdominal fat. To reduce abdominal fat, your overall body fat has to be reduced.
Crash diets are also not advisable as they only make your body metabolism starve wherein the resting metabolic rate is reduced. Instead, it is better to follow a healthy diet with a moderate lifestyle. Perform daily exercise to see results and a diminishing waist line. Though visceral fat is bad for health, it is basically the first type of fat that burns with exercise. This is because this fat is metabolically active, and this works in your favor when you decide to get rid of fat. You don’t have to lose lots of weight; a loss of just 2 inches from the waistline produces lots of benefits to you and can in the process, decrease the risk of you contracting numerous illnesses and diseases. So why not get down to reducing that abdominal fat that is so bad for you and your body!
