After the holiday or during the corona crisis, some pounds may have gained unnoticed. Some kilos are quickly lost when we are in our ‘normal’ rhythm, but that does not always work. Still, there is a good reason to do something about it, especially if the extra weight is on your stomach. Because it is precisely the belly fat that causes the necessary health problems.
Overweight
When we take in more calories than we burn, there is a good chance that the body will store it as fat, causing overweight. And this obesity can pose health risks. Overweight people, for example, have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, gallstones and more prone to back and joint complaints. It is now also known that certain types of cancer are associated with obesity.
Belly fat
But losing those pounds is not easy. Nevertheless, it is very important for our health that we carry less weight with us, especially on the stomach. We have 2 types of fat: subcutaneous fat and fat that is between the organs (visceral fat). This belly fat is necessary and protects organs, but too much makes organs fat, which makes them function less well. Too much belly fat makes us less sensitive to insulin. As a result, the blood sugar level rises and the risk of type 2 diabetes is high. And there is another important reason to want to get rid of belly fat. This fat secretes inflammatory substances that can, among other things, cause blood vessels to be damaged. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, for example. Also in the fight against the corona virus, it appears that belly fat plays a bad role.
Inflammatory substances and cortisol
Those inflammatory substances have an unpleasant side effect, because they have a negative effect on our brains. In addition, it plays an important role in our hormone balance. Belly fat also regulates the feeling of hunger, our fat storage and burning. And do you suffer from (chronic) stress? Then there is a good chance that the fat will accumulate on your stomach. Because stress causes the production of the hormone cortisol. This hormone sends fat straight to the abdomen. Cortisol also ensures that you have an appetite for fat and sweet food. Then that of course does not help to get rid of the fat.
Measuring is knowing
It is therefore very important to get rid of the fat on your stomach. Do you want to know how your belly fat is doing? That is easy to measure. Take a measuring tape and measure the waist circumference while standing between the bottom of the bottom rib and the top of the pelvis. A healthy waist circumference for men is between 79 and 94 centimeters and for women between 68 and 80 centimeters. A waist circumference in men of 102 centimeters or more and women over 88 centimeters can already pose health risks. Incidentally, it is a misconception that slim people do not have increased belly fat. There is equipment where you can have the visceral fat measured.
Belly fat disappears first
According to Professor of Nutrition and Health Jaap Seidell, there is good news, because belly fat is the first fat that disappears when someone starts losing weight. Belly fat consists of white and brown fat. The brown fat is the good fat and white fat can be converted into brown fat. “Brown fat works like a kind of central heating. By suffering from a cold now and then, you can stimulate the production of this healthier fat tissue. That can help with weight loss, ”Seidell told Nu.nl.
Lifestyle adaptation
Left or right, if you have too much belly fat and want to get rid of it, you have to get to work. Adjust your diet, get enough sleep and avoid stress where possible. Be careful with sugars, which tend to settle on the stomach, and get moving. Any kind of exercise is good. Whether in the gym or outside. By training your body you convert fat into muscle. Seidell still has some important tips: “Don’t go extreme dieting.” Make sure that you are in balance with what you eat and exercise. If you are unable to resolve it yourself, call in the help of a dietician.
(Source: Netherlands Nutrition Center / Radar / Health Network / Nu.nl)
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