Many people suffer with excess stomach fat. It can be one of the most stubborn forms of fat, and can be very difficult to get rid of. But, excess stomach fat is more than just unattractive; it can lead to serious health consequences.
The Main Causes of Excess Stomach Fat
There are several main causes of excess stomach fat. These include:
- Genetics – Some people just tend to store excess stomach fat, rather than storing it in other places on our bodies.
- Menopause – Women tend to store excess stomach fat after going through menopause.
- Stress – Stress causes release of the hormone cortisol. When cortisol is released consistently, it can lead to excess stomach fat, and overall weight gain.
- A Slow metabolism – A slow metabolism causes excess stomach fat, and overall weight gain as well.
- Late night eating – Regularly eating late at night can cause excess stomach fat because our bodies don’t get the chance to burn off those calories eaten before bedtime. This leads to overall weight gain, and, in particular, excess stomach fat.
The possible increased health risks of excess stomach fat
Being overweight and having excess stomach fat can pose several health risks. Those who are overweight are more prone to diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure, as well as to some forms of cancer.
But, one of the risks particularly associated with excess stomach fat is the risk of heart disease. One of the measures for how likely you are to have a heart attack is the waist to hip ratio.
When excess fat is stored in the stomach, rather than on the hips, as is more common, it creates an unhealthy waist to hip ratio. Your waist to hip ratio is a leading predictor of heart disease, and those with excess stomach fat are more at risk.
Those with an unhealthy waist to hip ratio are those people who could be described as more “apple” shaped than “pear” shaped. These are the people whose primary excess fat is in the stomach.
If you have a lot of stored fat in your stomach, it is important to take measures to reduce this fat. Spot reducing in any area of the body is nearly impossible, so the key to reducing your excess stomach fat is reducing your body fat all over.
Combine a good diet with exercise to combat excess stomach fat
Regular aerobic exercise combined with a good diet is the best way to get rid of excess stomach fat. Aim to work out at a pace that makes it difficult for you to carry on a conversation 3-5 times per week. This will allow your body to burn excess fat.
In addition to an aerobic workout routine; watch your diet. Reduce or eliminate white flour and sugar from your diet, and watch your overall calorie intake and your intake of bad fats, too. Taking these simple dietary steps can help you reduce excess stomach fat and fat from all over your body without having to spend a lot of time counting calories.
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