A proper diet, challenging exercise, quality sleep and motivation are all mandatory prime players in any programme to get rid of stubborn belly fat. Photo / 123rf
A proper diet, challenging exercise, quality sleep and motivation are all mandatory prime players in any programme to get rid of stubborn belly fat. Photo / 123rf
OPINION:
Have you found yourself looking in the mirror lately, focusing on the excessive pouch you call your stomach and wondering how in the heck it got there? You are not alone.
The ‘beer gut’, the ‘spare tire’, the ‘muffin top’, the ‘pot belly’... it really doesn’t matter what titleor label you assign to this excess weight, it’s all the same thing - extra fat that has accumulated around the belly.
Since this ‘fat pouch’ generally starts appearing as we enter our 30s, 40s and beyond, we believe it’s part and parcel of ageing. We think of it as being part of “middle-age spread”, as though it’s perfectly natural and inevitable. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is not inevitable, but a result of our lifestyles.
It is true that as we age, the level of hormones that work at maintaining our muscle mass decreases. That’s bad enough, but combine that with the fact that as we age we tend to be a whole lot less active than we were in our younger years and you have a very unhealthy situation. The combination of these two factors working together causes our muscles to atrophy or shrink because they are not being actively used, which results in our metabolism not working correctly anymore.
If a lack of exercise and loss of hormones is not bad enough, toss in some very unhealthy eating habits (consuming too many toxic calories) and you’re on the fast-track to disaster. Belly fat is not limited to subcutaneous fat, the extra layer of padding that’s just below the skin - it also includes the fat that lies deep inside which surrounds your internal organs, called visceral fat.
It’s important as you change your diet to include more plant-based foods like vegetables. Photo / 123rf
The truth is, accumulating fat around your mid-section is nothing to joke about. When compared with gaining weight in other parts the body, weight around the mid-section is not only unhealthy, it is downright dangerous to our health.
Excess body fat that collects around the mid-section rather than on the limbs is an outward visual sign of hormonal and metabolic turmoil within, and once that excess belly fat is increased to the point it has a hard, round appearance, you can be assured that hormonal imbalance is driving its growth.
Because your hormones control every aspect of weight loss, including your metabolic rate, where you store fat, your appetite and even your cravings, any form of hormonal imbalance will sabotage any efforts you make to maintain a trim physique, regardless of your exercise and diet habits.
Other serious health risks/conditions associated with belly fat are heart disease, diabetes, various forms of cancer and other debilitating, degenerative diseases. Unfortunately for most people, when they gain weight, their waistline is the first place it lands. Conversely, when they are trying to lose weight, the waistline is the last place to give it up.
A proper diet, challenging exercise, quality sleep and motivation are all mandatory prime players in any programme to get rid of stubborn belly fat. Changing your diet to include more nutrient-dense foods will allow your hunger hormones to fall into balance naturally.
It’s important as you change your diet to include more plant-based foods like vegetables, and be sure to consume lean protein. Pay attention to your portion sizes to keep them in check, as just because you are now making healthier choices, that doesn’t mean the calories aren’t adding up.
Your goal should be to lose the gut with slow, consistent weight loss while improving your health, exercise and eating habits… without experiencing any kind of hunger or cravings at the same time.
Your reward will be feeling a whole lot better and you’ll have a lowered risk of health problems.
