No matter how high your self-esteem, when you look down, all you can see is see your pudgy tummy. It’s one of the hardest problem areas to get rid of and can become a constant reminder of the work you have to do in your fitness routine, because it just won’t go away. In times of stress, you notice that your stomach bulges out a little more and you just don’t feel healthy. Aesthetics aside, there’s a good reason you don’t like your belly fat, and that’s because it’s dangerous to your health!
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Belly fat can also be known as “visceral fat.” This type of fat is closer to your heart, liver, lungs and other organs. In small quantities, visceral fat is okay, because it provides cushioning between your organs. Registered Dietician Lisa Hugh says that visceral fat disrupts your hormones that control your hunger. It also produces more hormones and cytokines, which has been known to decrease your immune system and increase inflammation, pain, heart disease, unhealthy cholesterol changes and insulin resistance. Visceral fats have also been connected with colon cancer and debility.
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Visceral fat can also affect your memory, and can even lead to dementia! Those types of fats release different types of proteins that can negatively affect your body, especially if you’re overweight. At a normal weight, these hormones and chemicals help your body. But when you’re overweight, your cells tend to be bigger as well, which means larger quantities of all the hormones and chemicals those cells carry. Your cells would in turn be giving your body a larger dose than your body actually needs.
A few of the chemicals and hormones your cells carry are a protein that can constrict your blood vessels (making your blood pressure rise) and another protein that increases your insulin resistance, causing clogged arteries and heart attacks.
The main reason your fat stays in your stomach area is because of cortisol, the “stress hormone.” Our bodies were designed to survive the years and so everyone has a built-in flight or fight response. At a moment’s notice, when in danger, your body can be flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, so you can decide whether you should fight back or run away.
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Your body will even respond in this manner when you’re stressed and faced with everyday issues. People rarely have to run away from predators anymore, so the fight or flight response will be triggered by problems like a missed appointment, debt or workplace drama. The problem with modern lives and modern problems is that the flight or fight response wants you to do something to use all that energy up, namely something physical like running. When you don’t use up all those hormones racing through your body, they get re-deposited as fat, mainly in your belly area.
You don’t need to go on a crash diet or kill yourself exercising to get rid of belly fat! Varying your workouts will ensure that there are tons of different moves to get rid of it too! Check out these tips on how to get rid of your belly fat with fun workouts and by eating the right foods.
Source: Huffington Post and Imperfectly Natural
