As a Personal Trainer one of the questions I get asked a lot is “How much should I weigh?” My answer is always the same. “Don’t worry about that. That’s the least of your worries.’ And it really is. I try to discourage my clients and friends from paying too much attention to the scale, and instead focusing on their BMI or the amount of fat they’re lugging around, especially around their mid section-their belly fat.
More and more attention is being paid to belly fat because of the health ramifications. Also known as Central Obesity, belly fat usually comes in one of two forms.-visceral and subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is found under the skin, close to the surface. The visceral fat on the other hand, is found around the organs and pose serious health threats. The reason for this is that unlike subcutaneous fat, visceral fat cells deposit metabolic products directly into the blood stream and these collect in the liver and other organs. This in turn affects the body’s ability to regulate insulin levels, blood sugar and cholesterol, which can all cause heart problems, high blood pressure and a host of other health complications.
Central Obesity occurs when you consume more calories, carbohydrates and fats, than are expended through regular physical activity. In addition studies have shown that ethnicity, genetics, age, environment, genetics, and lifestyle all contribute to Central Obesity.
So how do you determine if someone is centrally obese? Using an individual’s weight, height and other measurements I am able to calculate their body mass index or BMI, which is now the more accepted and widely used method of determining or diagnosing if a person overweight or obese. But when it comes to determining the health risks associated with Central Obesity, then BMI measurement isn’t the best predictor. Nor is it enough to just look at the size of a person’s stomach to determine the existence of or severity of Central Obesity. Scientists have developed some hi-tech methods such as computer aided tomography and imaging scans to determine Central Obesity. But those are expensive so most doctors today use the waist circumference or waist to hip ratio method to determine Central Obesity. Cut off points established by the World Health Organisation are used for reference, so that persons who surpass these measurements are considered to be Centrally Obese and as a result at risk of developing certain medical conditions.
According to these “cut off points” a person with a waist measurement of greater than 90 cm in men and greater than 80 cm in women is classified as being centrally obese.
Any higher than these established measurements and you’re considered at increased risk for a variety of conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, stroke, heart disease, and something called metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome is a combination of risk factors that raise your risk of heart disease and other health problems, and which are associated with glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia (Hyperlipidemia refers to a series of conditions, including high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels).
The challenge in controlling Central Obesity is getting to the more deeply embedded, harder to lose visceral fat. One of the best ways to do this is through moderate or vigorous exercise. The other, is to adjust your diet and begin practicing good nutrition. by eliminating processed foods and consuming more fruits and vegetables, eating smaller portions; drinking a lot of water, avoiding junk food which is usually high in calories, sugars and fats and eating at least five or six small, healthy meals and snacks spread throughout the day.
Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com . If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email us at mail@edgepersonalfitness.com
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