Abdominal Fat & Weight Loss

A big motivation for losing weight should be for health reasons. You don’t have to be a health coach or a doctor to figure out that we are living in an overweight and obese nation. People are suffering in epic proportions from diseases that our ancestors 100 years ago never had or even heard of. Convenience isn't always good when it comes to food.

Are you aware of the effects that carrying excess weight can have on the body? This includes your joints, lower back, and your internal organs.
Did you know that excess abdominal fat is the most dangerous type of fat to have? This is because this is most active of them all. The fat is packed around your intestines, your liver and heart, and interferes with the way those organs work. Abdominal fat secretes chemicals and hormones that inhibit proper function of those vital organs. It is also an indicator of Type II diabetes and heart disease.

For women if your waist is more than 35 inches at the belly button; and for men if is more than 40 inches, you are within the high risk category of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. It is time to lose weight.

Excess fat in the body causes the arteries in your heart to become clogged which raises your blood pressure to force the blood to your organs. Having just an extra 30 excess pounds forces your heart to work twice as hard to do the same job it did when you were just 30 pounds lighter. Begin to eat healthier, exercise, and you will release the weight.

The Difference Between Being Overweight And Obese

So what is the difference between being overweight and being obese? 

It is the BMI (Body Mass Index) that differentiates between the two; it is the weight above what is generally considered to be a healthy ideal weight for a specific height.

For example:

• For adults whose BMI is between the range of 25 and 30 are considered to be overweight

• For adults whose BMI is greater than 30 are considered to be obese

I remember all those years ago when I was obese at 5′4, a weight of 185 pounds, body mass index (BMI) of 31.8. It wasn't pretty!

You can determine your BMI by dividing your weight by your height in inches.
Sobering isn’t it? The fact that carrying even a little excess weight can have detrimental effects on 

your health and you don’t have to be morbidly obese (my brother died due to complications of morbid obesity) for that to happen.

Most medical professionals consider someone who is 5% to 15% above their ideal weight to be overweight; whereas people who are 20% to 30% above their ideal weight are considered to be obese; anything above 30% and you fall into the range of being morbidly obese.

Remember that you are in control,  and only you can make the necessary changes to a healthy lifestyle!