Taking aim at belly fat

When your belly protrudes forward and isn't squishy — especially if you measure more than 40 inches around as a man, or 35 inches as a woman — that's visceral fat, and it's cause for concern. Visceral fat is the more dangerous of the two since it produces a higher number of molecules with possible detrimental health effects.

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This intra-abdominal fat is strongly linked to insulin resistance , high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and inevitably, an increased risk of premature death — even for people who have a normal body mass index BMI. Subcutaneous fat isn't exactly "good" if you're carrying an excess of it.

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Remember that this fat produces leptin, which helps promote satiety; but when someone is obese, too much of the hormone might be circulating in the blood. This may cause leptin resistance, which can lead to overeating, according to the Hormone Health Network. Talk about a vicious cycle. And in most cases, if you have a lot of soft belly fat and are overweight, then you probably have a lot of visceral fat, too.

However, too much soft fat can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, fatty liver disease and sleep apnea," says Amanda Mancini , a National Academy of Sports Medicine NASM -certified fitness trainer, weight-loss specialist and corrective exercise specialist. Before researchers realized fat was "active" and acted like an endocrine gland , they thought high cholesterol was the main health concern when it came to visceral fat.

This type of fat releases free fatty acids into the blood and liver, which affects cholesterol production. But now, research has connected this fat to a host of other diseases. Visceral fat makes proteins called cytokines and other hormones, which can cause low-level inflammation and lead to heart disease, per Harvard Health Publishing. A precursor to the protein angiotensin is also produced, which triggers high blood pressure.

Indeed, a study published September in Nature Medicine confirmed that visceral adipose tissue VAT was connected to an increased risk of hypertension, heart attack and angina, as well as other metabolic disorders. Having a high amount of visceral fat is also linked to insulin resistance, which can cause glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. A large study published in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy examined the skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio SVR in subjects.

The ratio was much higher in subjects without metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, so researchers concluded that lower SVR is closely connected to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Taking aim at belly fat - Harvard Health

Excess visceral fat also raises the risk of colorectal cancer, and according to the American Cancer Society , some studies have discovered that men who are overweight and have an excess of body fat may actually have a lower risk of prostate cancer overall, but a higher risk of prostate cancers that tend to be fatal. Similarly, a study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment concluded — after testing women with breast cancer — that high amounts of upper visceral adipose tissue VAT and low-quality VAT were related to poor survival outcomes, increased insulin levels and insulin resistance.

There seems to be a brain connection, too. One study, published November in Obesity , included over , older adults and found that a higher waist circumference which indicates visceral fat is linked to an elevated risk for obesity-related dementia, regardless of BMI. Furthermore, studies have found that deep belly fat has been linked to decreased bone strength.

Some research speculates this is because visceral fat is correlated with a reduced amount of growth hormone, which is necessary for bone growth and health. More research on this is needed, though. Your weight and the amount of body fat you have is largely determined by diet and exercise, or lack thereof. If you're consuming more calories than you burn, you'll pack on the pounds and gain some inches everywhere, including your midsection. But age, genetics, hormones and whether or not you've had children all play a big role in fat gain as well, even when it comes to where you gain it.

As you age, you lose muscle, especially if you're not physically active. And a decrease in muscle means you're not burning as many calories, which makes it harder to maintain a healthy weight and keep the fat off, per the Mayo Clinic. The year-old actress keeps sharing glimpses of her pregnancy journey with her fans.

In a recent post, the mom-to-be shared a throwback picture where she can be seen performing Shirshasana or headstand with the help of her husband. The actress who has always been a fan of yoga wrote that she has been doing Shirshasana for many years and even during pregnancy she continued with it under proper guidance and support. An architect by profession, when year-old Saurabh Nautiyal realised that his stamina was taking a beating because of all the extra kilos he had put on, he knew it was time to amend his ways and get fitter.

In a year's time, he transformed his body and is now fitter than ever. His weight loss journey is an inspiration for anyone looking to lose weight and reclaim their fitness levels. Now playing.

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Bollywood's bold and stylish bikini babes. Deepika Padukone vs Sonam Kapoor: Who wore the red pantsuit better? From Kajol to Madhuri Dixit: 10 silk saris moments of Bollywood divas. This Doctor wore a beautiful ivory gold lehenga for her Nikah ceremony. Instead, Jill suggests doing functional exercises that use the muscles of your entire core—abdominals, back, pelvic, obliques—as well as other body parts. Planks are her favorite functional exercise—they activate not just your core muscles but also your arm, leg, and butt muscles.

Add some movement to the plank, with shoulder taps or leg lifts, and you up the ante even more. Tight deadlines, bills, your kids—whatever your source of stress, having too much of it may make it harder for you to drop unwanted pounds, especially from your middle. And it's not just because you tend to reach for high-fat, high-calorie fare when you're stressed, though that's part of it. It's also due to the stress hormone cortisol , which may increase the amount of fat your body clings to and enlarge your fat cells. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked to more visceral fat.

Where does abdominal fat accumulate? (Dissection)

The National Institutes of Health suggest adults sleep seven to eight hours a night. A smaller study also found that those who slept 4. That means they ate more food between meals and were drawn to junk options. If you tend to pack the pounds around your middle rather than your hips and thighs, then you're known as apple-shaped. This genetic predisposition means ridding yourself of belly fat will be harder, Dr. Kashyap says, but not impossible.

Again, you can't lose fat only on a certain part of your body. So if your genetics have you carrying it around your middle, focus on losing weight all over, says Dr. If your testosterone levels are high—something that can occur with polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS —you might have difficulty losing weight. Kashyap says, since there may also be a chance that you are prediabetic or diabetic. Cheskin also says men tend to carry more fat in their bellies than women, who typically find more weight around their lower half.

Are you committed to the work needed to lose belly fat? Kashyap says.

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Taking aim at belly fat - Harvard Health

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