Women tend to gain their excess weight in the hip, thighs and legs. Men usually show their weight gain in their belly. No one enjoys carrying extra weight on their body. In some cases it’s risky and in others it is just a little extra baggage. Two thirds of American men are overweight or obese; weight gain has increased tremendously over the years.

With a certain amount of belly fat a health risk is concerned rather then weight gained in other areas of the body. Men usually gain most of their weight in the torso area. The fat is used for the body when it does not get enough food. The body is made to store and break down fat when needed.

When you put on the weight and do not do anything to burn it off. It releases fat molecules into the blood at a higher speed. This causes problems with the metabolism and the way the blood uses insulin. The risk of having health conditions increases, when too much belly fat is accumulated.

You will be at higher risk of developing these conditions:

Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Certain types of cancers

Sleep apnea

Abnormal lipids

High Cholesterol

Insulin resistance

Metabolism issues

Heart disease

You can tell if you have too much belly fat by the size of your clothing. Menopause can also be a factor in belly fat. Belly fat can come from aging, eating too much, side effects of certain medications, heredity and from some health conditions. After menopause some women notice the extra belly pooch. Fortunately there are methods that help with the fight of losing and maintaining abdominal fat. The older you get the slower your metabolism becomes.

You may think that just because you don’t see much stomach fat in front of you that it is not a concern. What really matter is the fat that lies deep inside the abdominal that’s called; visceral fat. It’s the fat that surrounds the stomach muscles. Gaining that type of fat can lead to a higher risk of the health conditions as listed above. Subcutaneous fat that is located between the skin and the wall of the stomach. It is more visible and is less likely to be a health risk.

Although there are several causes of belly fat, heredity might be an issue as well. You just may have the unwanted gene of gaining weight in your midsection. As we get older our hormones change and that can lead to a slower metabolism and weight gain. With crazy hormones and less physical activity this causes the body to change the way it breaks down and stores fat.

Researchers have found that belly fat is not only energy waiting to be burned. It produces some fat cells that can help the insulin in your blood to fight the risk of developing type II diabetes. Also, it can produce estrogen after menopause which puts you at a greater risk of the developing breast cancer. Researching is still active in discovering why excess hormones affect your health.

To know if the weight gained around your torso is unhealthy. Measure your waist; calculate your body mass and your hip rate ratio. Although measuring your body mass is one of the ways to determine your health risk. Researchers have discovered that to really see if your health is in danger when it comes to belly fat. You can just measure your waist. The body mass might not be an accurate percentage especially after menopause.

To measure your waist, get a measuring tape and wrap it around your midsection. Try not to hold your stomach in and do not wrap the tape around your belly too tight. In an unhealthy woman the waist would measure out to be 33 inches and over, this is an unhealthy amount of fat around the stomach.

To fight the battle of the ugly bulge, exercise and eating the right foods is the key to getting rid of it. Concentrating on the torso is the first step, strength training, and cardio workouts are very effective in decreasing and erasing the belly fat. Stay active, eat right. Great health is the key to long life and great beauty.

Another great way to burn fat more easily is by checking out my blog for the hottest ab program especially made for women

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