10 Nasty Facts about Belly Fats

If you’ve got too much fat on your abdomen, you need to know that you’re facing a real health hazard that shouldn’t be ignored. More and more research points to the dangers of ‘belly fats’, providing reasons why we should start working out to eliminate them.

Belly fat is the most dangerous body fat.

Excess fats present around the stomach or abdominal area is far more dangerous than any part of the body. Belly fat is clinically called ‘central obesity’ which has been linked to a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and even Alzheimer’s disease. There are plenty of reasons why many people tend to have too much fats accumulation around their stomach and genetics is one of them.

Belly fat is often caused by excess calories.

Among the controllable reasons for belly fats are poor lifestyle habits and inactivity. Many people think that fatty foods such as butter, cheese, and fatty meats are the main cause of belly fats. That’s partly correct and partly wrong. It is important to know that even though certain foods are high in fat content than the others; excess fats are often a result of too much calorie intake. Basically, women can consume up to 2,000 calories per day, and men, 2,500 calories. Anything more than this is stored by the body as fats. Even though age and genes could increase your risk of developing belly fats, focusing on your lifestyle is much more important. Controlling the amount of food we consume, and giving more preference to fruits and vegetables, and reducing the amount of saturated and trans fats we take are all going to help us get rid if not prevent getting a bulge on our stomach.

Beer belly is true.

If you drink alcohol very often, you might be increasing your risk of developing belly fats. Among other foods or beverages, alcohol appears to have a greater contribution to abdominal fats. That’s because when you drink alcohol, your liver gets too busy burning it off than getting rid of fats, leaving you with a ‘beer belly’. Another thing, alcohol increases your appetite by affecting the hormones that regulate your sense of satiety.

Men tend to store more belly fats than women.

Generally, men tend to store more fats in their abdomen than women due to hormonal factors. Before the age of 40, women tend to store most of their fats in the hips, thighs and buttocks. But as they age and their oestrogen levels drop, their body fats are redistributed to the abdomen. So ladies, be careful!

Trans fats keep your body fats move towards your belly.

A study by Wake Forest University found that trans fats does not only increase belly fats but could also redistribute fat tissues from other parts of the body to the abdomen. This unhealthy fat is commonly found in many foods such as margarine, cookies, biscuits, pastries, and fast foods.

Fast food makes you bulge.

Before you order a large double-patty burger and fries, you may want to think about the calories, trans fats, saturated fats, and calories that all contribute to belly fats. Many restaurants do not provide nutritional information but studies show if this is available, people tend to choose low-calorie meals.

Diet fizzy drinks make you gain more belly fats.

Don’t be fooled by the labels that say ‘diet’ or ‘low calorie’, and the like. A growing body of research shows that diet fizzy drinks are no good substitutes for regular colas. It’s because they contain artificial sugar and other compounds that don’t just lead to weight gain, but may also increase your risk of developing serious diseases, including cancer.

Belly fats are easier to burn.

Good thing, abdominal fats are easier to get rid of than the fats in other parts of your body. Regular exercise coupled with a balanced, healthy eating plan is going to help you remove belly fats. Weight training and spot exercises such as crunches and sit-ups strengthen your core muscles, which in turn help you burn belly fats even while you are asleep.

Drinking green tea may help.

Along with exercise and proper diet, drinking tea regularly could also help you eliminate belly fats faster, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition. The researchers believe that catechins, antioxidants found in green tea, can help burn calories in the midsection.

Go whole.

Instead of eating refined foods like pasta and white bread, go with whole grain produce! Whole grains contain high levels of fibre that aid in digestion and fat burning. A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that a diet rich in whole grains can help obese people lose weight.

By getting rid of our belly fats, we can help protect our body from many diseases. Whilst there is no perfect formula against belly fats, a balanced diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits are among the best strategies to follow.

If you struggle, take expert advice with our weight loss management programmes. Take online and self-managed techniques to understand your daily calorie intake and expenditure, or come in to the Southampton suite with free weekly weigh ins, advice and support when purchasing Cambridge Weight Plan products. Alternatively, if you're in a rush to fit into that suit, come in for a Quickslim Body Wrap.