Belly fat development is more than just a cosmetic concern. Belly fat is not merely under the skin in the stomach area, it also surrounds your internal organs. This fat deep within you is called visceral fat, and it can increase your risk for developing serious health conditions such as cardiovascular issues, insulin resistance and subsequently type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. Several factors contribute to the increase of belly fat. Learning to manage and accommodate for these factors can help you reduce your belly fat and prevent related health issues. This Men’s Health Month, learn more about your body and the development of fat to help work towards a healthier and longer life.
Causes Of Belly Fat
Diet
This is probably the most common aspect of body fat retention that most people think of. The food you eat does make an impact on how your body develops and also how it uses energy. When you eat processed foods high in sugar and fat, you are consuming calories without many other nutrients. While some forms of carbs and sugars can be good for energy, they need to be used right away and should come from more natural sources such as fruits and whole grains. Sugary snacks also don’t make people feel full and may cause them to eat more food overall. A healthy and balanced diet low in processed foods can drastically alter a person’s weight and other aspects of their health.
Exercise
This is another common and highly important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you exercise, you use the fats and sugars stored in your body so if you’re eating as much as you’re burning in a day, you will maintain a stable weight. When you eat and then don’t exercise, any fats and sugars will become stored in your body instead of being used. This contributes to the development of belly fat.
Age
When we’re young, our bodies are burning a lot more energy so we can grow. This is why it is common to see teenagers eat a lot of food and not put on weight; they are going through growth spurts so their body needs fuel. The process responsible for the rate at which your body converts food into energy is called metabolism. This common teenage metabolism tends to slow down when you hit your 20s and will then continue to decrease. It will have another major slow down in your 60s as well. At the same time your metabolism is slowing down, it also becomes harder for many people to exercise: the body will start to take longer to heal after workouts, joints become stiff, and muscles become harder to retain. All of this contributes to a body that struggles to burn fat as it ages.
Genetics
What your body is predisposed to can greatly impact your weight. Your genetics can make you crave certain foods and can also affect your satiety (the sense of being full). Together, these can cause a person to gravitate towards eating unhealthy foods in large quantities, which can greatly increase your risk of developing belly fat. Your genetics are also partially what dictate your metabolism. While it is common for metabolism to slow down with age, everyone is born with a different metabolic rate and people with a slow metabolism are likely to have an even slower metabolism as they age.
Weight Loss Programs In Irvine
Changing your habits and learning how to exercise in a way that works for you can be challenging. Every body is unique and every person is at a different stage in their health and weight loss journey, but learning weight loss strategies that work for you is an important aspect of your overall health. Keep yourself in shape with a personalized weight loss program from Performance Health and Wellness and start feeling and looking better. At Performance Health and Wellness in Irvine, our weight loss program is highly personalized to accommodate for your level of strength, your lifestyle, and any medical conditions you may have. Our weight loss programs create an individualized eating program and exercise strategy to develop a healthy lifestyle that will not only encourage weight loss but keep it off as well. To start living a healthier life, contact the weight loss clinic at Performance Health and Wellness at 1-949-476-1250 or fill out the contact form.
FAQ
No, although the fatty and sugary foods you consume may be limited. While your diet will be altered, the key to healthy eating is to make it sustainable. Your professionally trained weight loss instructor will help you find healthy foods you enjoy and balance that with your current diet so that you can eat well and still enjoy meals. Performance Health and Wellness also offers nutrition counselling to help with your weight loss journey.
This will depend on your height and general build, but typically a waist size of more than 40 inches indicates an unhealthy amount of belly fat. When you measure yourself, measure around your bare stomach (just above the hip bone and across the belly button) and stay relaxed; don’t suck in your stomach. Of course, you can also join a weight loss program to help you look the way you want or lead a healthier lifestyle regardless of your size.
Yes, Performance Health and Wellness offers personal professionally trained exercise specialists who can help you learn how to exercise safely and effectively.
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Performance Health & Wellness is a full-service Wellness Facility located in Irvine California. Our team of Chiropractors, Active Release Technique Practitioners, Movement Therapists, and Wellness Therapists will support you on your journey to energized movement and comprehensive health and wellness.
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Connect with yourself by connecting with the team at Performance Health & Wellness. Call (949)476-1250.