What Women Need To Know About
Visceral fat has another name.
It’s also known as ‘killer fat’...and for good reason!
It’s the type of belly fat that's been linked to
heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension
and a whole host of other health problems in both men and women.
Worse yet, the health risks actually increase as we age.
Most women tend to view their tummy bulge mainly as a cosmetic issue. An ‘overweight’ VS ‘slim’ issue.
The truth is that's it's much more than that. If left unchecked, it can lead to some serious health issues.
Ask any of your friends and you’ll hear them say that they just want to get rid of belly fat first and foremost!
Subcutaneous and Visceral Fat
Both behave differently and both in excess are detrimental to your health, but visceral fat is particularly insidious.
This is the layer of fat tissue just below the skin. “Pinch an inch” and that’s subcutaneous fat you’re pinching.
Eat more calories than you burn and your body stores the excess as fat. Most women would swear that it has a one way express ticket directly to their stomach, hips and thighs!
This killer fat on the other hand, makes it’s home hidden deeply within the abdominal area, the belly, and in and around major organs...the liver, heart, and stomach.
That’s not by accident either. It’s by design.
In relation to the size of your body, your belly is a pretty small area yet it prefers this particular area of the body because it’s the most conducive area in the body for the on-going production of estrogen as women age. (For men, it’s testosterone).
Overall, visceral fat in women is said to make up about 10 to 15% of our total body fat!
Women with average amounts of body fat can have high percentages of this type of 'killer fat' hidden deep in the abdominal area and not even be aware of it!
Medical researchers don't really understand why this happens, but studies seem to point to genetics, sex hormones (estrogen production), and
cortisol (the stress hormone)
as being major factors.
To better understand the role of estrogen production and how it effects your weight, I suggest you read
Menopause and Weight Gain.
Visceral Fat is Metabolically Active!
That means it actually produces inflammatory molecules and fatty acids which are then metabolized by the liver.
This now produces blood cholesterol or LDL and when it's released into the body, your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and hypertension sky rockets.
How do you know if you have visceral fat?
To figure out if and "exactly" how much of this 'killer fat' you may be carrying around unknowingly, you'd have to have an MRI scan done as it surrounds the organs, so it’s really well hidden.
Of course an MRI scan is pretty impractical, however here's an alternative that's a good alternative. And you can do this in the privacy of your own home using only a cloth measuring tape.
Your Visceral Fat Chart:
Measure Your Risk Factor
Your personal chart should include these two important numbers and measurements:
1. Body Mass Index
Most health care and fitness professionals use the BMI table as a guideline to determine your overall body fat percentage, based on your height and weight.
It doesn’t determine or differentiate how much is actually visceral fat, but a BMI over 25 means you likely have more than what's considered healthy.
So your BMI is, in essence, one small but important piece of the puzzle.
2. Waist Circumference
This is the second piece of the puzzle. It's proven to be a pretty good risk factor indicator and can be done easily.
Using a tape measure, measure your waist circumference just above your belly button. Is it more than 35 inches?
You can fall within the normal 19 to 25 category on the BMI scale, but a waist circumference of more than 35 inches (for women) is a pretty good indicator of a high percentage of visceral fat. For men, it’s 40 inches.
Thankfully, when you begin to losing tummy fat this is also the first kind of fat you'll lose.
Overweight and Obesity Effects
Obesity and Obesity Diseases. Four compelling reasons to lose belly fat.
Menopause and Weight Gain - What Every Woman Over 35 Should Know
Understanding perimenopause weight gain and menopause belly fat. Belly fat loss after menopause is easier if you understand how your body is changes during perimenopause.
Menopause Belly Fat Loss
Menopause belly fat is the most stubborn belly fat. Have researchers actually found a possible belly fat “cure” for menopausal women struggling to lose menopause belly fat? It seems that way according to the results of a recent study out of Ohio State University!
Return to Belly Fat Blues Home from Visceral Fat
Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!
Please Pay It Forward Ladies!
It’s easy! There’s a lot of women who struggle to lose belly fat and to better understand menopause weight gain...so be a good sister and help a friend or loved one by sharing this information with them, will you?
Simply use the handy buttons or get the link below for this page and pay it forward!