Waist trainers. Detox Diets. Detox Teas. Liposuction. Tummy Tuck. And the list continues..
When it comes to belly fat there are so many "miracle" treatments promoted.
There's so much pressure to have a "flat tummy" it's rarely discussed that:
Genetics play a big role in how and where you accumulate fat in your body
Belly fat increases as we age and after key hormonal changes such as puberty and pregnancy.
So it may not be easy or even realistic for you have a completely flat abdomen. I hope this brings you some relief as you stare at your body in the mirror. Knowing what's realistic for your unique body can help you be happier on your journey to Your Happy, Healthy Weight & your optimal wellness. Remember, ideally, only you determine Your Happy Weight not anyone else's standards.
From Your Healthy Weight perspective, excess belly fat is defined as a waist circumference for Men >40inches (102cm) and Women >35inches (88cm) . Increased belly fat is associated with serious health risks such as COVID-19 complications, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and many other diseases.
Let's be clear you DO NOT need to have a completely flat stomach for optimal health. However reaching your unique healthy weight / belly fat level can help you get to your best health.
Last week, I spent quite a bit of time discussing belly fat (more formally known as "abdominal adiposity" or "visceral fat") on Facebook Live, Instagram, & Clubhouse.
I was also featured in the Parade Magazine article, "Skinny Fat: What Does it Mean to Be Skinny Fat?" in which I discussed the health risks of abdominal fat and excess body fat in people with "normal weight" based on the body mass index, B.M.I.
These discussions are important because it emphasizes the need to look past the number on the scale or B.M.I. chart and look deeper at your body composition and body fat distribution. In other words what type of fat you have and where it's located is important to determine your individualized healthy weight as discussed in Chapter 3 of my bestselling book "Embrace You: Your Guide to Transforming Weight Loss Misconceptions Into Lifelong Wellness."
Furthermore as I discuss in the Parade article, there’s a common misconception that if you are “normal weight,” you don’t have to pay as much attention to eating healthy, exercising, or living a healthy lifestyle. However, your metabolic health is determined by more than what you weigh on the scale. Your overall health goes beyond the numbers on a scale, so focus on living a healthy lifestyle and developing good habits. The discussion around skinny fat highlights the need for individualized health risks assessments rather than relying only on generalized charts such as the BMI chart.
To address your belly fat, it's important to know your body fat triggers. As discussed in chapter 2 of the Embrace You book there are over 70 body fat triggers ranging from genetics to hormonal factors. On Facebook & IG Live I discussed the 3 F.A.T. factors that impact your belly fat which are pictured below.
Knowing what contributes to belly fat is helpful but the next step is knowing what to do about it.
Belly fat can be difficult to lose despite what fad diets and detox products might suggest. Even after surgical procedures such as liposuction or tummy tucks it's still important to create your wellness based lifestyle that focuses on
Eating minimally processed foods, reducing your sugar and refined carbohydrate intake.
Your stress control and get 7-9hrs of sleep at night. Both sleep deprivation and chronically high stress increase cortisol and insulin levels which promotes fat accumulation.
Creating an exercise regimen make sure you are including resistance exercises which helps to build muscles and burn fat.
Again you DO NOT need to have a completely flat stomach for optimal health. However, if you have excess belly fat defined as a waist circumference for Men >40inches and Women >35inches, it's important to address it now not later. The health risks of increased belly fat are serious. You are at risk for COVID-19 complications, heart disease, diabetes, and many other diseases.
Knowledge is power especially when the knowledge is embraced and applied.
So the question is what are you going to do with what you've learned about belly fat?
If you've struggled with finding consistency and clarity on your weight loss journey, the Embrace You Weight & Wellness Program is designed for you to thrive.
At the end of your 3 month individualized wellness-based weight-loss journey you will have clarity and confidence to overcome your controllable weight gain triggers and live consistently using your lifelong wellness strategy.
Are you ready to Embrace You? Schedule your complimentary consultation for our limited access program today. Enrollment closes September 9th, 2021 and won't reopen until January 2022.
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Embrace You Belly Fat Resources
3 Factors that Impact Your Belly Fat: Facebook Live, Instagram, & Clubhouse.
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