belly of fat

Ever wondered why some skinny people have high cholesterol level? Does being skinny mean being healthy? Could overweight people be healthier? These questions sound absurd right? However, these issues shouldn’t be ignored as you could be in for the biggest deception of your life and that is being thin on the outside and fat on the inside.

A lot of people are obsessed about their weight. They weigh everyday and freak out when the scale tips a pound more than the previous day. Try to weigh yourself right after eating and then again the next day after going to the loo. There will be a difference of one to two lbs. for sure. Our weight fluctuates daily based on our hydration level, hormones, food intake and physical activity. Sadly, most fad diet programs promise drastic weight loss that lead people to think that they are healthy even though they look terribly skinny.

Achieving a healthy weight range based on the World Health Organization’s standards is more important than being “skin and bones.” Aim for a healthy weight loss of one to three lbs. per week through proper food intake, increased and regular physical activity and behavior modification. Since our weight fluctuates everyday, it is best to record your weight once a week at the same time wearing the same lightweight clothing.

Losing weight is just the tip of the iceberg. We have to consider the amount of body fat as well as its distribution inside our body to be considered healthy inside out.

According to the Harvard Medical School, “Where a woman’s fat ends up is influenced by several factors. Heredity is one. Scientists have identified a number of genes that help determine how many fat cells an individual develops and where these cells are stored.”

I have a number of clients who complain about having normal weight and yet struggle with high triglyceride and cholesterol levels. The culprit? Visceral fat or commonly known as “belly fat.” This type of fat is not as evident as the fat bulges we see among overweight or obese people. This fat is hidden and envelopes vital organs like the liver, pancreas and the heart. When that happens, the risk of developing diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases are high.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “People who have normal weight but have fat concentrated in their bellies have a higher death risk than those who are obese.”

So now what? It would be best to start moving now! A research study from Japan presented during one of our conferences shows that 10 minutes of physical activity per day like brisk walking can help lower the visceral fat. Of course, eventually we should increase the duration and frequency as our mind, body and schedule adjusts to having regular physical activity.

Learn to manage stress. Cortisol, a stress hormone, promotes the accumulation of abdominal fat. Take a few minutes off your busy schedule to just breathe, relax and take a power nap.

From the bottom of my healthy heart, I encourage you to be healthy inside out!

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