Here's the bad news first:
Aside from the cosmetics, belly fat is a major health problem!
As quoted from one New York Times article, “If your waist measures 35 or more inches for women or 40 or more inches for men, chances are you’re harboring a potentially dangerous amount of abdominal fat.”¹
Subcutaneous fat is obvious and easy to see when it increases or decreases. It is the visceral fat that is more problematic and harder to track.
“Abdominal, or visceral, fat is of particular concern because it's a key player in a variety of health problems — much more so than subcutaneous fat, the kind you can grasp with your hand. Visceral fat, on the other hand, lies out of reach, deep within the abdominal cavity, where it pads the spaces between our abdominal organs.
Visceral fat has been linked to metabolic disturbances and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In women, it is also associated with breast cancer and the need for gallbladder surgery.”²
To explain further, the fat you can see and pinch on your body is subcutaneous fat and the fat you can’t see is visceral fat. Visceral fat builds up between and around organs of your mid-section including your stomach and intestines. This excess abdominal fat disrupts hormonal balance and functioning. Visceral fat is linked with higher cholesterol. Visceral fat also increases resistance to insulin leading to diabetes. Toxic chemicals such as cytokines build up due to excess belly fat and increase chances for heart disease. More bad news…belly fat is linked to colon, pancreas and esophagus cancer.
The results of a study (done in conjunction with the Million Women Study in the UK) were published in 2013 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The study found that “High body mass index (BMI) and large waist circumference are separately associated with increased coronary heart disease (CHD) risk but these measures are highly correlated.”³
The good news:
A consistent infrared fitness program can greatly accelerate the burning off of visceral fat. Infrared energy penetrates up to 1.5 inches into the body through the skin and goes to work inside of fat cells. The infrared energy and heat helps to burn the fat away through cellular vibration, accelerated blood circulation, and more efficient oxidation.
According to a recent study by Binghampton University in New York, “Participants were exposed 5 times per week for a 30 minute infrared sauna at 110 degrees after 3pm. On average, the study subjects lost about 0. 5% body fat per week totaling approximately 4% over 8 weeks.”4
For an added burn, try a Core Compressor from HOTWORX. This neoprene waist compression band can greatly enhance certain types of isometric postures forcing even more circulation and fat oxidation. The Core Compressor will also elevate the level of heat (directly onto the belly and waist area) to an even greater degree in the infrared sauna during workouts. The increase in your body's core temperature will help stimulate even more perspiration around your waist.
Fight the good fight every week to reduce as much visceral (belly) fat as you possibly can. Of course you will look better, but what’s even more important is that you will become a healthier version of you.
¹ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/well/live/belly-fat-health-visceral-fat-waist-cancer.html² https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it³ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/20474873134926314 https://infraredsauna.com/weightlossstudy.pdf
