How to measure your belly fat?
Why does belly fat matter?
We all at one point in time in our lives have worried about extra belly fat. And while some work very hard to keep it from materializing, others are constantly trying to get rid of the extra that they already have. You will find that here are people that try a myriad of diets, and still others think miracle pills are the answer to the perfect looking body. But having extra belly fat is more than just feeling like you are not beautiful, it is about being unhealthy as well. Why does belly fat matter?
It is important to understand why your belly fat matters before you can learn how to lose it. Quite simply put, all that extra fat that you carry around your midsection is very unhealthy as it causes serious health risks like heart disease, stroke, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein, or rather, good cholesterol, and many other issues. And the best way to figure out if you are at risk for such health concerns is to look directly at the source; your waist.
Most doctors nowadays will tell you to figure out your hip to waist ratio and then compare it to the BMI. But even before you get that far you can tell if you have cause for concern just by looking at your waist size. For example, if you are a man and your midsection measures more than 40 inches then you are at risk for those health concerns. Now that we are on our way to figuring out “why does belly fat matter”, let’s take a look at the steps in measuring your waist:
Measuring your waist:
Step One: Put the tape measure around your abdomen just above your hip area. Just make sure it is not over any clothing and that it generally covers your naval area.
Step Two: Next you will want to take the tape measure once it is around your waist and connect it to the other side, but not too snugly.
Step Three: Be careful to check that the tape measure is not caught up or twisted as it needs to be level all around.
Step Four: Do not hold your breath while taking the measurement as it will give you an inaccurate amount so be sure to exhale at the end.
If you have taken your measurements accurately and have found that you are indeed at risk for the above health concerns then you will want to work on loosing some of that extra belly fat. But what makes it extra hard as you get older is that much of your muscle mass will turn to fat, and the result of that is that your body will not burn as many calories as it use to. This is why it is especially important to add exercise to a good diet.
Furthermore, to add to your worries, many women will find that their genes play a big roll in being overweight. Men on the other hand are not as unlucky as it is more their lifestyle that gets them in trouble. But besides wondering why does belly fat matter, what can we do about it?
You will find that one of the best ways to get rid of your belly fat is to incorporate a balanced diet along with exercises into your lifestyle. This not only means reducing your caloric intake, but also to increase your daily physical activity to at least two hours and thirty minutes a week with moderate aerobics, or one hour and 15 minutes of a heavier workout routine.