Health
How to spot it and lose it – and give your wellbeing a massive boost in the process
It’s one of midlife’s annoying quirks – the gradual growth of that spare tyre. But although it’s all too common, gaining weight around our middles isn’t a natural or inevitable part of ageing. And our increasing belly fat is more than just an irritation. It can be a danger to our health – the visceral fat that we store around our middles in close proximity to your internal organs can literally be a killer.
Fat stored here, around the liver, stomach and intestines, causes damage and raises your risk of preventable diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, kidney failure and cancer.
‘The kind of fat that gathers here is metabolically active, compared with the inactive fat on your hips,’ says Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD, nutritionist and author of Natural Solutions to Diabetes (£12.77, Lifestyles Press). ‘It operates like an endocrine gland, producing a number of compounds – and it’s these that affect your health.’ ‘Extra fat cells send out signals to the rest of the body,’ explains Natasha Paton, a specialist at Cancer Research UK. ‘These signals can tell our cells to divide more often, which increases the chances of cancer cells developing.’
AND IF YOU MUST SNACK…
Have an apple. ‘It’s full of fibre to help you feel fuller for longer,’ says nutritionist Rob Hobson. ‘Pectin, the fibre found in apples, also helps to regulate bacteria in the gut, which, in turn, may help to suppress weight gain and fat accumulation in the body.’
EAT SMART
Shifting belly fat simply comes down to the calorie balance equation – burning more than you put in. But you may need to keep going for a while before you see the results of your efforts showing in your belly.
‘Typically, we lose body fat first on our outer extremities, such as arms and legs,’ says Mark Fox, personal trainer at The Training Room. ‘Then it moves towards the centre of our mass, where the majority of our vital organs are. One of the final places you’ll see a reduction is the abdominal region, so be patient – it will get t
