Sunday, September 07, 2008 Paquiao: The danger of big, round belly By Calixto S. Paquiao fitness & you
IN THE past, when we saw a person with round belly, we thought that was a sign of success.
It was a “portable evidence” that a man can afford to live the good life. But today men who look like they’ve swallowed a big watermelon receive a stern warning from their doctors that this is a bad sign of health disaster.
There’s increasing scientific proof that a big, round belly can have life threatening implications. We have long known that potbellied people have more heart attacks, and develop hypertension and diabetes more often, too.
In 1996 a Harvard study determined that men with round, fleshy bellies are two to three times more likely to suffer from strokes than trim men. Fat belly is also associated with high-levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and elevated insulin levels.
Obesity has long been recognized as a health menace, but scientist now agree that belly girth is a better indicator of mortality risk than weight or other measures of body fat.
The message is clear: the numbers on your bathroom scale are less worrisome than the width of your belt. Potbellied people tend to develop high blood sugar and their bodies cease using insulin effectively, an ingredient for diabetes.
So, what’s the best way to lose a fat belly?
Some people resort to cosmetic surgery but it is probably not the answer. Body contouring by scalpel and suction hose may refine your belly but it won’t decrease your disease risk.
Liposuction reduces girth but it primarily removes the fat tissue just below the skin.
Most researchers believe that deeper fat deposit is the serious health problem. A good cosmetic surgeon can reshape your love handles, but the procedure can’t extract the deep fat within your belly, which sits beneath the stomach muscle.
Even exercise machines that allegedly claim to develop “six pack abdominal” are not true. Yes, they will strengthen abdominal muscles, which greatly support your back against back pain, but they won’t deflate your spare tire.
The only way to shrink your waistline and your potbelly is to cut down your calories, especially from fat, and to exercise.
An aerobic type of activity is also one of the best ways to get rid of that potbelly. Choose one that you can sustain at a reasonably high level of intensity for at least 45 minutes such as jogging, a combination of power walking and sprinting for several seconds of interval. Also, combining your cardiovascular exercise with circuit training using strength training are some of the best activities that battle that big, round belly.
(Coach Paquiao Wellness and Fitness Center, 2nd Floor JY Square Discovery Mall, Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City/ 234-2811)
