Apple. Banana. Pear. I am not talking about your favorite fruit. In today’s post, I am talking about body shape and your health. According to this article from Baptist Health South Florida, overweight or obese people with a concentration of belly-fat are are at higher risk for obesity related diseases such as: diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
Abdominal obesity or “apple shape” can elevate your potential disease risk and can be calculated by measuring your waist circumference. If you are a man whose waist circumference is more than 40 inches; or a non-pregnant woman whose waist circumference is more than 35 inches, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you may be at risk of encountering one or more of these diseases.
Unfortunately, all fat is not created equal. Fat directly under the skin, the kind that you can grab with your hands is called subcutaneous fat, but in the belly, visceral fat builds up in spaces around your internal organs and can pose some serious health risks such as: metabolic problems and increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and colorectal cancer.
(Video: The Baptist Health South Florida News Team hears from Jose Vazquez, M.D., internal medicine physician with Baptist Health Primary Care, about the dangers of belly fat in overweight or obese individuals. Video by George Carvalho and Alcyene Almeida Rodrigues.)
There is no magic pill for weight-loss. As the old saying goes: “abs are made in the kitchen”. There is no substitute for a diet rich in whole nutrient dense foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains. There is also no substitute for moving your body. Breaking a sweat for 30 minutes at least three times per week can benefit your body from head to toe. In fact, for overall cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, brisk walking included, at least five days per week for a total of 150 minutes — or at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least three days per week for a total of 75 minutes — or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
You do not need a gym to get your sweat on! Try these low-impact activities this summer:
Rollerblading
Biking
Swimming
Paddle boarding
Yoga
Long walks on the beach are great for building up leg strength and clearing your mind.
Workout apps I love:
SWEAT by Kayla Itsines
Nike Training Club
My Fitness Pal
SWORKIT
For more on Your Body Shape and Your Health check out the full post from Baptist Health South Florida.
