Unfortunately if your waist measurement is big – it’s a big deal.
What you weigh can matter, but only to a certain extent. Let’s take a look at one of my favourite examples – my husband Andy!
Here’s a picture from one time on the beach when I made him do some yoga poses while I took photos…
Andy is about 6 foot 2 and a very lean, fit looking guy. Ask the average person what he weighs and they usually estimate 75-80kg.
Here’s the thing. He weighs 92kg. In fact if he starts to drop towards the 90 mark he gets all antsy and tells me about it repeatedly so that we can spend the weekend literally just eating.
And if we measure his BMI – it comes out around 26 i.e. overweight.
Wait a second… look at the photo again.
Yep, if we just used BMI to determine his health status, he would be classed as OVERWEIGHT.
Why your waist circumference matters (AKA “Belly Fat”)
People store fat in different patterns – some evenly, some over the hips and thighs, and some predominantly in the abdomen.
Unfortunately those who store abdominal fat are at higher risk of sleep apnea, blood sugar issues (e.g. insulin resistance and diabetes) and cardiovascular problems (high blood pressure, blood fat, and arterial diseases).
And it’s not because of the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat that you may refer to as a “muffin top”. The health risk is actually due to the fat inside the abdomen covering the liver, kidneys, intestines and other organs.
This internal fat is called “visceral fat” – it’s the “un-pinchable” fat.
The reason visceral fat can be a health issue is because it acts almost like a separate endocrine organ – i.e. it triggers or releases fatty acids, inflammatory compounds and hormones that can negatively affect your blood lipids, blood sugar AND blood pressure. Not good news.
It’s pretty simple to find out if you’re in the higher risk category or not. The easiest way is to just measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that a waist measurement of 84cm or higher indicates that a woman is at higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (For men the number is 94cm).
The 2014-2015 reports showed that 2 in 3 women fell into this category with the average waist circumference being 87.5cm.
Of course this isn’t a diagnostic test, just one indicator of risk and there are lots of risk factors for developing chronic disease. Waist circumference is just one of them.
Luckily, a lot of the recommendations for reducing your belly fat, also target other risk factors for chronic disease such as insufficient physical activity and poor diet.
Here’s how you can reduce your visceral (belly) fat:
Eat more soluble fibre.
Soluble fibre can help reduce belly fat in a couple of ways.
First of all it helps you feel full and helps to reduce the amount of calories you eat in one sitting.
Secondly it feeds healthy gut bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids like butyrate which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and increase insulin sensitivity.
Examples of some of my favourite high-soluble fibre foods are sweet potatoes, green leafy vegetables, root vegetables like carrots and beets, berries, apples, pears and chia seeds.
Add more protein to your day.
This is one of my 5 simple rules for weight loss.
Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient and makes you feel fuller for longer.
It also has a high TEF (thermic effect of food) compared with fats and carbs and ensures you have enough of the amino acid building blocks for your muscles.
Quit the added sugars.
This means ditch the processed, sweetened foods – especially those sweet drinks (even 100% pure juice).
Move more.
Try HIIT. Do a group exercise class. Lift some weights. Walk and take the stairs. It all adds up.
Stress less.
Seriously! Elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase appetite and drive abdominal fat.
Get more sleep.
Try making this a priority and see how much better you feel – and look!
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Kelly Moriarty is an online health & nutrition coach and founder of The Green Body Plan.
After 5 years as a veterinarian Kelly was unhealthy, stressed out and generally dissatisfied.
She now helps professional women make the same changes she did to beat burn out, lose weight, recover their energy and take back control of their health naturally.
References:
| 1. National Health Survey: First Results, 2014-15 https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.001~2014-15~Main%20Features~Waist%20circumference~23 2. World Health Organisation, 2000, Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation, 2000, <http://libdoc.who.int/trs/WHO_TRS_894.pdf>; last accessed 03/12/2015. |
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