The area of the body we tend to store fat in the most is around the stomach. Many of us have lost our stomachs to the invasion of the belly, and the beer belly is a common sight in middle-aged men (and toddlers for some reason) whose metabolisms have slowed, and who are not as mobile as they used to be.

Woman tend to store fat around the stomach too, as well as the hips and abdomen. When you’re dieting or training, it always seems that it’s belly fat that’s the hardest thing to shift.

Unfortunately, having a belly can be very detrimental to your health. Fat in the abdomen means there’s fat around the body’s vital organs, and this fat can get in the way of their normal functioning. It can also lead to high blood pressure, unhealthy levels of cholesterol and even heart disease.

 

There are typically two types of fat in the stomach area:

Visceral fat – this fat lies within the abdominal cavity and surrounds the internal organs

Subcutaneous fat – this fat lies much closer to the surface; it’s the ‘inch you can pinch’

To remain fit and healthy you need to shift your belly fat. If you keep your belly at bay then your vital organs will be able to operate with maximum efficiency, and without the pressure acted upon them by the surrounding layers of fat.

You can judge how much fat you have by comparing the size of your waist to the size of your hips. Simply measure your waist, and measure your hips, then divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. If the result is over 0.9 and you’re a man, or over 0.8 and you’re a woman, then you probably could do with shifting some belly fat.

Of course losing belly fat is easier said than done. Ask a dieter – especially one over the age of forty – which area of their body seems the least enthusiastic to become slim and toned and ‘belly!’ Is usually the answer.

Ignore advice that says endless sit-ups and stomach crunches are the way to go about losing belly fat. All sit-ups and stomach crunches will do is tone your abdominal muscles, and there’s no point in having a washboard stomach if it’s buried beneath a layer of fat!

The key to losing belly fat is diet and exercise. If you eat healthily and do both resistance and cardio-vascular training, then the amount of fat that your body stores will decrease. Eat regular meals with a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and non-saturated fats. Avoid sugary foods and alcohol – special occasions only! Each plenty of fresh vegetables and if you do find yourself suffering from hunger pangs, then have a glass or two of water.

Losing belly fat can seem like hard work but in the long run it really is worth it. You will feel fitter and your body will function as it is supposed to function as a result.