Do you want to know your future? Take a centimeter and measure your waist. Its volume will tell you what your chances for longevity you have.
Waist Measurements & Health
Waist volume has a direct impact on life expectancy, as scientists claim. The waist, or rather its absence, can be an indicator of abdominal obesity, which is fraught with serious health problems. 80 cm (31 inches) in the waist for women and 94 cm (37 inches) for men is the very threshold, crossing which we must honestly admit: ‘there is too much of me’ – and begin to lose weight.
Apple & Grape Figure Types
Excess weight is often unevenly distributed throughout the body. Someone has got fat accumulated on the hips (the “Grape” figure type), someone looks like an apple due to a round tummy and a leveled waist.
Will You Develop Metabolic Syndrome?
This diagnosis is made if, with waist volume over 80 cm (31 inches) for women and more than 94 cm (37 inches) for men, you have any two of these factors:
glucose level on an empty stomach is more than 5.6 mmol/l,
triglycerides level (fat constituents of blood) is more than 1.7 mmol/l
blood pressure is above 130/85 (measured several times in a row after a 10-minute rest)
high-density lipoprotein (“good” cholesterol, preventing atherosclerotic plaques) in men is reduced to 1.03 mmol/l, in women – to 1.29 mmol/l.
Health Risks of Having an “Apple” Figure Type
According to the statistics, the owners of apple-like figures more often suffer from diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis, and live on average seven years less. Women with “Grape” figure type have by 86% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease and 46% lower risk of developing other cardiovascular diseases – as discovered by scientists from the Danish Institute of Preventive Medicine in the course of a ten-year research.
Insulin Sensitivity in “Apples”
Why is that? It turns out that those who “keep” their stocks in the upper half of the body have decreased tissue sensitivity to insulin. And it is one of the indicators of metabolic syndrome (MS) – a condition which causes profound metabolic disturbances.
How Does Metabolic Syndrome Develop?
Metabolic syndrome appeared in the WHO register relatively recently – in 1985. The scientists drew attention to the fact that obesity combined with hypertension, diabetes, and high levels of “bad” cholesterol (low density lipoprotein) often leads to cardiovascular disease. According to the statistics, this syndrome manifests itself in 24-35% of people, which is one in four. It is therefore important to identify it in time and take preventive measures – in particular, to get a slimmer waist. Just keep in mind – time is working against us: older women suffer from the syndrome 5 times more often than young ones, and men – 3 times more often.
Analyze Your Body
The waist, devoid of seductive curves, can probably be a feature of constitution and not an excess weight indicator. One woman is just plump and wide-boned, another has well-developed muscles… So do not limit yourself to measurements. The first thing to do if the waist is far from ideal is measuring body fat percentage. And not on the floor scales with a special function, not with a portable tester and not even by a special computer program at a fitness club. Only X-ray densitometry can reliably show you how much excess fat you have. It is method of assessing body density and bone mineral content. Second thing to do is a blood test for a genetic predisposition to diabetes, atherosclerosis, and increased blood clotting. Doctors do not claim that all plump people are at risk of the metabolic syndrome! Heredity plays a big role.
Even extremely obese people like Sir Winston Churchill may live to advanced age without experiencing any health problems. Such a comprehensive approach to the problem of excess weight is practiced at any anti-aging center. Indeed, mostly cardiovascular and endocrine diseases shorten youth. There are similar services in medical spa centers, and health clinics.
Weight Loss Rules
Whatever you do to lose weight and reduce waist volume, it will be wrong, if these measures are extreme and limited in time.
You should not lose weight quickly
Together with weight, the level of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) decreases very quickly. Such slimness is dangerous to health: kilos fade, and metabolic parameters deteriorate. The heart working conditions dramatically change, which can lead to serious problems.
You should not go on a diet
You will possibly give up. And if you have enough willpower, weight loss will slow down anyway. The body will perceive the situation as an extreme one, and it will switch to energy-saving mode. In addition, people on diets often lose muscle weight, and fat stores remain in place.
You should not lose weight through grueling workouts
You need regular exercise, and it is not possible to survive in sweating mode for long. This is especially characteristic of men – they tend to build up muscles with “iron” in the gym, then give up, and everything turns into fat again. It is enough to start walking for 40 minutes every day, go to a pool or gym 2-3 times a week (aerobics, pilates, callanetics, cardio). You may increase the load when you’ve stopped losing weight, but have not yet reached the desired results. This is an ideal classical scheme. After all, our task is not to get rid of extra kilos, but to reduce fat proportion in the body, reduce waist and keep the achieved results.
You should not stick to the old eating habits
Otherwise you will not be able to lose weight. Do blood biochemistry to see the level of triglycerides, go through densitometry and calorimetry – the calculation of calories burned by the body at rest. Based on these data, an endocrinologist-dietitian will calculate your caloric intake and tell you how to change your diet for the weight loss to be proper – slow but steady.
