6 Pack Abs - The Latest Fad Or Critical For Your Health?

Lately, it seems that having a flat toned stomach and "six pack" abs is the new physical

standard of attractiveness and fitness we have to match up to. Is it necessary to lose belly fat for your health or is this just a fad? Is it any worse than having fat in other parts of the body?

Clearly having a fat mid section is not attractive. No one likes love handles or a fat belly except on Santa Claus.

We all have ab muscles. Those are the the ones responsible for that "6 pack abs" look. But most people's abs are covered with layers of fat. And extra abdominal fat IS carries health risks.

While it's unhealthy to be overweight, carrying excess abdominal fat is particularly dangerous to your health.

There are two types of fat that accumulate in your abdominal area. Subcutaneous fat lies beneath the skin and over the ab muscles. Visceral fat lies beneath your ab muscles and surrounds your organs.

Both types of fat in the abdominal area can increase the risk your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, cancer, and inflammation within the body that can lead to heart disease. Visceral fat is particularly dangerous because it stimulates more inflammation.

This is a hot topic and there is a lot of misinformation out there about losing belly fat. First of all, there is no quick fix. You can't spot reduce the fat away. You can't remove it with crunches or sit ups. Gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts won't work either. You can't take a pill that will magically melt fat off of you. (Sorry to all the folks that have been ripped off buying acai. It is a powerful antioxidant but it won't melt fat off your belly.)

The only answer is to lose your abdominal fat permanently is to combine a sound nutrition program with a total body fitness program. Doing so will boost your metabolism and increase your fat burning hormone levels. The right diet and exercise program combined will get you much better results than doing just one.

The results of one study were telling. Participants were divided into 2 groups: a "diet only group" and a "diet with exercise" group. The "diet and exercise" group lost significantly MORE dangerous abdominal fat.

Next, you need to know that the type of exercise you do is all important. Cardio routines, such as walking,jogging, or riding an exercise bike are not effective at reducing stomach fat. Neither are ab specific exercises such as crunches or sit ups.

The best types of exercise for reducing body fat are resistance training and interval training.

by: Deane Alban

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