There are so many tutorials on how to lose belly fat and the tips and tricks to eat healthily and get a flat stomach. But why is everyone so obsessed with a flat stomach? Is it really that important to lose belly fat in the first place? Let’s find out.
Why Is It Important To Lose Belly Fat?
Your belly is in the dead centre of your body and it dictates the way your body moves, heals and survives. It is one of the most crucial parts of your body that keeps your frame balanced, a weak core is bound to put pressure on your spine and lead to a host of problems.
Here are some reasons why you should consider loosing belly fat:
Longevity
Did you know that by losing belly fat, you can actually live longer? It’s true. Researches suggest those with a larger belly have a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Belly fat is reflective of your overall health. Our bellies hold all our organs in place and having a large belly is often indicative of organ fat or visceral fat.
When you have a stronger core and lesser belly fat, you ensure better organ health. Your organs can breathe freely and work better, and thus you can live longer.
In fact, studies have shown that some people were able to reverse the effects of type 2 diabetes by losing some inches around their belly.
2. Better Endurance
Did you know that if you have a stronger core, you are less likely to get injured? A research conducted on American soldiers proves that soldiers who were able to do more than 60 pushups in 2 minutes had fewer injuries in combat. Soldiers with strong arms and legs and relatively weaker core strength had little protection in their body and were more prone to injuries.
This shows that you can strengthen your arms and your legs as much as you want, but if you don’t have a strong core, you are prone to injuries.
You don’t have to be in the army to get injuries. Having a strong core and lesser belly fat will protect you from spraining your back when you go on the jog or lift up your child.
3. Reduced Back and Joint Pain
Sometimes we get back pain not because of a weak back but because of a weak core. It is your core’s job to support your entire body. But if your core is not strong and weighed down by extra belly fat, our back is strained to support it.
Our back is strained because it has to support a heavier belly. This is why those with a heavy midsection often have should and back pain.
Same goes with our joints and feet. Our core usually works as a shock absorber for our knee and ankle joints. A strong core is much better at absorbing shock from our legs when we walk or run. But a weak core weighed down by belly fat, cannot absorb the shock coming from our legs. This causes our joints to wither away and we start to get knee and ankle pains.
4. Improved Performance
Did you know that runners, sprinters, tennis players, football players etc can perform better if they have a stronger core? They don’t play with their belly but less belly fat and a strong core inadvertently make them better at their respective sport.
We need core strength and a leaner body to propel ourselves forward and lesser belly fat helps us do just that.
5. Improved Sleep
Research shows that fat around the belly and the neck can induce breathlessness or sleep apnea – a condition that makes you forget to breathe sometimes for a minute or two when you are sleeping.
Sleep apnea can, in fact, make you more tired after getting up in the morning.
Reduced belly fat will make your body lighter and induce better sleep habits.
How Do I Lose Belly Fat?
Now that we know it’s important to lose belly fat, how do we do it properly? The answer is fairly simple – you must exercise with the right sports gear, eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and get rid of processed foods, sugary drink and high-calorie meals.
A doctor can help you chalk out a diet that is more appropriate to your lifestyle, medical history and personal tendencies. It may be a gruelling change at first, but when you start seeing the benefits, you are far more likely to push through.
Are you trying to shed a few inches around your belly? Tell us what has worked for you so far? We wish all the very best.
