Magazines, movies, and advertisements all point to a lean, sexy body with a flat stomach as the ideal body to strive for. However, working towards flatter abs does much more than make your body bikini-ready or make you look ripped and finely sculpted. In fact, getting flat abs may just save your life.
Many studies have linked belly fat and abdominal obesity to a number of serious and life-threatening diseases. You need not worry, though. As long you make a conscious and serious commitment to a more active lifestyle and a healthier diet, you can prevent such disorders from wreaking havoc on your health and life, even in the face of strong genetic and familial predisposition to these illnesses. One of the best things you can do is to shift your focus from losing excess weight to building lean muscles and burning belly fat. Still not convinced? Here are more reasons why you should care about getting flat abs:
Belly Fat Can Be Life-Threatening
Several studies have already found that the risk of developing life-threatening conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, can be significantly increased by a large waistline. As reported by the National Institutes of Health, the alarming waistline for men is that which is greater than 40 inches, while anything over 35 inches for women should be taken as a warning, too. The 2007 Canadian guidelines impose even stricter limits for men (37 inches) and women’s waistlines (32 inches).
A Swedish study also discovered that a leaner physique lessens the likelihood of developing cancer. According to the said study, those who were obese were 33% more likely to get cancer than those who were not. If that doesn’t frighten you much, then don’t forget that the World Health Organization has also zeroed in on excess body weight and an inactive lifestyle as the cause of a huge percentage of different malignant disorders. Other conditions that have been linked to belly fat and obesity include stroke, fatty liver, and osteoarthritis. Depression can also be traced back to excess body fat and according to multiple Java Burn Reviews, a fat burner can certainly help anyone as they try to lose body fat.
Eliminating Belly Fat Can Prevent Injuries
Sounds far-fetched, right? Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. Numerous studies have found a strong link between injury prevention and strong abdominal musculature. For instance, a US Army study discovered that those soldiers who were able to perform the most number of sit-ups in 2 minutes (72 sit-ups) were 5 times less prone to injuries of the lower body than those who couldn’t even achieve 50 sit-ups. The study also found that cardiovascular endurance (from running) and upper body strength (from push-ups) don’t give the same protection from injury as abdominal exercises. Abdominal strength seems to be the best weapon against Achilles tendonitis, lower back discomfort and pain, and several other types of injuries. You might be thinking that your work is worlds away from what soldiers do. However, a strong core will greatly benefit your entire body’s performance at any type of undertaking, be it just doing yard work, playing tennis, or wrestling your kids away from the chocolate counter.
There are plenty of other reasons for you to lose your belly fat. It has been linked to poor sleep, back pain, and various other undesirable illnesses. If you are, in any way, interested in living a better, healthier, and more productive life, then take the first step towards that life by getting flat abs.
